News & Updates

12/10/2024

All / General | All Populations | Vancouver

HIM Volunteer Appreciation Party Brings 2024 to a Wrap with Excitement, Joy, and Togetherness!

On December 5th, HIM held its highly anticipated Volunteer Appreciation Party at The Junction Pub, continuing the beloved tradition of celebrating and honoring the incredible volunteers who help make the community thrive. This iconic event brings together HIM volunteers, their partners, HIM business partners and Neighbors for a night of gratitude, fun, and unforgettable performances.

This year’s celebration saw 170 attendees enjoying a variety of spectacular drag performances from local talent, including Whore-ia Estefan, Wan-Ting Moi, Beth, AndrogynAss, PM, Addi Pose, Velvet Ryder, Bibi SouPhresh, Yuen Young, Cleopatra Compton, and Gia Metric. The night was filled with laughter, cheer, and plenty of sparkle as these performers wowed the crowd.

In addition to the dazzling performances, guests had the chance to participate in fun games and interactive installations, including the popular 360 Photo Booth, donated by Magik Moments – a Photo Booth Rental in Vancouver,. The photo booth added an extra layer of excitement as volunteers and their partners captured memories from the evening.

A highlight of the evening was the launch of HIM’s latest fundraising initiative, Penny Pigs. Volunteers and supporters were eager to adopt locally made piggy banks, which will be used to raise funds for HIM’s mission through fun activities and community involvement. The initiative was met with great enthusiasm, ensuring a positive start to 2024’s fundraising efforts.

The party wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support of HIM’s partners and neighbors. Special thanks to our sponsor, VIIV Healthcare, and to Little Sisters, F212 Steam, Steamworks Baths, Topped Toys, Earls, Fountainhead, CottonMouth, Matchstick Coffee Roasters, Haus Zuk, MSK Health and Performance Clinic, Hope Forstenzer, Scott McDougall, and B Fit Personal Training for their donations of prizes and in-kind support.

As the year comes to a close, HIM is filled with gratitude for the dedicated volunteers who make a difference in the community. Here’s to an exciting 2024 filled with more opportunities to come together, celebrate, and continue making an impact!

HIM’s holiday party was supported in part by ViiV Healthcare. The views expressed herein by HIM Health Initiative for Men Society are solely those of the author[s] and do not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of ViiV Healthcare ULC

08/29/2024

Across BC | All Populations

WHO Mpox Announcement an Opportunity for Reflection on Health Equity

Vancouver, BC – HIM would like to acknowledge the announcement made by the WHO (World Health Organization) declaring mpox (monkeypox) a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) and would like to remind our community that the situation in British Columbia remains unchanged by this announcement.

The current situation in Africa has raised global concerns, including issues of health equity. The variant of the virus that is being referred to in this PHEIC is different than the one that was found in the 2022 outbreak in BC. The variant being referred to in the current PHEIC is mainly spreading in Central and East Africa, including countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi. The WHO has declared mpox a global health emergency due to the rapid spread and increased case counts in these regions, where access to the mpox vaccine was limited throughout the outbreak.

At HIM, we have been working closely with Vancouver Coastal Health and all regional health authorities to ensure that our community has access to the mpox vaccine. Collectively, we have set up pop-up vaccination clinics in key areas like Davie Village, Wreck Beach, and during pride events, making it convenient for those eligible to get vaccinated. These efforts are crucial in keeping our community safe.

The results of our vaccination campaign have been promising. Since the summer of 2022, the number of mpox cases in British Columbia has decreased significantly. While there are still a few active cases in the province, the risk of exposure remains low.

The proactive measures taken by our governments, local health authorities and community organizations have significantly reduced the risk locally. The combination of community action, vaccination campaigns, public health monitoring, and community support ensures that the affected communities in Vancouver and across BC remain well-protected from mpox.

HIM will continue our collaboration with the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) as well as the province’s health authorities to ensure health promotion messaging remains relevant and community informed providing up-to-date information and resources to help prevent the spread of the virus. For more information or to find a vaccination clinic near you, please visit checkhimout.ca/mpox/vaccination

03/04/2024

Across BC | GBQ Men

Tell the BC Government to Fund the HPV Vaccine to include all Gay, Bi, and Queer (GBQ) men

A new system of care must be made available to gay, bi and queer men to reduce HPV related cancers. Screening for pre-cancerous lesions and treating them early can dramatically lower the prevalence of anal cancer resulting from HPV infection. Early screening and treatment are vital to better health outcomes for our communities. However, the first line of defense remains prevention of the HPV infections by getting vaccinated against HPV.

While the Federal government’s vaccine advisory committee (NACI) recommended the vaccine for all gay, bi, and queer men, BC’s government does not provide coverage for gay, bi and queer men over 26 years of age.

HIM is organizing the advocacy campaign “GetGarded for Life” to mobilize folks to take action and call upon the BC government to create the necessary change and expand access to the HPV vaccine. You can participate in this by using the tool available on our GetGarded.ca resource page to send a letter to representatives of the BC government.

GetGarded.ca is a resource developed by HIM to help GBQ men and gender diverse people explore the different pathways for them to access the Gardasil vaccine.

