‘Out of the Closet’ Thrift Store Opens in Orlando to Address Orlando’s HIV/AIDS Epidemic

For a limited time, shoppers who donate gently used items will be registered to win a new Vespa Scooter

ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) will open Orlando’s first Out of the Closet Thrift Store on Saturday, February 27th, with a grand opening celebration starting at 10:00 a.m. rain or shine. Located at 1349 N. Mills Avenue, Orlando, the facility will also house a state-of-the-art AHF Pharmacy and administer confidential free, rapid, one-minute testing for HIV and other STD’s.

The grand opening will offer discounts on an array of trendy clothes, furniture and housewares, and an opportunity for attendees to take a free, rapid HIV test and register to win a Vespa scooter. Given COVID-19 restrictions, Saturdays grand opening will include a brief ribbon cutting ceremony beginning at 10:00 a.m., with remarks by AHF Orlando Regional Director Shaundia White and Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan.

WHAT:	Orlando’s first Out of the Closet Thrift store grand opening will provide confidential, rapid, free HIV testing and which $0.96 cents of every dollar is invested back into HIV/AIDS education, awareness and prevention programs in the local community.
WHEN:	Saturday, February 27, 2021
	Ribbon Cutting starts at 10:00 a.m.
WHERE:	Out of the Closet Thrift Store
	1349 N. Mills Avenue
	Orlando, FL
WHO:	The Honorable Patty Sheehan, Orlando City Commissioner, 4^th District
	Shaundia White, AHF Regional Director-Orlando
	Russell Walker, Senior Director of Operations, AHF Southern Bureau
	George Wallace, Executive Director, L,G,B,T,Q+ Center - Orlando
	Local residents

“Saturday’s grand opening will offer the chance for Orlando shoppers to be among the first to discover the unique finds and hidden treasures for which ‘Out of the Closet’ is famous,” said Jonathan Kreuyer, General Manager of Out of the Closet Stores. “With twenty-three other locations in California, Florida, Ohio, Georgia and New York, AHF’s Out of the Closet Thrift Store chain is the nation’s largest retail fundraising venture for HIV/AIDS services, and ninety-six cents of every dollar earned is directed towards local HIV/AIDS awareness efforts and our mission to provide HIV/AIDS care to those in need.”

AHF’s Out of the Closet location will be open Monday-Saturday, from 10am (EST) – 7:00pm (EST) and Sunday 10:00am – 6:00pm, with HIV testing taking place Tuesday – Saturday, from 10:00am (EST) – 7:00pm (EST).

With 23 locations worldwide, Out of the Closet Thrift stores aim to make HIV testing easy while providing people a fun place to shop and donate gently used goods in support of the fight against HIV/AIDS. Out of the Closet Thrift Stores are often connected to an AHF Pharmacy, to also provide a convenient one-stop experience for clients to shop and pick up their medication.

“We are pleased to expand our presence and services in Orlando with the opening of the Out of the Closet thrift store. We know that along with the testing services it will provide to the immediate community, the City of Orlando and the surrounding municipalities, we can shift the trajectory of the local HIV epidemic,” said Michael Kahane, AHF Southern Bureau Chief.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to over 1.5 million individuals in 45 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Eastern Europe. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us @aidshealthcare.