After 25 years of continued growth and expansion, the AIDS Committee of Guelph and Wellington (ACG) will now be operating under a new name – ARCH: HIV/ AIDS Resources and Community Health.
The Masai Clinic, which operates through the AIDS Committee of Guelph and provides healthcare service to over 300 HIV patients in both Guelph and Waterloo, will be renamed as ARCH Clinic.
While the new name encompasses the growing programs and services covered under ARCH, the overall re-brand is positioned to address the changes and challenges in serving the HIV/AIDS community and at-risk populations.
“As we celebrate 25 years in the community, we felt the timing was right to rebrand to better reflect all that we do,” says Tom Hammond, executive director.
“Over the years we’ve expanded our scope and reach considerably, and are able to provide more in-depth programs and outreach to people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS.”
The new name now includes “HIV”, which reflects a significant change; being HIV positive is most often manageable today with anti-retroviral medication, and many who have the virus live long lives without ever developing AIDS.
The reference to “resources and community health” reflects the variety of support, education, prevention, and community development programs the organization provides.
This includes community capacity-building activities to address risk factors for HIV such as homophobia, and skills-building programs to empower people living with HIV to prevent HIV transmission.
Looking back on 25 years in the Guelph community, there have been many achievements that motivate and inspire staff and volunteers to carry out their work: people living with HIV/AIDS living longer lives, the integration of the HIV clinic to offer more holistic care, stabilized funding and more harm reduction outreach programs are just a few of the noteworthy achievements over the years.
Despite many successes behind us, the future of HIV/AIDS work locally and even nationally holds several uncertainties and persistent challenges.
While people are living longer with HIV, the long-term effects of anti-retroviral medication are relatively unknown.
Thirty-one per cent of patients at the Masai Clinic are over 50 years old and new infections among people aged 50-plus are on the rise.
As the population living with HIV ages, managing the aging process while living with HIV will become even more important.
Meanwhile, stigma continues to be an untamed driver of the epidemic. HIV stigma is a persistent barrier to HIV testing, treatment, and honest conversations around sexual health and HIV.
“Our work is not near done, but thanks to the support of a strong community, ARCH looks to the future with strength, optimism and determination,” says Hammond.
An open house celebration will be held on March 5 from 3 to 7pm to commemorate the organization’s 25th anniversary.
For more information, call Tom Hammond, Executive Director at 519-763-2255 ext. 129.
