History
Pacific Pride Foundation (PPF) began in 1976 as a drug and alcohol abuse counseling and referral center for gay men and lesbians. At that time the organization was called Western Addiction Services Program (WASP). In 1984 the agency initiated the AIDS Counseling and Assistance Program (AIDS CAP), in an effort to contend with the emerging HIV epidemic, and began offering free, anonymous HIV Testing in 1985 as one of the first county test sites. In 1991, PPF established the Necessities of Life Project, a food pantry providing free food and household items to low-income HIV-positive people and their families. That year also saw the legal name of the organization change to the Gay & Lesbian Resource Center In 1994, the organization changed its name to Pacific Pride Foundation, which became the parent organization for the GLRC as well as AIDS Project Central Coast (APCC - formerly AIDS CAP).
Specialties
Same day FREE rapid, anonymous HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV) testing. The mission of Pacific Pride Foundation is: 1) to offer comprehensive health and social services, counseling, care, education and advocacy to anyone at risk for, infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS; and 2) to provide socio-cultural services sensitive to the needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities.