CAP Program Highlight: Pivot

Pivot
a space for men into men

Open Wednesday through Saturday 3:00 - 9:00 pm
209 SW 4th Ave
Portland, OR 97204

Pivot is a community space for men into men and was formerly known as the Men’s Wellness Center. The new name and brand reflect the space as central to creating change, building community and a shift in thinking about sexual health. Pivot’s mission is to create a space where community members come together and build a stronger, healthier community free of stigma and shame.

To that end, Pivot holds social and educational events, provides HIV and STD testing, and offers a safe place for men into men to gather.

Pivot is open as a community space Wednesday through Saturday from 3-9pm. Visitors enjoy coffee and tea, computers and free WiFi, board games, a library of great gay/bi/queer/trans books and magazines, and a great spot to meet other men into men. Use the meeting space, attend an event or group (or start your own), pick up condoms (including hard to fit sizes) or lube, get safer sex info or just talk to someone about making sexual health choices that keep you happy and safe.

Additionally, Pivot offers free testing for men who have sex with men 3 times a week. All testing is walk in and first come first served. HIV testing can be done anonymously or confidentially. HIV testing for all youth (not just men) 24 and under occurs at Pivot on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month through CHATpdx’s CHAT(room). CHAT(room) has Wii, access to computers, snacks, and fun times with other youth.

Every Friday at 7pm Pivot holds a film night, with both gay-centric and non gay-centric films.

For more information, check out Pivot's website, call 503.445.7699 or e-mail pivot@pivotpdx.org. You can also check out Pivot on Facebook and Twitter.

CAP Now Provides Testing For All!

What: HIV testing for all – regardless of risk
When: Mondays through Fridays, 10am – 4pm
How: Appointment or walk in
Where: CAP main office, 8th floor, check in at reception
Charge: $25 donation (strongly encouraged)
Why: Because everyone has an HIV status – and shouldn’t we all get the chance to find out what it is?

More information:
• For appointments call 503.223.5907 during normal business hours, walk ins may require a wait time of 30 minutes to an hour
• Nobody is turned away for inability to pay, but we strongly encourage folks to donate what they can (more than $25 is gladly accepted too!)
• We accept cash, check, or charge
• We offer anonymous (no name provided) and confidential (name and contact information provided and kept safe and secure)
• If people test anonymous we can’t provide give them a paper copy of their result
• We will be using the OraQuick Rapid HIV test – results in about 30 minutes

What Sponsors' $$ Supports

Here are some examples of what donated funds can do:

$25 - Covers the cost of 439 condoms for distribution. CAP distributes condoms to CAP clients, through Pivot, in five local colleges and universities, at 17 bars and nightclubs in the Portland area, and through Sisters of the Road Cafe.

$50 - Covers the honorarium for one member of CAP Speaker’s Bureau to go into the community and speak. The Speaker’s Bureau is a program in which HIV+ men and women educate the community on HIV from a personal perspective.

$100 - Covers the cost of one HIV test at Pivot (formerly Men’s Wellness Center). This includes working with an HIV test counselor to explore how to protect themselves and their partners, and to connect to important HIV care and support services.

$250 - Sends two HIV affected or infected people to a school or an organization for a two-hour presentation on HIV. Includes brochures, educational resources, and staff follow up.

$500 - Supplies over 40 rapid HIV testing kits. Each test allows one person to learn their HIV status within 20 minutes of being tested.