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June 19, 2006
BEBASHI hosts All Day TEST FEST for National HIV Testing Day Philadelphia, PA - Monday June 19, 2006, BEBASHI – Transition to Hope will offer free Rapid HIV testing from 10:00am until 8:00pm to commemorate National HIV Testing Day on June 27, 2006. Also known as ORAQUICK, the Rapid HIV test provides a result in approximately twenty minutes. Refreshments, entertainment, door prizes and a mini-flea market, featuring tables of inexpensive used household items will also be available. To participate, BEBASHI requests a donation of one can of food or other non perishable food item. National HIV Testing Day (NHTD) is an annual campaign produced by the National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA-US) to encourage at-risk individuals to receive voluntary HIV counseling and testing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 180,000 to 280,000 people nationwide are HIV-positive but are unaware of their status. HIV counseling and testing enables people with HIV to take steps to protect their own health and that of their partners, and helps people who test negative get the information they need to stay uninfected. Across the country, thousands of HIV counseling and testing sites, state and local health departments, and community-based HIV/AIDS service providers will participate in NHTD events, by holding health fairs, providing community and media outreach, hosting special testing-related events or operating extended hours. Some of these events may be scheduled in the days and weeks surrounding NHTD. Founded in 1985, BEBASHI was the first black HIV/AIDS services organization in the United States. Through its continuum of HIV/AIDS prevention, advocacy and direct services including street outreach, counseling and testing for HIV, sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy, Case Management, Housing Counseling, Care Outreach, Support Groups and a Food Cupboard, each year, BEBASHI touches the lives of approximately 15,000 people. Our mission is to provide culturally sensitive health related information, direct service, research, and technical assistance to the urban community. BEBASHI is located at: 1217 Spring Garden Street, 1st Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19123 For more information, please contact: Gary J. Bell, Executive Director by calling 215-769-3561 or emailing at bell@critpath.org. For more information on BEBASHI please log onto www.bebashi.org.
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