Atlanta thrift store pairs deals with a good cause

ATLANTA - As Pride Month comes to an end in Atlanta, a nonprofit organization is focused on meeting the needs of the LGBTQ community year-round.

At Out of the Closet Thrift Store in Atlanta, customers have the chance to save money and support a good cause.

The only thing better than a good shopping spree is one with incredible bargains in every direction. It's something the regulars here at Out of the Closet Thriftstore have come to expect since the shop opened here on Cheshire Bridge Road in 2016.

"You can likely come in and get a Donna Karan dress for $7, or a Michael Kors shirt for $20, or some great shoes for $2," Imara Canady said.

But Out of the Closet is much more than a thrift store. Canady says it's one of the many ways a nonprofit called the AIDS Healthcare Foundation puts a spotlight on AIDS and HIV in metro Atlanta, not just during Pride month, but every day of the year.

"Fulton and DeKalb counties rank number one as it relates to new HIV diagnoses," he said. "It's no secret that, particularly across metro Atlanta and particularly across the South, that there is still very much an epidemic around HIV and AIDS and so we proudly partner with the LGBTQIA-plus community."

The shop offers free rapid HIV tests and even has a pharmacy stocked with the common meds and the prescriptions often used for AIDS and HIV treatment.

"It's a one-stop-shop and the great news is that whether you are making a donation or whether your shopping, 96 cents of every dollar that's raised goes directly back to the local community to support HIV education, prevention, testing, and awareness," Canady said.

And if a customer tests positive, the Atlanta AIDS Foundation is set up to get patients connected to HIV healthcare providers within 72 hours.

"We want people to know HIV is not a death sentence anymore," he said. "HIV is a critical illness and we will get you linked to the care that you need to live a healthy and fruitful life. There's no judgment, no stigma, no shame."

Out of the Closet is located on Cheshire Bridge Road in northeast Atlanta.

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