31 | OutBoise Magazine | NEWS
OutBoise.com | Issue 1.2 | November 2014
A.l.p.h.a. passes a decade
September 1st marked 11 years for
Allies Linked for the Prevention of HIV
and AIDS (a.l.p.h.a) – and I stopped in
last week to find out more about what
this great organization has been doing
for our community. Founded on September 1 st, 2003 by Duane Quintana,
this organization has been faced with
a number of challenges.
Apparently, my timing for showing
up was perfect, as Nathan Aiken, the
organization’s new Director of Operations, was conducting orientation for
new volunteers. The organization has
many opportunities for volunteers to
help out. Whether it is managing the
front desk, helping out in the food
bank, or becoming a tester, volunteers
are fully trained in handling each situation.
The organization’s main focus is HIV
and AIDS prevention, providing free
condoms, and HIV testing at no cost.
OraQuick is the first FDA approved
oral swab test for hiv-1 and hiv-2, and
is the preferred method of testing at
a.l.p.ha. It is an oral test, requires no
blood, and they offer testing in a safe,
confidential environment.
All volunteer testers are educated
on the importance of confidentiality;
no more than 2 volunteers are allowed in the building to help ensure
privacy is maintained. During the test,
these trained volunteers are equipped
with the knowledge of how the test
operates, and they offer counseling
services on at-risk behaviors, and what
to expect whether the results are positive or negative. HIV Test Counselors
are specially trained and receive State
Certification from the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare.
If a test comes back positive,
a.l.p.h.a offers referrals for treatment,
and ongoing support for those who
need it. They also offer testing services
for gonorrhea and chlamydia, along
with Hepatitis C.
Executive director, Jonny Walker,
gave further insight into the growth
of the organization by letting us
know more about their food bank
services. a.l.p.h.a. offers their Food
Pantry to those affected and infected with HIV and AIDS, and last year
distributed over
seven thousand
pounds of food
to those in need.
This year, they are
looking at distributing over 35,000
lbs of food. This is
amazing growth
in a single year,
and their new
location is perfect
for offering these
services. a.l.p.h.a’s
new location is at 575 N 8th St in
Boise, ID. Office hours are Monday –
Friday: 11 -8 pm, and Saturday: 12-3
pm. Testing services are available
Monday Through Wednesday 5 PM
-8 PM and Fridays 5-8 PM. You can
also drop in on Saturdays between
12-3 PM for testing. Their food pantry
is open Tuesdays, Thursdays, and
Saturdays between 12-3 PM as well.
In addition to the services already
mentioned, A.l.p.h.a. also hosts
a monthly “condom raid” where
volunteer go out into the community
on a Saturday evening distributing
condoms, and raising awareness on
the prevention of spreading STD’s.
Help us to congratulate this great
organization in celebrating so many
years of service, and their continuing growth and support of our community!