Auntie Helen’s Fluff ‘n Fold celebrated its 20-year anniversary last weekend in the Santa Fe Room at Balboa Park.

Several local community members, businesses, dignitaries and volunteers turned out to honor and pay tribute to the grassroots, community-based agency, which has served thousands of people with HIV/AIDS for the last two decades, providing free laundry services for people who are too sick to do their own laundry. Members and volunteers who have helped make the services at Auntie Helen’s possible were on hand to pay tribute to the organization.

“Auntie Helen’s is one of the first organizations that saw a need in the early years of AIDS and worked tirelessly to offer valuable services for those affected in our community,” said Sen. Christine Kehoe, who recalled the difficulties many HIV-positive people in the community faced when Auntie Helen’s opened its doors.

“Twenty years later, Auntie Helen’s continues its outstanding service of making life better for those living with AIDS and HIV,” Kehoe said, as she presented the organization with a State Senate Commendation.

After being diagnosed HIV-positive in July 1988, Gary Cheatham founded Auntie Helen’s Fluff ‘n Fold, in a one-car garage as a fluff and fold laundry project to help a friend too sick from AIDS-related illness to do his own laundry. In August 1989, the laundry service expanded to include a thrift shop, which, co-located with the laundry service, financially assists the laundry service operation. Auntie Helen’s was the first program of its kind and is currently the only one of its kind currently operating in the United States. The agency was named as a National Point of Light by The White House in 1991 and has been awarded many state and local honors.

Cheatham passed away on June 26, 1995 from complications of AIDS, but his legacy has lived on.

Since then, the organization has served thousands of people with HIV/AIDS and completes more than 1,500 loads of laundry per month for more than 400 clients. Additionally, the agency serves more than 900 people with emergency clothing and medical equipment needs.

“It’s a wonderful thing to be the only type of service like this offered in the San Diego area and to have been around for so long to serve the community,” said Chris Huggins, who works at Auntie Helen’s. “What is even greater is the love and support that Auntie Helen’s has received throughout the years from all San Diegans, not only through cash donations, but also personal items and clothes, as well as the great volunteer support base.”

Huggins is among the volunteers who make the work Auntie Helen’s does possible, and who were also honored for their dedication at the celebration.

Huggins, along with Dana Smith and Jonathan Mantlicmot, received the volunteer emeritus award. Dana Smith was named volunteer of the year, and Peter Stabile received the decade volunteer award.

Additionally Chelli Mohammed from Councilmember Toni Atkins’ office and Todd Gloria from Rep. Susan Davis’ presented the agency with awards for its service.

“All awards put aside the rewards we get by doing the work we do and volunteering at Auntie Helen’s is worth it,” said store manager, Michael Dudely. “In the words of our founder, Gary Cheatham, ‘It’s all about loving and taking care of each other.’ And that can’t be truer. Auntie’s Helen’s stands for love. We do a lot of hugging around here. Just because we care.”

For more information about Auntie Helen’s or to volunteer, call 619-584-8438 or visit www.auntiehelens.org.