AHF to Open First Chicago ‘Out of the Closet’ Thrift Store - February 16th

AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s (AHF) Out of the Closet (OTC) thrift store chain will open its newest location and 20th overall thrift store in Chicago--in Lakeview’s Boystown district—with a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, February 16th, 2019 at 10:00 am. The site, AHF’s first in Illinois and Chicago, will raise funds for, and awareness about the fight against HIV and AIDS.

“I am happy to welcome Out of the Closet to the 44th Ward and it is great that more resources are coming to Chicago and Lakeview," said the Honorable Tom Tunney, Alderman (D-44th Ward). “We need to be doing all we can to reach more Chicagoans and fight the AIDS and STI epidemic in Chicago."

AHF and its affiliates, South Side Help Center and CALOR, have together been providing services to the HIV community throughout Chicago spanning over 30 years. “We go where the need is with our innovative AHF one-stop-shop approach to providing prevention, testing and other services, for the Chicago community,” said Jonathan Kreuyer, General Manager of OTC stores, adding that Boystown is one of Chicago’s most well-known LGBT neighborhoods. “Not only will this site house our newest branch of our award-winning Out of the Closet thrift store chain, we will also offer free HIV and STD testing services; the site will also be the future home to an AHF Pharmacy.”

According to the city’s Department of Public Health, 23,835 residents are currently living with HIV in Chicago. In 2017, 752 additional individuals were diagnosed (Chicago Department of Public Health 2018 HIV/STI Surveillance Report).

The store’s merchandise is driven entirely by donations from the community. And, it's a great way to tidy up your home by shedding unused items, according to world renowned home organizer Marie Kondo, who featured OTC on her new 2019 Netflix show, Tidying Up.

96 cents of every dollar collected at Out of the Closet stores directly funds the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), aiding the non-profit to treat over one million lives worldwide in 43 countries.

AHF in Chicago

Starting in 2015, AHF began partnering in affiliations with two long-time and well-respected local Chicago community service organizations. These affiliates include:

• South Side Help Center, which was founded in 1987 and is led by Executive Director Vanessa Smith and which AHF affiliated with beginning in February 2015, and
• CALOR, led by Executive Director Omar N. López, and which has served Chicago’s Latino community for over 27 years. CALOR and AHF joined in affiliation in February 2017.

AHF has also been working to help the HIV/AIDS community in Chicago through two AHF Healthcare Centers in Hyde Park (Hyde Park AHF HCC) and on Michigan Avenue (Michigan Ave, AHF HCC). The new Chicago Out of the Closet location will also house an AHF Pharmacy site opening in March.

Out of the Closet Hours

The Chicago Out of the Closet store will be open daily Mondays through Sundays, 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, Tel: (773) 435-9584.

If you like to help join the global AIDS fight by simply donating your items, please stop by store during business hours after February 16th! For large or bulk pickup, call 877-2-PICK-IT UP.

Learn more about Out of the Closet Thrift Stores at www.outofthecloset.com, and more about AHF’s free HIV and STD testing services nationwide at www.freeHIVtest.net.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to over one million people in 43 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 on Twitter: @aidshealthcare and Instagram: @aidshealthcare.

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