A Hilo man will be honored on Oahu Saturday for his longtime work on behalf of the HIV community in Hawaii.
Lenard Allen will be presented with the 9th annual Suzanne Richmond-Crum Award, the STD/AIDS Prevention Branch of the state Department of Health announced today.
The presentation will be made at the Church of the Crossroads at 1212 University Ave. in conjunction with World AIDS Day, which is observed on Dec. 1.
For the past 20 years, Allen has been actively involved in HIV client services, care, and prevention, the health department said. He has also participated in community education, advocacy and fundraising on behalf of the HIV community.
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Organizations he has assisted include the Big Island AIDS Project, Hawaii Island HIV/AIDS Foundation and Bay Clinic, Inc.
“His work has profoundly changed the environment for HIV/AIDS care, perceptions, and services in East Hawaii,” said Monica Adams, director of development for the Bay Clinic Family Health Centers. “There are some people in this world who do tremendous things, who work tirelessly for a cause, and who do it without recognition and fame. Lenard is one of these people.”
Allen also founded OUTSPOKEN, which served as a community fundraiser to fill in service gaps for people living with HIV. He developed a free counseling program and phone support for individuals living with HIV, and worked for four years with the Big Island Aloha Patrol as a liaison and advocate between business owners, community, and the Judiciary to provide referrals to services, testing, healthcare and education.
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“Mr. Allen has consistently gone above and beyond the call of duty to develop and implement activities to support the HIV community in Hawaii,” said state Health Director Loretta Fuddy. “His unwavering commitment to give of himself to individuals and organizations in need makes him a most deserving recipient of the 9th Annual Suzanne Richmond-Crum Award.”
The award is named after the former 10-year director of the Hawai‘i Seropositivity and Medical Management Program of the health department’s STD/AIDS Prevention Branch. Richmond-Crum died in August 2004.
For more information on all World AIDS Day events statewide visit www.worldaidsdayhawaii.org.
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