Philly AIDS Thrift Awards $147,000 in New Grants

The latest grants went to 17 local organizations fighting HIV/AIDS and took the nonprofit thrift store’s contributions to nearly $1.5 million.

Photo provided by Philly AIDS Thrift.

Photo provided by Philly AIDS Thrift.

Last week, Philly AIDS Thrift awarded 17 local HIV/AIDS advocacy groups, including Action AIDS, GALAEI, and the Attic Youth Center, a total of $147,000 in grant funding for their work in the community.

Funds for the grants were generated by two retail operations that re-sell gently used items. PAT inaugurated its grant program in 2014, igniting a new wave of the organization giving back to the community, and its total contributions to the community have now reached $1.47 million.

“We spent a lot of time making the process easier for our beneficiaries by creating a portal on our website in which the organizations could create an account and save the progress of their proposals as they went along,” says PAT board president and grant committee chairperson Michael Byrne. “I think it made a big difference. We had twice as many organizations apply for and receive funding this year.”

According to the City of Philadelphia AIDS Activities Coordinating Office, Philadelphia is still at heart of Pennsylvania’s HIV/AIDS epidemic, with an estimated 30,0000 residents living with the virus that causes AIDS. The organization continues to help eradicate this problem with their next funding cycle opening next fall for the 2016/2017 winter grant awards.

“Knowing that we were impacting men, women, and children living with HIV and AIDS across the Delaware Valley is inspiring,” says founder/co-manager Christina Kallas-Saritsoglou. “It makes the hard work of our staff and volunteers so worth it.”

Dates for the next cycle have not been announced, but interested groups can stay informed by checking the PAT website or by calling 215-922-3186.