Our Story
Beginning as a weekly support group, The Heart of Richmond was created through meetings with members of the community who were living with HIV or were impacted through family, friends and caregivers. Upon discovering there were no medical or support services in Richmond, the founding members believed it was essential to establish an organization that would provide access to those affected.
No longer would Richmond residents be required to travel to downtown Vancouver for services thanks to The Heart of Richmond AIDS Society, which opened in 1997. In partnership with Richmond Health Services, we are proud to have opened the Gilwest Clinic at the Richmond Hospital, a fully-staffed HIV clinic that has been in operation since 1999, in addition to offering non-medical support services.
Today, we continue to raise awareness and end the stigma surrounding HIV — one member of the community at a time.