AIDS FOUNDATION HOUSTON INC
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Mission Statement
The mission of Allies in Hope is to end the HIV epidemic in the greater Houston area. We envision a community where HIV is stigma free, rare, and where everyone has equitable access to care.
About This Cause
The four key pillars to achieving our mission and vision are to: 1) diagnose people living with HIV as quickly as possible; 2) assist people living with HIV to access healthcare to maintain their health, achieve viral suppression, and prevent HIV transfer; 3) prevent new HIV cases through outreach, community engagement, prevention education, and increased access to affordable pre-exposure prophylaxis medication; and 4) respond to community HIV outbreaks and other sexually transmitted infections in collaboration with local health providers to limit the negative impact on public health. Incorporated as the Kaposi Sarcoma Committee of Houston by medical providers at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in 1982, we later became known as the KS/AIDS Foundation and then AIDS Foundation Houston. In the early days, we aided those affected by HIV by delivering food, helping find housing for those who became homeless, advocating for treatment, and comforting those who could no longer fight the incurable disease. Our accomplishments included developing the first housing facilities in the nation for people with HIV and a comprehensive “grocery store model” food and nutrition assistance program. In the 1980’s, Allies in Hope was instrumental in developing education and prevention resources. Highlights include the first HIV prevention education booklet in the nation and an outreach program targeting vulnerable Houstonians through community outreach activities. In 1991, with the passage of the Ryan White CARE Act, Allies in Hope expanded our services to help thousands of Houstonians navigate the complex healthcare system to ensure access to affordable and appropriate care and essential support services. In 1996, we inaugurated the first Texas summer camp for children living with HIV. For 29 years, we have continued to provide Camp Hope for children ages 7-16 in four states. The next year, we launched a partnership with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to provide HIV education and peer educator training inside 100 Texas jails and prison units. In 1998, we opened a 32-unit apartment complex in Midtown Houston to provide affordable housing for women living with HIV and their families. In subsequent years, we added additional capacity so that today, more than 400 individuals and families have stable, affordable housing through our partnerships with federal and local stakeholders. Today, Allies in Hope provides care to over 4,000 men, women, and children living with or affected by HIV. We also offer HIV prevention education to nearly 100,000 individuals and HIV testing to 1,400 people annually, most of whom come from vulnerable populations, including People of Color, adolescents and young adults (AYA) under age 25, incarcerated offenders, gay/bisexual men, and Transgender people. Allies in Hope receives funding from the CDC, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Texas Department of State Health Services, and the City of Houston’s Health Department and Housing and Community Development Department. Other funding is provided by corporations, foundations, community groups, and individuals who share our passion for ending the HIV epidemic. In 2023, to address the ongoing stigma around the word “AIDS”, we changed our name from AIDS Foundation Houston to Allies in Hope. Concurrently, we expanded our programs and services by opening a “one-stop-shop" in Midtown Houston to provide outreach, education, testing and linkage services to the most vulnerable communities in the heart of the city such as Midtown, Downtown, Montrose, and Greater Third Ward. We also took delivery of a new state-of-the-art custom-built mobile testing unit to expand outreach and testing. Our two mobile units have been providing people with transportation barriers the opportunity for safe, confidential, and convenient testing services. We remain steadfast in our commitment to serve as allies – standing with and for every person vulnerable to and living with HIV. Our Strategies and Programs Our 56 employees, 14 Board members, and hundreds of volunteers strive to accomplish the mission through a broad array of programs and services including prevention campaigns, clinical services, and additional programs that address social determinants that drive healthcare outcomes. Our prevention and clinical services begin with robust community outreach including the following: peer education inside Texas prisons and state jails; regular presence on college campuses, at nightclubs and community events; and online engagement through various social media channels. We test about 1,400 people each year so that people know their HIV status – and if they have other sexually transmitted infections (STI) – and can take action for their best health. We conduct testing through community events, at our clinic, and online through the Hey Mistr telemedicine portal. We also mail at-home BEST Box (Be Empowered to Self-Test Box) kits and assist clients through the specimen collection and submission process. All testing and condom distribution programs are free and confidential. For people who test negative for HIV, we offer HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and STI prophylaxis (Doxy PEP) at our clinic or online through the Hey Mistr platform. For people who test positive for HIV and/or other STI’s, we offer rapid-start HIV treatment (a 30-day supply) with navigation to long-term healthcare providers and on-site STI treatment with additional referrals. We offer peer navigation services to ensure they can access appropriate health care services. For people exiting incarceration, we offer discharge planning through the Somebody Cares program to ensure timely linkage to healthcare and supportive services. HIV lies at the intersection of public health and myriad other factors that drive healthcare outcomes (e.g., housing stability, gainful employment, health insurance coverage, food security, transportation, and behavioral health). Stigma, fear, systemic racism, and marginalization have a real and lasting impact, especially upon our priority populations. Housing stability is the single greatest predictor of retention in care and viral suppression among people living with HIV. Moreover, supportive housing is consistently ranked in local needs assessments as the greatest unmet need among persons living with HIV. To help address the disparities in access to care that housing instability creates, Allies in Hope has developed 10 supportive housing solutions serving over 400 people each month including specific programs for women and families, AYA, and recently released offenders. All housing includes on-site staff, service linkage, behavioral health care access, food and transportation assistance, and other support services that help to overcome disparities to HIV care access, retention, and viral suppression.