Casey announces $400,000 for Philadelphia LGBTQ+ Health and Wellness Center • Pennsylvania Capital-Star

PHILADELPHIA CREAM – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-Pennsylvania) visited the Mazzoni Center on Thursday to announce $400,000 in funding for a community project for the center.

“This community project funding will make it possible to modernize the center’s basic equipment, such as vital appliances, security systems or air conditioning. This will also allow Mazzoni to purchase a generator,” Casey said.

“We know that for many of our clients, this is the only place they feel safe to receive care,” said David Weisberg, Mazzoni Center executive development and communications manager. He said the comprehensive health and wellness center is Philadelphia’s largest LGBTQ nonprofit, serving 15,000 clients annually, with a staff of 130.

Dr. Stacey Trooskin, chief medical officer of the Mazzoni Center, said the center provides medical care, including gender-affirming care, HIV care, medication for opioid use disorder and primary care.

“We pride ourselves on being a one-stop shop for all of our patients,” she said.

Last year, the Mazzoni Center provided more than 5,500 vaccines to its patients and conducted more than 7,200 lab visits, including more than 100 patients receiving HIV medications each month, Trooskin said, noting that having Access to electricity at all times is vital for the center to be able to care for its patients.

“We are incredibly grateful and relieved to have access to a generator that will protect us from service malfunctions,” Trooskin said.

Federal money will also be used to expand its low threshold services for STI, HIV and viral hepatitis testing at their Washington West location, she added.

“I’m just grateful to be here during Pride Month to be able to deliver some good news from Washington, which doesn’t happen every week,” Casey said.

Sultan Shakir, president and CEO of the Mazzoni Center, said the funding “will have a real impact on our ability to provide culturally competent care to people who need it in our community.”

The funding was secured as part of the government’s fiscal 2024 funding bill.