Crowd celebrates Metro Center's new location

Lorraine Langlois couldn't stop smiling on Nov. 4. That's the day the executive director of Metro Wellness and Community Centers, along with her staff, hosted the grand opening of its newest facility in St. Petersburg. More than 150 people attended the event to celebrate the new location at 3251 3rd Ave. N. The new location is across the street from its old building next to Georgie's Alibi.

â┚¬Å”There was just a lot of support and that really impressed me,â┚¬Â Langlois said following the open house. â┚¬Å”The people we really wanted to make sure were there attended and we celebrated with the heads of other agencies. As we move forward we can cooperate and service the people in our community.â┚¬Â

The celebration was centered in the community room of the renovated 15,000-square-foot building, where appetizers and hor'douvres were provided by Metro Center staff. Other members of the staff offered tours of the offices, meeting spaces and clinic rooms stretching from one end of the site to the other.

â┚¬Å”There was a lot of excitement about the community center aspect of our location,â┚¬Â Langlois said. â┚¬Å”We've tried to have one before but the social services part of our organization grew like crazy and we ran out of space. Now, with the new building, we're able to dedicate space for a community center and we are hopeful that it'll be used. It's here for the community.â┚¬Â

The St. Petersburg Metro Wellness and Community Center is just one of three servicing the Tampa Bay area. Ybor City and New Port Richey both offer similar programs and nearly 90 employees are stretched throughout the three locations.

â┚¬Å”We serve somewhere between 8,000 and 10,000 people with or at risk of HIV,â┚¬Â Langlois said. â┚¬Å”One thing people may not know about us is that all of our programs are â┚¬Ëœlinkage to life' programs. We have programs for families and for changing HIV and HIV prevention risk and behaviors in those families.â┚¬Â

That includes same-gendered and opposite-gendered households, Langlois points out. The funding Metro receives can be used for all at-risk or HIV-infected individuals, regardless of race, gender or sexuality.

But the new location does give the organization a chance to focus directly on the LGBT community. Langlois said that new GLBT Program Coordinator Adam Jahr, who has been with Metro for two months, is developing programs specific to the LGBT community.

â┚¬Å”He's been out there meeting folks, getting to know other agency heads and forming better relationships,â┚¬Â Langlois said. â┚¬Å”So he's doing everything related to the LGBT community.â┚¬Â

The massive expansion and growth of Metro surprises even Langlois herself, who admits she never had such a large group of programs in mind when she started with the organization nearly 20 years ago.

â┚¬Å”All we knew was there was a need and we needed to go do it,â┚¬Â Langlois said of Metro's humble beginnings. â┚¬Å”That's what we do. It was HIV needs and the LGBT community through the King of Peace Church, so we were LGBT focused from the beginning. As the needs and focus changed, so did we. It was a matter of going where the needs were.â┚¬Â

And more changes and needs are on the way. With healthcare reform fast approaching, Langlois said she and her staff have worked hard to align themselves with the â┚¬Å”next generation of healthcare.â┚¬Â That means Metro will expand even more and include other services along with its HIV programs.

â┚¬Å”If all you do is HIV treatment or programs then you're going to be out of luck because it's based on primary care, â┚¬Å” Langlois explained. â┚¬Å”So we're going to offer clinical care and we'll be able to provide those services.â┚¬Â

Clinical rooms are already available at the new Metro Wellness and Community Center and Langlois is certain its modern feel will not diminish the grassroots spirit behind it.

â┚¬Å”I have an incredible staff and five of the greatest senior staff leaders,â┚¬Â Langlois said. â┚¬Å”Everyone is involved an dedicated to people, and that makes all the difference.â┚¬Â

Entry into the new location is on 33rd Street near the corner of 3rd Avenue North between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. After 5 p.m., entry is on 3rd Avenue North.

Metro Wellness and Community Center began at the King of Peace Metropolitan Community Church in 1984 and has continuously serviced the HIV/AIDS population of Tampa Bay ever since. Metro's Tampa and New Port Richey offices will remain in their current locations.

For more information on the new St. Petersburg Metro Wellness and Community Center, call 727-321-3854 or visit MetroTampaBay.org.