Phillly AIDS Thrift’s already-expansive offerings got even broader this week with the opening of the store’s new HIV testing center.
The ribbon was cut Thursday, National HIV Testing Day, on the pioneering new Philly AIDS Thrift HIV Testing Center, headquartered at the retail store at 710 S. Fifth St.
The center will offer free, rapid HIV testing on the store’s second floor two days per week, in partnership with five local agencies: ActionAIDS, Bebashi, GALAEI, Mazzoni Center and Philadelphia FIGHT, who will staff the site on a rotating schedule. Along with testing, the partners will provide free counseling, education, referrals, risk-reduction plans, condoms and lube. Bilingual screeners will also be available when possible.
The center will be open from noon-4 p.m. the first and third Saturday and Sunday of the month and the second and fourth Friday and Saturday.
PAT co-founder and co-manager Christina Kallas Saritsoglou said the program has been a long time coming for the store, which has donated more than $1 million to HIV/AIDS causes in the past decade.
“When we moved into the new space about four years ago, we were trying to think of ways to do something even more to help the community, so it was something we’ve been talking about for a while,” she said. “But people just got more and more generous and kept giving us things, so our space was filling up.”
Over the last few years, however, PAT expanded its space to the building next door and spread out its inventory, freeing up enough space for a testing center, which was funded by donations from the Diabolique Foundation.
The 300-square-foot space, accessible by stairs and elevator, includes a reception area and testing room, decorated with PAT items.
“The fact that we’re having a testing site in a retail space is not traditional and neither is the waiting room, but we wanted it all to reflect the store personality; it’s very warm and comfortable,” Kallas Saritsoglou said. “We have lots of pictures and paintings on the walls, things for people to look at, a very-’60s lamp. We wanted to have just a cool, safe environment.”
That atmosphere, she noted, will ideally counter stigma still associated with HIV testing, and bring knowing your status to the forefront of people’s minds.
“We wanted to normalize testing. All the existing testing sites are wonderful, but I think some folks may be driven by fear and may not want to be in an environment that’s a more clinical setting or one that completely identifies as the place people go to get tested. So it puts another option out there,” she said. “And I think it puts testing on people’s radar. We have a lot of customers who come here not just because of our mission but because they love the people, they love to shop and now it’s also like, ‘Oh hey, I can get tested too.’ We want it to be on people’s minds.”
The store also plans to be proactive in informing the community about the center. Earlier this week, 10 PAT volunteers underwent training from two of the partner organizations and will canvas the neighborhood around the store during center hours to conduct outreach.
“We have a unique opportunity to bring awareness of testing to literally people from all walks of life. The people who come into the shop, the donors, the volunteers really do come from all walks of life. And being just a block away from South Street is really a great opportunity.”
For more information about PAT HIV Testing Center, visit phillyaidsthrift.com.
