TD Bank awards $150K grant to PROUD Center
Summary
TD Bank recently awarded a $150,000 grant to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somersets Babs Siperstein PROUD Center to conduct screenings for HIV and sexually transmitted infections for LGBTQ+ adults.According to a July 25 announcement, the PROUD Center will use the funds to offer free testing clinics in several RWJBarnabas Health locations. The grant will also go toward a mobile testing program in other areas of the state as well as a daylong symposium planned for Sept. 14 at The Palace at Somerset Park in Somerset.We are extremely grateful to TD Bank for their continued support to help us enhance the care that we provide to the LGBTQ+ community, RWJUH Somerset Chief Administrative Officer Patrick Delaney said in a statement. HIV remains a global health crisis and sexually transmitted infections continue to rise, with both disproportionately affecting members of the LGBTQ+ community. This grant will help us to expand our screenings and to reach more individuals throughout the state, promoting early detection and treatment.Emmet Conlon, head of institutional healthcare for Cherry Hill-based TD Bank, reiterated the importance of early detection, adding that TD was excited to continue its support of the PROUD Center and the incredibly important work theyre doing to improve equitable access to health care for all.The PROUD Center is the first facility in the state to offer specialized primary care services to the LGBTQ+ community, according to RWJUH Somerset. In 2021, TD Bank awarded another $150,000 to the center to improve access to medical care for its patients.Opened in 2017, the PROUD Center was named for the late transgender activist Babs Siperstein.