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M.I.S.T.E.R. (Men’s Information Services: Testing * Empowerment * Resources) is one of several programs of Positive Impact, Inc., housed in the Department of Prevention. MISTER is funded by multiple State, Federal and Foundation grants to provide a comprehensive range of services to meet the vast and unique needs of the gay and bisexual male community of metropolitan Atlanta. These funding sources include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH), the Fulton County Human Services Grants, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National AIDS Fund, ViiV Healthcare, the Pfizer Foundation and the M*A*C AIDS Fund, as well as private donations and fundraising events.
Housed within the MISTER Program, there are three major programmatic areas:
TESTING
Both HIV testing and STD screening for syphilis, gonorrhea and Chlamydia are offered at MISTER. For more details of the HIV Testing Center or the Men’s STD Clinic at MISTER, please following the appropriate HIV Testing or STD screening link to the left.
EMPOWERMENT
There are multiple opportunities for gay and bisexual men to come together and share information and learn, and to grow stronger by facing such issues as internalized homophobia, low self-esteem, domestic violence, substance abuse, dysfunctional relationships, and societal oppression regardless of race, ethnicity, relationship status, HIV status, religion or spiritual practice and so on.
One way to do that is by simply visiting the MISTER Community Center. Click the link to the left for MISTER Center to read more about the activities there and hours of operation.
Another way to participate is attending one of a number of various groups, workshops, educational seminars, meditation or yoga classes or even meet with a counselor one-on-one for sex coaching and sexual health counseling and education.
Finally, we want to hear from you. If you are a gay or bisexual man living in metro Atlanta and would like to see some program, service, group or workshop relevant to issues and interests of the gay male community, please let us know! Please contact our Community Outreach Specialist, Chandler Bearden, at 404-589-9040 or email him your suggestions at chandler.bearden@positiveimpact-atl.org.
RESOURCES
Unfortunately, Atlanta is one of a few major cities in the U.S. that does not have a vibrant Gay and Lesbian Center where individuals can go for information on everything from HIV and STD services to safer sex information to free condoms and lubricants, to where to find gay-friendly restaurants and other businesses, local gay bars and clubs, information about social groups such as the leather community, the bear community and transgendered individuals or just a centralized place to meet a friend before going out or to pick up one of several gay-focused Atlanta magazines and newspapers. While the MISTER Program is not a GLBT Community Center in the traditional sense, MISTER attempts to fill some of that gap by providing gay and bisexual men in metropolitan Atlanta with that kind of information, resources and safe meeting space. Our motto is: “Anything a gay man wants to find in Atlanta, he can find at MISTER.” If we don’t have the information or know the answer when you contact us, we will work to find it for you!
If you have any questions about MISTER, or to stay up to date on events, workshops, art exhibits and volunteer opportunities, please subscribe to our newsletter or call Chandler Bearden at 404-589-9040.
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