Grindr Partners with Burnett Foundation Aotearoa to Offer Free At-Home HIV Test Kits to Grindr Users Throughout New Zealand

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03/24/2024 - 04:00 PM

New Zealand joins the growing number of countries where Grindr, the premiere LGBTQ+ social connector, is partnering with local organizations to expand HIV self-testing, with distribution of more than a quarter million test kits to date

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Grindr Inc. (NYSE: GRND), the world’s largest social network for the LGBTQ+ community, today announced the launch of its new partnership with Burnett Found ation Aotearoa to offer free HIV self-test kits to Grindr users throughout New Zealand. The partnership is the latest step in Grindr’s expansion of its work to advance public health for the LGBTQ+ community, driven by Grindr for Equality, the company’s global social impact initiative. As of today, Grindr users in New Zealand can order free HIV self-test kits through Burnett Foundation directly from links embedded in the Grindr app in less than one minute.

Grindr for Equality’s partnerships with public health organizations, launched nationally one year ago to expand free at-home HIV test kit distribution, has proven remarkably successful. Grindr for Equality works with Building Healthy Online Communities and others to enable Grindr users in the U.S. and a growing number of other countries, to order free HIV self-test kits by connecting them directly to self-testing partner organizations through the Grindr app. In 2023 alone, this program distributed more than 235,000 HIV test kits, many to Grindr users in the U.S. who had never previously been tested. This success inspires Grindr and the Burnett Foundation's efforts in New Zealand, where they aim to promote HIV testing awareness and education globally.

Today’s announcement builds on Grindr’s continued collaboration with the Burnett Foundation to promote safe sex practices nationwide. Over the last year, Grindr has helped to raise awareness for the HIV resources made available by the Foundation in New Zealand, periodically sharing in-app messages to encourage users to obtain self-test kits distributed by Burnett. Now, Grindr users in New Zealand will be able to order these kits directly through the Grindr app around the clock.

“Grindr could not be more thrilled to expand in-app access to HIV self-testing to our community in New Zealand,” said Steph Niaupari of Grindr for Equality. “In launching similar initiatives in other countries, we’ve seen the tangible impact that in-app access can drive in increasing global access to HIV testing. We look forward to bringing similar programs to Grindr users around the world.”

“We are incredibly excited to partner with Grindr to make HIV self-test kits more easily available across Aotearoa New Zealand,” said Joe Rich, Chief Executive at the Burnett Foundation. “We hope this will encourage more people in our communities to test for HIV regularly so they can know their status and enjoy great sexual health. Testing for HIV regularly is a vital tool in helping us achieve an Aotearoa with zero HIV transmissions.”

Increasing access to testing remains one of the most valuable tools in the fight against the global HIV epidemic. Self-testing, in particular, offers a convenient and discreet alternative to in-person testing, which can pose obstacles such as clinic operating hours, transportation, and costs. These barriers can be even more pronounced for a variety of Grindr users, such as those living in rural areas and those who are not “out” to their families. Grindr is proud to partner with Burnett Foundation to help its users across New Zealand overcome these challenges, and to drive community-led progress towards eliminating HIV.

Through Grindr’s partnership with Burnett Foundation, New Zealand becomes the fourth country in which users can order free HIV self-test kits directly through the Grindr app. Last November, Grindr partnered with MPOWER and Equality Movement to offer free HIV self-test kits through its app to users across Georgia and Ireland. Today’s launch in New Zealand builds on Grindr’s commitment to advancing public health for the LGBTQ+ community globally. Grindr looks forward to collaborating with similar programs around the world.

About Grindr Inc.

With more than 13 million monthly active users in virtually every country in the world, Grindr has grown to become a fundamental part of the LGBTQ+ community since its launch in 2009. The company continues to expand its ecosystem to enable gay, bi, trans, and queer people to connect, express themselves, and discover the world around them. Since 2015 Grindr for Equality has advanced safety, health, and human rights for millions of Grindr users and the global LGBTQ+ community in partnership with more than 100 community organizations in every region of the world. Grindr is headquartered in West Hollywood, California, with offices in the Bay Area; Chicago; New York; and Washington, D.C. The Grindr app is available on the App Store and Google Play.