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About Three Cedars

Location:

301 North L Street, Tacoma, WA 98403, US

Mission Statement

The AIDS Housing Association of Tacoma provides safe, affordable housing to maintain, empower and enhance the lives and dignity of people living with the effects of HIV/AIDS. The Association is dedicated to providing quality, innovative services by responsible, caring staff and volunteers.

Description

AIDS Housing Association of Tacoma (AHAT) was founded in 1989. With the assistance of members of Christ Church Episcopal of Tacoma and other community volunteers, a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation was formed to provide safe, alternative housing for people with HIV/AIDS in Pierce and Kitsap Counties. The church provided the house for one dollar per year until it was purchased in 2002. The community provides volunteers and donations; other financial support comes from city, state and federal grants.

AIDS Housing Association of Tacoma/Three Cedars has provided special needs-assisted living and housing for over two hundred and fifty HIV/AIDS residents since we opened in June 1990.

We remain the only facility of our type from King County to the Oregon border to offer housing and enriched services to HIV/AIDS residents. Today, almost two-thirds of our residents return to community living after stabilizing their health and achieving medical adherence.----------------------------------------------------------------

AHAT provides housing and enriched services for those who are in medical transition, and those who are seriously ill. Our target population is low-income and homeless persons over 18 with an AIDS diagnosis who are in need of assisted living due to disability, illness, or inability to manage medications.

Services performed for our residents include, but are not limited to:

• hands-on care such as bathing,
• medical assistance,
• medication management,
• assistance with IV therapy,
• coordination of services with primary care physicians, home health medical teams, case managers, counselors, chemical dependency and mental health specialists.

We provide grocery and personal shopping services, clothing when needed, preparation of meals with focus on nutrition and wellness, laundry services, transportation to medical appointments and social activities. When requested and where appropriate, we obtain counseling for residents and their support network.

Project Open Door (POD) is a collaborative venture between the Pierce County AIDS Foundation (PCAF) and AHAT designed to provide permanent housing for people with HIV/AIDS that is coupled with enriched social services so that the people it serves can break the cycle of chronic homelessness. Partially funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Pierce County Continuum of Care in 2003.

Environment: We maintain a family-like, communal environment among residents, volunteers and staff. This environment reduces residents’ stress, which translates directly to improvement and stabilization in their physical and emotional health. Many of our residents experience such profound improvements they are able to move back into the community.