Our History

Central Illinois Friends was founded by a local group of individuals who were deeply concerned about the response to the AIDS epidemic both nationally and locally. These individuals, who were made up of strangers both positive and affected by HIV, quickly became friends and officially became a not for profit in 1990 known as Central Illinois Friends of PWA Inc.

In those early days, the focus was entirely on grassroots HIV/AIDS community work: showing up for people, providing mutual aid, and being there when others weren’t.

Through the years, FRIENDS has adapted and grown, but a major turning point came in 2017 when Deric Kimler began his role as Executive Director. Under his leadership, the organization took a massive leap forward. By putting our core values into action every day, Friends evolved from a peer-support network into a full public health and clinical organization.

As our services grew, our footprint had to grow, too. We opened our LGBTQ+ Community Center in Peoria, a permanent clinic location in Galesburg, and a weekly pop-up clinic in Bloomington-Normal. Our actual service area spans a massive 16-county region across Central Illinois. To make sure no one is left behind, we take our mobile testing units, pop-up clinics, and educational events out into rural communities and local gatherings anywhere in Central Illinois.

Today, we offer free, judgment-free services that remove barriers to wellness. While we serve anyone who needs us, we have a proud, intentional focus on the LGBTQ+ community, uninsured individuals, and vulnerable neighbors who face the steepest obstacles to getting healthcare.

We are proud of how far this organization has come from a small group of strangers in 1990 to a regional healthcare leader.