AMSTERDAM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AIDS Healthcare Foundation:
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What/When: |
Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony, Saturday, April 28, 2012 (10:00 AM) |
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(VIP Invitation-Only Reception, Friday, April 27, 2012, 6:00 to 8:00 PM) |
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(NOTE: Store will officially open to the public Saturday, April 28, 2012 at 10:00 AM) |
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Where: |
Out of the Closet Vintage |
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158 Jodenbreestraat, Amsterdam |
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Contacts: |
AMSTERDAM: Steve Malenka, +31-0-6-5539-4334 |
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USA: Ged Kenslea, AHF Communications Director, mobile 323-791-5526 |
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Lori Yeghiayan Friedman, AHF Assoc. Dir. of Comm., mobile 323-377-4312 |
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AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) will mark the opening of its newest “Out of the Closet” vintage location—and its first outside the United States—with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, April 28, 2012 at 10:00 AM at 158 Jodenbreestraat. The previous evening, AHF will host a gala VIP, invitation-only reception at the same location. The store is currently accepting donations of clothing, accessories, furniture and other household goods, which can be dropped off at the shop, 158 Jodenbreestraat. For more information: www.outofthecloset.org/nl.
“Out of the Closet” (www.outofthecloset.org) is a popular and award-winning chain of twenty-two retail vintage stores in the United States owned and operated by the nonprofit AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF). AIDS Healthcare Foundation is the largest global AIDS organization and currently provides medical care and services to more than 125,000 individuals in 26 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific region and Eastern Europe. Funds earned by the re-sale of donated clothing, accessories, furniture and other items goes directly into the organization’s free AIDS programs around the world, including HIV/AIDS testing, education, prevention, outreach and the care and treatment of patients worldwide. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s Global Programs Secretariat—out of which its global programs are operated—has been located in Amsterdam since 2001.
“AIDS Healthcare Foundation is proud to be opening our first Out of the Closet store outside of the United States in Amsterdam—which has been the home-base for the organization’s global operations for more than 10 years,” said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. “We know that Amsterdam is just the right place for this newest venture as it is a community that thrives on doing good both locally and globally. Ninety-six percent of funds raised through this store will benefit AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s high-quality HIV/AIDS prevention, testing, education and treatment programs—both worldwide and soon to be in Amsterdam, where we look forward to providing free HIV/AIDS testing, prevention and outreach services in the near future. Whether donating merchandise or shopping at the store, the people of Amsterdam who utilize this facility will be giving back to the community by helping ensure that people living with HIV/AIDS receive the medical care and services they need.”
The new “Out of the Closet” store will officially open to the general public at 10:00 AM Saturday, April 28th, the morning after the VIP reception. The store will then be open daily.
With twenty-two locations in the United States—including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami—AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s popular and award-winning “Out of the Closet” thrift store chain is the United States’ largest retail fundraising vehicle for HIV/AIDS medical care and research. Boasting more than 1 million shoppers per year, the chain has raised millions of dollars for HIV/AIDS medical care since the first store opened in Los Angeles in 1995.
“Out of the Closet” stores are renowned for donations made by popular celebrities and major television and film studio production houses. Past celebrity donors have included: Elizabeth Taylor, Ron Howard, Bruce Willis, Ellen Degeneres, Carol Burnett, producer Aaron Spelling, Richard Gere and many others. Last May, AHF opened its first built-from-the-ground-up facility in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, dedicated in honor of actress and activist Elizabeth Taylor, who was a donor to “Out of the Closet” and AIDS Healthcare Foundation, and was well known for her fearless advocacy and tireless fundraising on behalf of people with AIDS throughout her life.
In addition to funding lifesaving services, many “Out of the Closet” stores offer free HIV testing services, part of AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s innovative community-based, alternative-site testing program—the largest HIV testing program of its kind. The Amsterdam location will be offering free HIV testing and counseling services later this year.
Founded in 1987, AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s mission is to provide cutting-edge medicine and advocacy, regardless of ability to pay. In addition to operating free HIV/AIDS healthcare centers, AHF also offers free HIV prevention, testing and referral services at select “Out of the Closet” stores, through mobile testing vans and other alternative locations. Since 1995, AHF has also been involved in research, sponsoring clinical trials and other studies focused on discovering better treatment and improving the quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS. From sponsoring legislation to organizing grassroots campaigns, AHF focuses its advocacy efforts on ensuring access to quality health care services for all.
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and services to more than 125,000 individuals in 26 countries worldwide in the United States, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific region and Eastern Europe. www.aidshealth.org. For more information, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter @aidshealthcare. For more information about “Out of the Closet,” please visit our website: www.outofthecloset.org and our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/OutoftheClosetThriftStores and follow us on Twitter @OutoftheCloset.