Philly AIDS Thrift awards $200,000 in grants

Philly AIDS Thrift, a nonprofit thrift store based in Queens Village, announced this week that it is awarding $200,000 worth of grants to 24 local organizations and programs focused on HIV prevention and care.

The twice-a-year grant program began seven years ago as another way to serve the community, and the initiative continued during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are proud and humbled to be able to fund these grants this year,” said Michael Bryne, Philly AIDS Thrift’s board president, in a statement. “The pandemic has hit each of us, including Philly AIDS Thrift.”

“Closing for almost four months and sales being down has not dimmed our commitment to our mission,” he continued. “Our hardships pale in comparison to the many deserving programs doing the very real work relied upon by individuals across the Delaware Valley affected by HIV/AIDS.”

Since 2005, Philly AIDS Thrift has turned yesterday’s treasures into $3,191,262 for organizations on the front lines of the HIV/AIDS crisis.

“It is amazing to all of us that we have surpassed the milestone of giving away over $3 million dollars since our inception,” said Christina Kallas, the store’s founder and manager, in a statement.

“We could not do it without our generous donors and enthusiastic shoppers,” she added.

Applications for the next round of grants will be available near the end of 2021.

This round’s recipients were Action Wellness’s Michael Taylor Fund, AIDS Delaware’s food pantry, AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania, Angels in Motion, Attic Youth Center, Bebashi – Transition to Hope, Black and Latinx Community Control, Camp Dreamcatcher Inc., Colours Organization, Comite de Apoyo a los Trabajadores Agri­colas, Congreso de Latinos Unidos Inc., Family Service of Chester County, Family Services of Montgomery County, LGBT Elder Initiative, Mazzoni Center’s Washington West Testing Site, Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance, Neighborhood United Against Drugs, One Day At A Time/Urban Affairs Coalition, Planned Parenthood Keystone, Prevention Point Philadelphia’s Syringe Services Program, Resources for Human Development’s Morris Home, Siloam Wellness’s From Food Pantry to Table, SOL Collective, William Way LGBT Community Center.