To address urgent public health needs across the region, Metro Healthy Communities and local philanthropists Trevor Burgess and Gary Hess are announcing a matching challenge of up to $100,000 to support expanded STI testing and linkage to treatment and care.
This major investment will expand access to testing at METRO’s nine health centers and through community outreach. It will also strengthen risk assessment and real-time diagnosis, helping ensure individuals are quickly connected to options for prevention, education, treatment, and/or ongoing care.
In 2025, Trevor and Gary supported a beta testing initiative that screened nearly 1,500 community members, resulting in the identification of 20 new HIV diagnoses and 19 new cases of Hepatitis C. Every individual diagnosed was successfully linked to life-saving care and, in the case of Hep C, curative treatment.
“We have witnessed the measurable impact Metro Healthy Communities has on our Tampa Bay community first-hand,” said Trevor Burgess. “We are helping ensure this work can continue—and grow—when demand for accessible testing is rising. We invite the community to join us in helping us to double the impact of every dollar given.”
Meeting a Critical Public Health Need
The fundraising challenge comes at a pivotal moment for public health in Florida as rates of sexually transmitted infections remain alarmingly high across the Tampa Bay region.
- Syphilis rates in Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties are currently nine times higher than federal health targets.
- Hepatitis C rates in Hillsborough County are among the highest in the state of Florida.
- HIV: Diagnoses continue to impact communities across the organization’s four-county service area with 516 new HIV cases in 2022 and a notable increase among Hispanic/Latinx individuals of 62%.
Concurrently, the cost of prevention materials and testing supplies has risen while funding programs have become far less predictable.
“We are incredibly grateful to Trevor and Gary for their vision and generosity,” said Metro Healthy Communities CEO Priya Rajkumar. “The need for accessible, judgment-free testing has never been greater. This matching gift ensures we can meet that demand and continue to connect our community to the care they need, regardless of their ability to pay.”
How the Community Can Participate
Community members can help double the impact by contributing to the matching challenge at metrotampabay.org, by phone at 727-321-3854 or by sending a gift by mail to 701 94th Ave N in St. Petersburg, FL 33702. All gifts made through May 15 will be matched by Trevor and Gary dollar-for-dollar and up to $100,000.
Decades of Leadership and Impact
Founded in 1992, Metro Healthy Communities has served the region for more than 30 years. In 2025 alone, the organization’s STI prevention and treatment efforts reached approximately 9,000 individuals with more than 18,500 STI tests performed.
This work goes beyond testing; it focuses on treatment and results. Through an integrated care model, Metro Healthy Communities successfully identifies active infections as well as opportunities for prevention while connecting patients to primary care, behavioral health services, and curative treatment.
About Metro Healthy Communities
Founded in 1992, Metro Healthy Communities is the most experienced provider of STI testing and linkage to care in the Tampa Bay region. Through nine health centers and extensive community outreach, the organization delivers comprehensive healthcare services—including HIV treatment, PrEP and prevention, primary care, and behavioral health—ensuring individuals are connected to care regardless of ability to pay.
About Copay It Forward™
Metro Healthy Communities is committed to sustainable care models. Since 2018, the Copay It Forward™ program has generated roughly $4 million in care for uninsured and underinsured individuals. By choosing to fill prescriptions through Metro Inclusive Pharmacy or one of over 60 partner pharmacies across Tampa Bay, insured patients’ routine copays contribute directly to community care at no extra cost to themselves.
