In honor of National HIV Testing Day, Clinica Sierra Vista—alongside community partners Project Food Box and Jozay’s Barbershop—is proud to host a free, family-friendly community event on Friday, June 27, 2025, from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Compassionate Corner (corner of 22nd and L Street, Bakersfield, CA 93301).
Attendees will have access to free food distribution, free haircuts, rapid HIV testing, and a variety of local community resources.
Observed annually on June 27, National HIV Testing Day encourages individuals to get tested for HIV, know their status, and connect with appropriate care and treatment. Clinica Sierra Vista is proud to lead this local effort to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and promote access to health services for all.
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
- Rapid HIV Testing: Clinica Sierra Vista will offer rapid HIV testing with results available in under 20 minutes, conducted by trained healthcare professionals.
- Free Breakfast Burritos for the first 50 attendees, sponsored by Project Food Box.
- Free Haircuts: Jozays Barbershop will offer free haircuts during the event, providing an added incentive to encourage participation and foster community pride
Community Resources from trusted local partners, including:
- Alcoholics Anonymous
- Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital
- Be Finally Free Inc.
- Blue Zones Project Bakersfield
- Cayenne Wellness Center
- City Serve
- Exact Staff/Staffing Agency
- FIELD
- GBLA
- Kern Behavioral Health & Recovery Services
- Kern Family Health Care
- Magdalene Hope Inc.
- Mercy Housing Living Centers
- Rfoodx / Roots Food Group
- Skye’s the Limit Production
- Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy
“By combining food, health services, and a free haircut, we’re creating a welcoming environment where families can take charge of their well-being,” said Ms. Ashton Chase, Family Nurse Practitioner with specialized expertise in HIV, PrEP, hepatitis C treatment, and addiction medicine. “We know that eliminating barriers like cost and access is key to improving health outcomes; this event brings everything under one roof.
WHY IT MATTERS
In 2023, Kern County recorded 215 new HIV diagnoses, one of the highest totals we’ve seen since the early 1990s. Over the past decade, we’ve experienced an 80% increase in annual new cases, with a total rise of 114% since the early 2000s. What’s especially concerning is that young adults aged 20 to 24 accounted for over 11% of these new diagnoses.
California as a whole saw a 6% increase in new HIV cases between 2019 and 2023; Kern County’s sharp upward trend tells us that our community is facing a much more urgent crisis. These numbers underscore the critical need for expanded testing, education, and prevention efforts, especially among our youth and underserved populations.
Together, we must prioritize awareness, remove stigma, and strengthen access to care to protect the health and future of our community.
