Our History
AVOL Kentucky was created by Lexington’s LGBT community to serve everyone. AVOL began as a program of the Gay and Lesbian Services Organization (GLSO, now the Pride Center), and then was initially incorporated as ‘AIDS Volunteers of Lexington’ (1988-1996) and updated to ‘AIDS Volunteers’ (1996-2019). Since 2019, ‘AVOL Kentucky’ continues to collaborate statewide to End HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), for good! On April 1, 2024, AVOL Kentucky began serving every county in Kentucky in partnership with Q Care Plus and Avita Pharmacy, providing telePrEP to all of Kentucky. The brand ‘AVOL’ began organically as an abbreviation of our formal agency name.
What began in our early days as an all-out volunteer mobilization effort to do whatever it took to care for those suffering from HIV disease when few resources were available, today, is a full-service social service agency providing quality and effective housing and support services for people living with HIV. AVOL also works to prevent the spread of HIV through HIV testing and connecting people at-risk to prevention supplies, medical intervention (PrEP), and community support.
About Us
What started as a grass roots movement organized by local citizens, AVOL quickly grew to become an essential component of the community’s health and housing services continuum.
AVOL’s mission is to collaborate with communities to END HIV in the Commonwealth.
AVOL helps individuals navigate to permanent and stable housing, medical care, health screenings, prevention medication, and social supports. Many turn to AVOL each year for routine health screenings and PrEP navigation.
AVOL owns 34 permanent housing units and collaborates with hundreds of local property owners to provide safe and affordable long-term housing opportunities for medically vulnerable people including those living with HIV.
AVOL’s mission is to collaborate with communities to END HIV in the Commonwealth.
Each year through AVOL’s community events such as the Lexington AIDS Walk and Dining Out For Life, many in the community are reminded that the fight to end HIV isn’t over and the associated stigma are stronger than ever. Many join the movement each year. We hope you will join us too.