Fort Worth AIDS Outreach Center names former city council member as executive director
A Fort Worth nonprofit organization that has worked for years to serve those affected by HIV is welcoming a former politician as its new leader.
Kelly Allen Gray is the new executive director for the AIDS Outreach Center. Gray served as a Fort Worth council member for District 8 from 2012 to 2021.
Gray said the new career move allows her to bring together serving the community and being involved with an important issue.
“It is an amazing opportunity to mix every single thing that I love and bring all of those things together,” she said.
Gray said the AIDS Outreach Center’s work is very close to her heart. A family member was diagnosed with HIV years ago. She has been involved with the organization for years by participating in charity walks and other events.
Her mission as executive director is to help the organization be out in the community and encourage people to be tested, know their status and how to get care.
The AIDS Outreach Center provides education, testing, prevention programs, nutritional therapy and other health care services. People are able to receive help through case management, behavioral health, housing, financial services, and a food bank and dental clinic.
The AIDS Outreach Center has helped people in North Texas living with or at risk of HIV since 1986 and serves 1,900 clients. More than 1.1 million people in the United States have HIV, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
Several people were interviewed for the executive director position, said Michael Kahane, the southern region bureau chief of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
“She brought with her a passion and enthusiasm for the communities that we serve,” Kahane said about Gray.
The AIDS Outreach Center is a member of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s affiliate program. The foundation
helps provide financial support to its affiliates.
Ending the epidemic in Tarrant County
The human immunodeficiency virus, HIV, can attack the body’s immune system. The most severe phrase of HIV infection is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, AIDS, if not treated. HIV medication can slow or prevent the progression of the infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
HIV is a major concern in Tarrant County. The federal government has taken steps to end the HIV epidemic across the country, including by focusing on several counties to provide additional resources.
According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 340 people were estimated to have new HIV infections in 2019 in Tarrant County. The federal agency estimated 83.8% of people were aware of their HIV status in Tarrant County in 2019.
This story was originally published July 14, 2021 at 5:15 AM.
