AIDS Healthcare Foundation
AIDS Healthcare Foundation is a Los Angeles-based 501 nonprofit organization that provides HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and advocacy services, in addition to humanitarian aid. As of 2025, AHF operates about 400 clinics, 69 outpatient healthcare centers, 62 pharmacies, and 22 Out of the Closet thrift stores across 16 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and 49 countries, with over 5,000 employees, and provides care to more than 2.5 million patients. The organization's aim is to end the AIDS epidemic by ensuring access to quality healthcare, including HIV and STD testing, prescription of medications like Pre-exposure Prophylaxis, and referrals to specialty pharmacies. AHF is a participant in and supporter of the 340B Drug Pricing Program, and the largest provider of PrEP in the United States, though its founder Michael Weinstein has received criticism for his initial opposition to the drug in the early 2010s. AHF operates the Out of the Closet thrift store chain to help fund its services.
Since 2012, AHF has become highly active in sponsoring and exclusively financing multiple high-profile ballot initiatives in two states, starting with a successful Los Angeles County initiative to require condoms in adult films, and then a similar statewide initiative which failed. AHF ran two measures seeking to cap prescription drug prices and Ohio Issue 2 ), both of which failed. The organization has also pursued legal action against pharmaceutical companies and pharmacy benefit managers to reduce drug prices.
In 2017, AHF created a new organization named the Healthy Housing Foundation, which focuses on housing for homeless and low-income individuals. AHF also shifted its political advocacy focus to attempting to block certain housing construction through 2017 Los Angeles Measure S and lawsuits against several projects, as well as three statewide ballot initiatives seeking to allow for the expansion of rent control in California ; all of which failed at the polls.
History
Early years: AIDS Hospice Foundation and Chris Brownlie Hospice
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, AHF emerged as an advocate for gay and bisexual men who were hit hardest at the start of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. In 1987, activists Chris Brownlie, Michael Weinstein, Sharon Raphael, PhD, Mina Meyer, MA, and other advocates were among the earliest champions of the AIDS hospice movement. They co-founded the Los Angeles AIDS Hospice Committee, which was the catalyst for the AIDS Hospice Foundation that we know today as the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.Members of the inaugural AIDS Hospice Committee—Brownlie, Weinstein, Myer, Raphael, Paul Coleman, and others—negotiated for the opening of Chris Brownlie Hospice by protesting and picketing of then-Supervisor Mike Antonovich's home. Following an emotional plea for hospice care to Los Angeles County Commission on AIDS, which included the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, they secured a $2 million commitment to provide AIDS care on the grounds of the Barlow Respiratory Hospital.
On December 26th, 1988, the 25-bed Chris Brownlie Hospice opened in the former nurses' dormitory at Barlow Respiratory Hospital and offered 24-hour medical and palliative care to people living through the final stages of AIDS.
AHF opened two additional hospices: the Carl Bean House in 1992, and the Linn House in 1995. The Carl Bean House was named after Archbishop Carl Bean, D.Min, an American Protestant clergy, HIV/AIDS activist, and Broadway singer who founded the Minority AIDS Project. Located in South Central Los Angeles, MAP specifically focused on care for predominantly Black and Latino community members, accepting all terminal AIDS patients regardless if they had health insurance or not.
On November 26th, 1989, Brownlie died at the age of 39, because of AIDS-related complications. He was survived by his longtime partner and Brownlie Hospice co-founder, Phill Wilson, and his father, sister, brothers, countless friends and fellow AIDS activists. In addition to Brownlie, over 1,000 people had been given dignified, specialized, compassionate final care at the Chris Brownlie Hospice by the time it ended hospice operations in September 1996. The building that housed the Brownlie Hospice went through its own rebirths, housing various departments of AHF, including the headquarters for AHF's Public Health Division, before the organization officially turned the property back over to the City of Los Angeles with a sunset memorial ceremony on January 26th, 2013.
Expansion
As medical opportunities for managing HIV including anti-retroviral drugs became more available, AHF changed its mission to helping individuals with HIV/AIDS live well with the disease through advanced medical care. This shift was marked with the change of the Foundation's name to AIDS Healthcare Foundation in July 1990.AHF operates the Out of the Closet thrift store chain. 96 cents of every dollar earned at the thrift stores goes to AHF's HIV/AIDS programs and housing services, on-site pharmacies, and free HIV testing. The first Out of the Closet thrift store opened in 1990 in Los Angeles' Atwater Village to benefit residents living with AIDS at the Chris Brownlie Hospice. In 1997, Out of the Closet thrift stores began offering free and anonymous HIV testing.
