During difficult times many of us rely on our MOMs for support, and in a very real sense through a new San Diego partnership for the HIV/AIDS community, that’s exactly what’s happening.

Priority, a MOMs Pharmacy and Being Alive San Diego have announced that they will be collaborating on an innovative HIV Community Learning Center at 3940 4th Ave. in San Diego’s Hillcrest district. Besides providing free, easy access to a wealth of HIV/AIDS information and services in the heart of Hillcrest, key features of the HIV Community Learning Center will be a Community Resource Wall, an Artist Gallery, an Onsite Client Advocate, Private AIDS Service Organization Office Space, and Priority, a MOMs Pharmacy.

“This collaboration with Being Alive is consistent with the MOMs Pharmacy philosophy,” said Anthony Luna, Vice President of Priority, a MOMs Pharmacy that donated the space for the new center. Similar projects, partnering with Under One Roof in San Francisco and Lifelong AIDS Alliance in Seattle, Wash. opened last year.

“We recognize that during these difficult times when funding for HIV services is being cut, that it is not just enough to serve the community; you have to give back and be an active and involved part of it. We are excited to be collaborating with such a well-respected organization as Being Alive San Diego to help ensure that these valuable programs and services continue,” Luna said.

Priority/MOMs Pharmacy specializes in the treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS. For 20 years, Priority/MOMs has led the HIV/AIDS specialty pharmacy field, providing advanced treatment and compassionate care to patients. MOMs’ services have been recognized as improving patient outcomes by offering customized medication packaging to promote medication adherence, including the MOMsPak. MOMs Pharmacy is an Allion Healthcare Company with locations throughout the United States.

“This center will serve to meet the increasing challenges facing the San Diego HIV/AIDS community,” said Shannon Wagner, executive director of Being Alive, a nonprofit organization that works to enrich and enhance the personal dignity and quality of life of people living with AIDS/HIV through mutual support, access to information, public advocacy and social interaction. Being Alive began in August 1989 with six individuals. Now in its 20th year of operation it serves more than 6,000 people per year.

“Through MOMS’ generosity this project is not only providing expanded access to local AIDS service organizations, but it is also creating greater awareness of the many specialized services available to people living with HIV/AIDS in our community,” Wagner said.

The new Center will encompass 1,400 square feet of the newly expanded Priority/MOMs Pharmacy space. The center will provide a welcoming and safe space for people living with HIV/AIDS to obtain information on the many valuable programs and services offered by Being Alive and MOMs Pharmacy, as well as information on other local community AIDS Service Organizations. Through collaborations with pharmaceutical companies and local HIV providers, the HIV Community Learning Center will host a variety of culturally diverse HIV/AIDS educational programs, client support groups and provide private office space for one-on-one counseling, treatment education, peer advocacy, ADAP screening, community outreach, and HIV testing services.

“We are so honored to be a part of this effort,” said Antonio Munoz, of Bienestar, an AIDS Service Organization focused on the Latino / Spanish-speaking communities. “This HIV Community Learning Center will allow for greater HIV/AIDS awareness where people actually live and speak. Not only does this effort walk the walk, but most importantly, it talks the talk – en Espanol.”

The new HIV Community Learning Center will also provide several private offices for one-on-one client meetings, counseling, treatment education, ADAP screening and outreach efforts whereby an ASO representative may meet with, inform, and potentially enroll clients in their programs and services. The offices will be furnished with comfortable modular furniture allowing for flexibility in use of the space and free Internet access.

Another key feature of The HIV Community Learning Center will be “The Being Alive Family Room.” This dedicated space will function as a waiting area for pharmacy clients during normal pharmacy business hours, as well as serving as a casual meeting venue for smaller client support groups after hours. By adding additional temporary seating, the Family Room can be slightly modified to create “The Being Alive Classroom,” which will accommodate much larger groups for more formal HIV/AIDS education presentations and programs. A permanent feature of the Being Alive Family Room will be a flat-screen TV that can be used as a monitor for PowerPoint Presentations and the playing of educational videos during client education programs.

MOMs Pharmacy www.momspharmacy.com

Being Alive San Diego www.beingalive.org

Under One Roof www.underoneroof.org

Lifelong AIDS Alliance www.lifelongaidsalliance.org