At REACH we are keenly aware of the judgment, stigma, and isolation facing people with HIV. The issue might seem more distant to those who don’t have weekly connections with people with HIV. We’ve even had individuals ask, “Isn’t HIV a solved problem?” The answer, of course, is that while treatment has come a long way, and our participants don’t live with an ever-present fear of death… the problem of HIV has not been solved.

Individuals with HIV in the U.S. have a doctor they spend less than 15 minutes with every 6 or 12 months. Mostly, the doctor makes sure the virus is still undetectable and sends them on their way with renewed or updated prescriptions. Some individuals with HIV also have a case manager who helps them with social services if they find themselves needing transportation vouchers, switching doctors or dentists, or even facing homelessness. Both “relationships” serve important purposes in the life of someone with HIV, but is that all they need? Medicine and physical resources?

At REACH we know that someone living with HIV needs much more. They need a safe place to talk about their status and how it impacts them. They need joyful smiles and bear hugs. They need friends who don’t require HIV education before they can be knowledgeable and supportive. They want to meet other people living with HIV. They need the compassionate listening ear of a friend without having to make an appointment.

For many of our participants, before finding REACH, their only safe setting to discuss HIV was the occasional, hurried conversation in the sterile office of their health care provider. This is not a space for them to tell their story, describe their relationship challenges, talk about their emotions, or get a response that sounds like, “I get that! It happened to me too.” Those things only happen for them at REACH.

Care providers refer people to REACH because they know their patients need more than what they can offer, and people who are a part of the REACH community are more likely to adhere to their medical regimen and stay healthy, physically and in other equally important ways.