I was thinking last night about this article, saying how it’s a privilege to be able to help others, the important difference between we’ve “got” to carry each other & we “get” to carry each other. He quotes Martin Luther King: “Somewhere along the way, we must learn that there is nothing greater than to do something for others”. “Somewhere along the way, we must learn that there is nothing greater than to do something for others”. Anyway, there is so much going on these days, we are all being asked to help everywhere we turn. The agencies that benefit from AIDS Walk Austin help people every day. Here are some examples of what donations do:
$35 covers one rapid HIV rest - we know that 40% of HIV+ people don't know it yet. Through testing, we can get them into life saving care, and further reduce the spread of the virus.
$60 pays for a one month supply of medical prescriptions. Medications can reduce the virus so much that it keeps someone healthy and also reduces the risk of passing it along. I think we can help with that, so here's my AIDS Walk Austin page.
$120 provides education for 440 people. Education is one of the most important tools in reducing new infections.
$250 provides 3 family counseling sessions. It can be devastating for a family when a member is diagnosed, and we know that an intact family unit promotes health and provides a built in support.
$500 provides a month of rent for one family in supportive housing. Assistance with food, daily chores, trips to medical appointments and social support create a foundation for continued health and a step toward independence.
$1,000 gives 450 home cooked meals for hospice patients. When in hospice, there are often unique food needs. You can make sure that final days are spent with delicious food that doesn't upset someone's stomach. This is the thing that gets me. People helping people — the home cooked meals that can help a person feel better.
And here’s my boys, with the song I took the title for this diary from:
Please donate at my AIDS Walk Austin page. Any amount will help.