Orlando is one of the most diverse and vibrant cities in the United States. Although it is famous for its theme parks, easy access to coastal beaches, and endless entertainment, Orlando also has a strong community with a history of lifting one another up when times get tough. The local non-profit organization Hope & Help is thrilled to be a part of this vital community bond.
Hope & Help has served the Central Florida area for over three decades, offering medical care, testing, mental health support, and preventative measures for communities most affected by HIV and AIDS. Over the years, the organization has become an integral part of the City Beautiful, elevating the care that over 14,000 Orlando residents living with HIV receive, fundraising for future projects, and educating the community on subjects ranging from the use of PrEP to protect oneself to how to fight the stigmas that still surround HIV and AIDS.
The need for Hope & Help’s services remains significant in the Orlando area, which is why the organization is staying focused on consistent improvement and outreach.
It all begins with friendship
Hope & Help’s humble beginnings are rooted in the environment of the late 1980s HIV/AIDS epidemic. It was a time when misinformation and fear ran rampant. For those facing the disease, groups of friends acting as caregivers were sometimes their only option for care, and Hope & Help was born out of one of these caregiving groups. By 1988, the year this group of friends gathered to take care of one of their own, 46,000 Americans had died of the disease. Treatments such as AZT were still in their infancy, and stigma was something that those working to end the epidemic were battling regularly.
Hope & Help emerged to not only provide physical and mental care but also as a steel against the widespread stigma. Through education and outreach programs, Hope & Help has been able to fight back misinformation that has brought harm to those living with HIV and AIDS.
Comprehensive care and support
Hope & Help serves multiple counties in central Florida, from the busy downtown communities to the more rural areas that may suffer from medical personnel shortages. Since 1988, it has grown to be one of the most extensive providers of HIV/STI services and treatments in the Sunshine State.
The organization’s primary mission is evident in its name — to offer help to those living with HIV, AIDS, or other STIs and hope, which can often be in short supply when grappling with a positive diagnosis of diseases like HIV/AIDS. Hope & Help’s wide range of services covers the physical needs, the mental needs, and the need for connection and support within the communities most affected by HIV/AIDS. Lisa Barr, the organization’s executive director, and her team are committed to creating a “come as you are” environment where anyone is welcome, regardless of where they are from or what services they may seek.
Hope & Help also partners with other local community and healthcare organizations to fundraise and provide widespread community outreach. One example is the upcoming A Walk for Change, which will bring together dozens of community groups to work toward the goal of eventually ending HIV/AIDS. The team at Hope & Help knows that the city of Orlando and the surrounding areas that make up greater Central Florida are monumentally powerful when they come together.
Hope & Help also offers several support groups and health and wellness events to give people living with HIV/AIDS a place to go to talk or meet others living with the same conditions. These events give Hope & Help the opportunity to let the community know what it offers and how it can help.
“We strive to get preventative and treatment resources into everyone’s hands,” Hope & Help states on its website. For nearly 40 years, its team has been instrumental in spreading the word about PrEP, an HIV prevention tool that has helped lessen the rates of HIV infections. Through PrEP Plus, Hope & Help gets PrEP into the hands of people who are HIV-negative but at high risk for the disease. The organization takes care of all the complicated red tape that can come with getting medication, and most people can start their PrEP regimen within 72 hours of contacting Hope & Help.
What Hope & Help offers the Central Florida community expands far beyond medical care or education. It serves as a hub of acceptance and support for a community often maligned or subject to widespread stigma. Hope & Help continues to work towards a healthier and stronger community, applying experience and knowledge in the fight to eliminate HIV and AIDS once and for all.