02/23/2024

Across BC | All Populations

Health Initiative for Men Receives $10,000 Donation from 100 Gay Men for a Cause

Health Initiative for Men (HIM) has been selected as the recipient of a generous $10,000 donation from 100 Gay Men for a Cause, a locally organized network of gay men dedicated to supporting charitable causes in the community.

100 Gay Men for a Cause operates on a unique model where members gather quarterly to listen to pitches from local charities and vote on which organization will receive the funds. The charity with the highest number of votes receives $10,000, while the two runners-up receive $2,500 each.

HIM was deeply honored to receive the top donation, which will be dedicated to the expansion of the HIM on Davie Health Centre. The funds will be used to set up a new clinic space, complete with four examination rooms. This expansion aims to reduce turn-aways and enable HIM to serve a greater number of community members each year.

“We are incredibly grateful to 100 Gay Men for a Cause for their generous donation,” said Aaron Purdie, Executive Director at HIM. “This funding will make a significant impact on our ability to provide essential health services to the GBQ men and gender diverse communities in Vancouver.”

HIM on Davie Health Centre provides a range of health services, including sexual health testing, counseling, and community support programs. The expansion of the clinic space will allow HIM to enhance its capacity and reach more individuals in need of care and support, in a safe and supportive environment.

The donation from 100 Gay Men for a Cause underscores the importance of community support in advancing health initiatives and addressing the needs of marginalized populations. HIM looks forward to utilizing the funds to expand its services and make a positive impact on the health and well-being of the GBQ men and gender diverse communities in Vancouver.

The Two Other Charities:
HIM was honoured to pitch alongside two important communities organizations who also deserve community support:

Community-Based Research Centre (CBRC) promotes the health of people of diverse sexualities and genders through research and intervention development.
Donate to CBRC

The Heart of Richmond’s mission is to identify the needs and develop the support services/programs for persons living with HIV, their families, friends and caregivers. We aim to provide education and public awareness regarding HIV and the prevention of transmission.
Donate to The Heart of Richmond

01/25/2024

All Populations | Fraser Valley

Doors are Reopening at the Surrey Health Centre for Your Sexual Health Needs!

A Fraser Health Authority and HIM Collaboration.

Surrey, February 2024 – We are thrilled to announce the reopening of Health Initiative for Men’s Health Centre in Surrey. After a period of closure due to the challenges posed by the pandemic, HIM and Fraser Health Authority are delighted to welcome you back to our clinic in Surrey as of Thursday February 1^st

Whether you’ve used our sexual health services before or not, HIM aims to provide culturally competent, safe, and comfortable health care for gay, bisexual, and queer (GBQ) men, as well as gender diverse people. We have heard from our community that accessing STI testing services focussing on our populations have been a barrier for some, with limited options in the Fraser Health region—our work to re-operationalize and improve our previous health centres begins now, in Surrey. We thank you for your patience and continued trust in HIM and Fraser Health. We look forward to serving you again, or for the first time!

What We Offer:

Confidential HIV and other STI Testing: Our clinic provides discreet and confidential HIV and other STI testing services to ensure your peace of mind.
STI Treatment: Our experienced healthcare professionals are here to provide expert care and treatment for a wide range of sexually transmitted infections.

We are working towards improving our services for you: As we begin to restart our health operations, we currently do not have the capacity to prescribe HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (HIV PrEP) or Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP).

Come on in: Currently we are not accepting appointments. Walk-ins are welcome during our hours of operation.

Location:
North Surrey Public Health Unit
Auditorium
10362 King George Blvd
Surrey BC

Operating Hours:
Thursday’s 4 – 7 pm
Doors at 3:30
Nurse sees first client at 4 pm
Last client at 6 pm

For more information and regular updates on HIM programs and services in Fraser region area, please visit: fraser.checkhimout.ca

06/29/2023

All Populations | Vancouver

WESA 2023 Donation to HIM

For 45 seasons the West End Slo-Pitch Association (WESA) has created space for gay, bi, and queer men and our gender diverse siblings/neighbors to have a space to engage in sports in a community setting. We applaud WESA for creating opportunities for people that have been historically rejected from sports. Since their foundation they have been a group of strong community advocates who have raised funds for organizations like: Qmunity, Rainbow refugee, and more.

When we told WESA about how governments were taking no action on the healing and recovery efforts that were needed following the federal ban/illegalization of “conversion therapy” (which we call Conversion Efforts) they immediately rose to the occasion.

The WESA Association, lead by Commissioner Sean Cummings, as well as event Host Lance Sandover, welcomed HIM as the beneficiary of the 2023 WESA Drag Pageant Fundraiser. The pageant has been a fixture of the league’s annual activities since 1987 and this year hosted over 700 enthusiastic attendees. The fundraiser managed to raise close to $11,000 which will empower HIM to operate Survivors, a Peer-led program designed to support the survivors of conversion efforts.

Survivors is led by people with lived experience because we know how much of a difference it makes to have programs and services directed by the people who are most impacted. This program is built on a foundation of compassion, understanding, and empowerment. A key component of the program is the way that it invites and trains participants to become peer-leaders and to come back through the program as facilitators, organizers, and promoters of healing and wellness.

This is a shining example of a time when our community shows up and shares their resources towards a better future. 100% of the donation will be going back into community through this program.