Condom Nation Rolls into Orlando!

The Condom Nation Caravan has embarked on the second annual U.S. Condom Nation tour with a goal of distributing more than 50 million condoms in the U.S – In 2012, the tour’s 18-wheel big-rig and HIV testing van stopped in 45 cities across the United States, distributing 5.5 million condoms to individuals and social service agencies on a 22,000-mile route through 25 states.

ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AIDS Healthcare Foundation:

“we already see ourselves greatly exceeding our initial estimates”

What:	Free condom distribution & HIV testing event by Condom Nation
When:	TUESDAY, March 19^th 12 pm – 5 pm
Where:	Caribbean Supercenter
	5111 W. Colonial Dr. (just west of the Pine Hills/Colonial intersection)
	Orlando, FL 32808
B-Roll:	Custom-wrapped 18-wheel Condom Nation big rig and matching HIV testing van providing free condoms and testing

The mobile condom distribution team that distributed 5.5 million condoms throughout the U.S. last year, Condom Nation – an initiative from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization – has launched their second U.S. tour, which has already seen the team’s 18-wheel, 72-foot custom-wrapped big rig distributing nearly 700,000 condoms in Texas and Arkansas during a speedy cross-country cruise to South Florida. The team is visiting five Floridian cities – beginning with last Saturday’s distribution and testing event in Pensacola, and Monday’s event in Jacksonville – prior to an appearance at the Florida AIDS Walk and Music Festival in Fort Lauderdale on March 24^th.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 1.4 million cases of chlamydia were reported in 2011, and reporting of new gonorrhea cases saw its second consecutive year of increase with more than 300,000 new cases that year. These are just some of the estimated 20 million new STD cases reported annually, half of which occur in young people aged 15-24. The CDC estimates the health care costs to the nation for treating these diseases – which are preventable through condom use – to be about $16 billion per year.

“Condom Nation is about access to condoms,” said Condom Nation Director James Vellequette. “Our goal is to make condoms easily and readily available for free or at a very minimal cost to those receiving them through our widespread, national, fun and motivated distribution efforts. Simultaneously, we need to eliminate the stigma around having condoms, carrying them, selling them, or best of all, giving them away so that everyone has access to them whenever they need them.”

The team had a preliminary goal of distributing 25 million condoms through their domestic U.S. tour and an additional 25 million through newly launched global Condom Nation teams in countries around the world. However, with requests pouring in from public and private agencies across the US, coupled with new opportunities to access younger demographics through distribution to high schools and colleges, “we already see ourselves greatly exceeding our initial estimates,” said Vellequette, adding that 50 million condoms distributed in the U.S. alone is a more accurate projection.

Condom Nation left Los Angeles on Sunday, March 10^th, and has made stops in Dallas, Texas – where the team dropped well over 600,000 condoms for distribution to agencies in need across the south – and in Little Rock, Arkansas, where they provided more than 50,000 condoms on Wednesday morning to the state’s Department of Health. Another 12,000 condoms were given away over the weekend at a distribution and testing event in Pensacola last Saturday, where 15 people were tested for HIV, none of whom tested positive. Condom Nation Program Manager Marco Benjamin estimated another 30,000 condoms would be passed out at Monday’s event in Jacksonville.

After Tuesday’s event in Orlando, the Condom Nation Caravan will proceed to the South Florida cities of Saint Petersburg and Fort Myers to drop off condoms and offer HIV tests – both free of charge to the recipients – before the big rig and van arrive in Fort Lauderdale for the Florida AIDS Walk and Music Festival on March 24^th. Following that, the team will head up the East Coast in time to make an appearance at AHF’s Keep The Promise on AIDS March and Rally in New York City on April 6^th.

About AHF

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is the largest non-profit HIV/AIDS healthcare provider in the USA. AHF currently provides medical care and/or services to over 200,000 individuals in 28 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and Asia. For more information, visit www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter: @AIDSHealthcare