In 1991, AHF opened the Richard Polanco HIV Clinic as a place where people in the early stages of AIDS could receive treatment even without private health insurance.
In 2000, AHF opened its first pharmacy, a move that proved crucial to its underlying business model. The organization's main business is its network of pharmacies and clinics that provide primary care to patients, most of whom have their insurance claims paid by government insurance programs like Medicaid. The excess income from these patients has helped AHF provide free care to millions of patients—the greatest reach of any HIV/AIDS organization. AHF acquired the MOMS Pharmacy chain of pharmacies in 2012, and in 2013, rebranded the chain as AHF Pharmacy.
AHF sponsored HIV awareness-themed Rose Parade floats in 2012 and 2013, each winning the Queen's Trophy for best use of roses. The organization fashioned a tribute to actress Elizabeth Taylor, who championed HIV and AIDS programs in the 1980s.
In 2014, AHF made history during the Rose Parade by hosting a same-sex wedding on its float for the first time in the parade's history. The float, with the theme "Love is the Best Protection," won best presentation of color and color harmony through floral use. A longtime float participant, the organization has earned a reputation for thought-provoking messages surrounding healthcare, homelessness, gay rights, anti-violence, and other issues.
AHF produced the documentary film Keep The Promise: The Global Fight Against AIDS, depicting the AHF-sponsored protest of government anti-HIV funding levels and anti-HIV drug prices at the XIX International AIDS Conference, 2012. The film premiered on March 29th, 2013 at the Vail Film Festival.
In August 2024, AHF opened a new all-in-one facility in Austin, Texas, including an HIV healthcare center, pharmacy services, STI testing and treatment, and an Out of the Closet thrift store, where 96 cents of every dollar earned goes back into local patient care.
AHF's 2025 Rose Parade float, "Home Sweet Home," celebrated the 100th anniversary of Charlie Chaplin's 1925 film The Gold Rush and Chaplin's Little Tramp character, who is considered America's most famous homeless person. The float also promoted AHF's Healthy Housing Foundation and its work addressing the affordable housing and homelessness crises.
In January 2025, AHF received The King Center's Martin Luther King, Jr. Social Justice Award, the organization's highest recognition for contributions to social justice. The award was presented by Bernice King and recognized AHF's "transformative work in advancing health equity, combating HIV/AIDS, and championing the rights and dignity of underserved communities worldwide."
In October 2025, AHF opened its first clinic in Tennessee. Later that year, the organization opened a new testing and treatment location in Tampa, Florida, identifying west central Florida as one of the areas with the highest numbers of new HIV/AIDS cases each year.
Global
In the early 2000s, AHF developed a program called Global Immunity, whose goal is to change the course of the HIV/AIDS epidemic by expanding access to treatment for those living with HIV across the globe. As of 2023, the organization operates clinics in 45 countries.In 2001, AHF became the first international organization to sponsor an HIV/AIDS clinic in South Africa. The clinic, Ithembalabantu, was opened in Umlazi, Durban where 10% of the population was infected with HIV at the time.
In 2002, AHF opened an HIV/AIDS clinic in Masaka, Uganda under the program Uganda Cares. In 2004, the organization developed an "HIV Medic Program" in Masaka, a task-shifting training program that was awarded a "Best Practice" designation by the World Health Organization. By 2022, Uganda Cares had tested over seven million Ugandans, started treatment for more than 112,000 Ugandans, and distributed over 45 million condoms.
In 2004, AHF began working in India. Two years later, the Centre of Excellence ART clinic was opened by AHF India Cares in New Delhi, with AHF becoming the first provider to offer free anti-retroviral therapy in the area.
In 2021, AHF delivered supplies to Haiti after the country's 7.2 magnitude earthquake.
In 2023, AHF began a collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization to eliminate HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, viral hepatitis, monkeypox, and other STIs in Latin America. The partnership set out to implement WHO recommendations through advocacy, including improvement of prevention programs, quality of care, and treatment outcomes.
In 2025, AHF was named an SAP Innovation Award winner for its use of data to provide HIV/AIDS care globally. In November of that year, AHF sent essential supplies to aid Hurricane Melissa victims in Jamaica. The organization deployed more than 40 pallets with critical supplies, such as generators, water, toilet paper, tents, tarps, ready-to-eat food kits, feminine hygiene kits, and water purification tablets.
In January 2026, AHF's Rose Parade float honored the organization's Southern California wildfire and hunger relief efforts. After the January 2025 wildfires in California, AHF volunteers and partners served more than 75,000 hot meals to wildfire evacuees and first responders through its national "Food for Health" program, which provides nutritious groceries to people in need.