[October 17, 2017]

'Keeping the Promise-AHF 30 Years'

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is honored to announce a significant milestone: this year marks the observation and celebration of AHF's 30^th anniversary, an accomplishment that now includes providing HIV/AIDS prevention, care and services-including lifesaving antiretroviral treatment, to more than 821,000 people in 38 countries in the US, Europe, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean and Asia.

As part of its 30^th anniversary, AHF will mark the achievement throughout the remainder of 2017 with a series of global events and activities, including screenings of the new one-hour documentary, 'Keeping the Promise-AHF 30 Years.' Through interviews with key AHF stakeholders from over the years coupled with archival video footage culled from AHF's 30 years of advocacy, care and activism, 'Keeping the Promise-AHF 30 Years' tells a compelling story of AHF's history while offering a glimpse of, and road map to its future.

Staff and public screenings of the film start in October and will continue through the end of the year as the observation of World AIDS Day approaches (observed each year on December 1^st) when AHF will also host a number of World AIDS Day/AHF 30^th Anniversary concerts and community activations around the globe. 'Keeping the Promise-AHF 30 Years' was made by Foxhound Productions and will also be subtitled in at least nine (9) additional languages: Spanish, French, Chinese, Portuguese, Nepali, Khmer, Russian, Ukrainian and Hindi-languages spoken in many of the countries and regions where AHF currently operates and provides care and services.

Founded in 1987 first as the AIDS Hospice Committee and later the AIDS Hospice Foundation, AHF's earliest days were a heartfelt, grassroots community effort to provide end-of-life hospice care to people with AIDS in Los Angeles, California at a time in the mid-1980s before lifesaving drug treatment was available for people with HIV/AIDS. Thirty years later, AHF has now grown to become the largest global AIDS organization.

"On this occasion of the 30^th anniversary of the founding of AHF, I want to thank our board of directors, our staff of 5,600, our 821,000 patients and the community of supporters we have around the country and the world. Everything we have accomplished is because of your dedication. AHF stands as living proof that the world can be changed for the better if you are willing to work hard and dedicate yourself to a mission," said Michael Weinstein, AHF's President and founder. "I really wish that Chris Brownlie, my dear friend and co-founder of AHF, could be alive today to see what his voice inspired. While we celebrate this milestone, we recognize that there is still so much more work to be done before we defeat AIDS once and for all time."

"Congratulations to all of the AHF staff, Board members, volunteers, partners and our patients for contributing your best to help AHF meet this remarkable thirty-year milestone with over 821,000 patients now in AHF's care somewhere in the world," said Cynthia Davis, MPH, Assistant Professor, College of Medicine, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science and Chair of AHF's Board of Directors. "On behalf of the Board, we are honored and proud of the work done-and to work alongside you-in the fight against AIDS each day. Members of the Board also look forward to celebrating this milestone with many of you at these events, celebrations and film screenings at AHF locations around the corner and around the globe, as well as during our upcoming 'Keep the Promise' World AIDS Day concerts and community events. Again, heartfelt congratulations and thanks to all those involved in this remarkable AHF accomplishment."

AHF provides medical care and services at over 435 global clinics in 37 other countries outside to U.S. including:

THE AMERICAS-11 countries, including: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Paraguay and Peru (as well as the previously cited United States).

AFRICA-11 countries, including: Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda and Zambia.

ASIA-9 countries, including: Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

EUROPE-7 countries, including: Estonia, Greece, Lithuania, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia and Ukraine.

In addition, AHF operates 48 free HIV/AIDS healthcare centers in 14 states and the District of Columbia in the U.S. (California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, Washington [state] and Washington, DC).

Today, in addition to its clinics and treatment centers, AHF also operates a chain of 46 AHF Pharmacy outlets in 11 states and runs managed care and disease management programs for people with AIDS or HIV in Florida and California under AHF's Positive Healthcare umbrella. Through AHF's Public Health Division, AHF operates one of the largest community-based free HIV testing programs in the US (176,950 free tests in the U.S. in 2016). In addition, nearly five million free HIV tests were done globally by AHF in 2016 (4,876,600 tests). AHF also operates 21 Wellness Centers in eight states (and four additional Wellness Centers in two other countries) and also operates two AHF Dental Clinics in South Florida and Southern California. The AHF Research Division has nearly 23 years of experience with antiretroviral (ARV) studies. AHF also operates the award-winning chain of 'Out of the Closet' thrift stores-currently 21 outlets in seven states in the U.S., many of which are free HIV testing sites as well.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to over 817,000 individuals in 38 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 (News - Alert): www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter (News - Alert): @aidshealthcare.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171017006820/en/

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