AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF):
“After six months on the road, our ‘Testing America’ tour culminates with a major testing event in New York City on Sunday, June 27th—National HIV Testing Day.”
AHF’s Magic Johnson ‘Testing America’ Tour, a six month, 48 state national cross country HIV testing tour, arrives in Charlotte, North Carolina and will offer free HIV testing, along with local partner the Regional HIV/AIDS Consortium, today Tuesday, March 9th at Greater Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, 727 West Trade Street, from 12:00 noon until 6:00 pm. AHF is also partnering with the Gaston County Health Department to offer free HIV testing in Gastonia outside of the Compare Foods in Dixie Village Shopping Center, 2573 W. Franklin Blvd., on Wednesday, March 10th from 2:00 pm until 7:00 pm. All are welcome to attend. The testing will take place on AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF’s) new, state-of-the-art ‘Testing America’ mobile HIV testing unit named in honor of and in partnership with basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Jr.
The AHF/Magic Johnson ‘Testing America’ tour is part of a collaborative effort to raise local and national awareness about the importance—and ease—of HIV testing and to challenge attitudes about moving toward a streamlined model of HIV testing and counseling nationwide. AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is proud to continue its second HIV Testing Tour across the US after the successful completion of its recent and ambitious 14 city AHF Magic Johnson HIV Testing Caravan in mid-2009.
“Working with respected local partners, including the Regional HIV/AIDS Consortium and the Gaston County Health Department, we plan on demonstrating just how easy HIV testing can be. At each stop along the way on this nationwide tour—including Charlotte—we will host or participate in free mobile HIV testing events and media events to raise awareness about the importance of testing,” said Azul Mares-Del Grasso, Field Services Manager, National HIV Testing Tour, AHF’s Public Health Division. “After six months on the road, our ‘Testing America’ tour culminates with a major testing event in New York City on Sunday, June 27th—National HIV Testing Day.”
During the testing tour, AIDS Healthcare Foundation will also present $1,000 grants to each of the local partners. And throughout the course of testing tour, HIV testing counselors will supply a steady stream of updates, videos and images via new media: YouTube, Facebook and Twitter postings from along the route, interviews with local partners, government officials and interviews with people who were tested on the mobile unit. To learn how you can sign up to follow the ‘Testing America’ tour, please visit www.freehivtest.net.
HIV Statistics in the United States