Non-Profit
That
Helps
Those
With
HIV/AIDS
Closes
BALTIMORE
(WJZ)
―
Upsetting
news
for
the
thousands
living
with
HIV/AIDS
in
Baltimore.
The
city's
oldest
and
largest
non-profit
organization
that
helps
those
infected
with
the
virus
is
closing
its
doors.
As
Derek
Valcourt
explains,
many
of
HERO's
clients
are
angry
about
the
news.
After
being
diagnosed
with
HIV,
many
people
turned
to
HERO
for
help.
Since
1983,
Baltimore's
Health
Education
Resources
Organization
on
Maryland
Avenue
has
made
it
their
primary
focus
to
help
people
with
HIV/AIDS.
HERO
offers
case
management,
housing
services,
drug
abuse
counseling
and
legal
services,
in
addition
to
physical
and
mental
health
care.
Many
of
their
clients
are
or
have
been
homeless.
Now
all
of
them
are
saddened
and
worried
after
HERO
posted
a
notice
in
its
windows
that
said
that
it
was
closing
effective
November
26,
the
day
before
Thanksgiving.
"They're
trying
to
help
me
get
a
house
and
now
they're
telling
me,
`Okay,
well
we're
getting
ready
to
close.'
What
am
I
supposed
to
do?
Where
am
I
supposed
to
go?"
said
Kim
Blackshear.
"There's
a
lot
of
homeless
people
on
the
street
that
this
was
their
safe
haven
and
everything
like
that.
Just
for
it
to
be
snatched
from
underneath
of
them,
it's
basically
like
we're
sending
you
back
out
on
the
streets
and
you
try
to
find
your
way
again,"
said
Dwayne
Budd.
So
why
are
they
shutting
down?
So
far,
HERO
hasn't
said.
Calls
to
the
office
were
not
returned.
HERO
serves
an
average
of
3,000
clients
per
year.
(©
MMVIII,
CBS
Broadcasti
thats
not
good
