Community AIDS Resource and Education Services

Sharing the Message

Cares Staff Member — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:30:28 +0000

Something special happened to me this morning on the way to work, and it seemed worth sharing.

The last two times I’ve purchased gas cards for our clients, I went to the same Marathon station in Stevensville. The first time I was there back in February, another customer wanted to know what I was going to do with all of the gift cards and so I told him about CARES, what we do, and how gas cards and volunteer transporters help to make it possible for some of our clients to get to medical appointments, which helps them stay healthy.

This morning, when I went there to purchase gift cards, the same clerk began to ring up the cards for me. A few customers began to line up and I urged her to help them. One gentleman had been watching her ring up the cards and asked what they were for, and before I could answer, the clerk told him all about CARES and what the cards would be used for. He turned to me, smiled and said, “Well, I don’t mind waiting for a good cause.” Two other people in line nodded their heads in agreement. Another customer thanked me for the work that we do. Nobody was impatient and it was great to see that people were supportive. What really impressed me was that the clerk had remembered our conversation from my last visit, and was able to educate others.

It was a great way to start the day!

Susan Florian

California to test HIV-prevention pill

Cares Staff Member — Thu, 03 May 2012 19:33:19 +0000

California will be testing a new HIV-prevention pill, but the question is will people take it on a regular bases like they are supposed to? It is outstanding how much money will be put into this HIV-prevention pill (approximately $11.8 million). This pill will be given only to those who are at high risk, which in my opinion is great, but there is cons to this too. As the LA times states there might be less people using condoms and since this pill is not proven to work it might only increase new HIV infections. Although I think this is a great way to prevent new infections, since it is only a test/experiment its good that is being done only in one state. I do however, hope that this HIV-Prevention pill works and that it could expand to other states and also that people remember to take their medication.

Best,

Yesenia Aguilar – K-College student

Fashion Against AIDS

Cares Staff Member — Wed, 02 May 2012 21:14:18 +0000

Who would have ever thought that shopping/fashion would help prevent HIV/AIDS? Well now its totally possible, you could shop and raise awareness. If you purchase from any participating H&M stores they will donate 25% of your purchase to one of the following organizations: United Nations Population Fund, MTV Staying Alive Foundation, YouthAIDS and Designers Against AIDS. Fashion Against AIDS began in 2008 and it is a fashion collection that aims to raise HIV/AIDS awareness amongst youth. I believe that this is an awesome way to reach out to a different community. Usually fundraising to advocate HIV/AIDS awareness excludes certain class groups, but with this fashion campaign a different group of people are targeted. The collection, Fashion Against AIDS, started April 26, 2012, which was also CARES’ Dining Out for Life event. Lastly along with launching this collection and donating 25%, H&M is also encouraging people to support HIV/AIDS awareness by uploading a kissing picture of yourself onto their website and for every kiss picture that is uploaded to the gallery they will donate $1 to AIDS prevention. So I encourage everyone to upload a picture (@ http://campaign.hm.com/faa2012/)

Best, Yesenia Aguilar, K- College – student

Comments on “LA Moves Needle”

Cares Staff Member — Wed, 02 May 2012 21:05:53 +0000

After reading “L.A moves Needle” on the LA Times I now have a very different perspective of needle exchange than when I was 15 years old. At 15 I was a sophomore in high school getting trained to teach my peers about HIV/AIDS. During the week long training we were asked to watch KIDS the movie, which deals with HIV/AIDS and the rapid growth of drug use amongst teenagers. While going through this training we were also told that when speaking to peers about prevention we should always remember them that they are able to exchange used needles for new needles at local clinics like Common Ground in Los Angeles. My first reaction was “Why? Aren’t we just encouraging drug use?”. I was taken back by this and did not want to promote the use of drugs therefore I would have such a hard time when speaking to someone regarding this topic. Now many years later I am 19, a sophomore in College and encouraging needle exchange. After reading this article I have realized that HIV infections from needle use have been maintained at low levels due to this needle exchange programs. It is absolutely outrageous how much it cost to treat a person with HIV per year (approximately $385,200). This needle exchange program has tremendously aid in the prevention of new HIV and Hepatitis C infections. This is the reason why the government should continue to support this needle exchange program and hopefully they continue to do so for years to come until a cure is found.

-Yesenia Aguilar, K-College Student

Dining Out for Life 2012

Cares Staff Member — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 19:55:45 +0000

There’s a simply delicious way you can support a great cause on April 26. It’s CARES’ annual Dining Out for Life fundraiser. Just choose your favorite restaurant that day and at least 25% of your bill will help fight AIDS in Southwest Michigan. Go to Click here for a list of participating restaurants.

Many of the same restaurants that participated in 2011 are included in this year’s event, but not all. Be sure to check the list for the the 2012 locations and the meals included in the fundraiser.

Dine out, fight AIDS. It’s that simple.

Prison Sentences and HIV

Amy Bartell — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 17:32:46 +0000

A fellow peer brought this video to my attention. I am amazed to hear and see that a person’s HIV status can play such a huge role in determining their prison punishment (years they have to serve in prison). This video shines a light on several stories from those who are HIV positive and have faced criminalization due to their status. I am no politician, but hearing the assumption that someone who is HIV positive is a criminal just because they were afraid to disclose their status is unlawful to me. It is unfortunate to hear that someone’s partner filed charges against them because they are HIV positive and didn’t disclose their status to them. I was not aware that was even possible. It is stigma itself that discourages disclosure, testing, and treatment. It is true however, that most do not realize that this stigma is present until someone they love or themselves become HIV positive.

- Kalamazoo College Student

HIV Disparity Between Black & White Gay Men

Amy Bartell — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 20:06:54 +0000

Below is an article that speaks about why there may be such huge differences between black and white gay men when it comes to HIV infection. There is a lot of speculation as to why there is such inequality between gay black and white men and HIV: incarceration, circumcision, how long someone had been infected, sex with someone of unknown HIV status.

What I found interesting is when these investigators looked at over 5,000 gay men what they found was most of that wasn’t the problem. It would seem that not knowing the status of partners and the fact that black gay men were less likely to be on medication to treat their HIV were, at least in part, the problem.

So the investigators are encouraging gay men, and especially black gay men to communicate about HIV with potential partners and then, we as an agency need to look at how we can reduce the barriers of treatment to black males living with HIV.

Personally, my thought is that STIGMA is the single strongest barrier to treatment, testing and reducing the transmission of HIV and until we can remove the power of stigma we will continue to experience these kinds of disheartening gaps in who the virus in infecting.

So take this challenge, talk to someone today about HIV. Talk about the the people it is infecting, talk about what CARES is doing, talk about how sad you feel that people are not comfortable discussing HIV. TALK, TALK, TALK. Talk away the fear and ignorance stigma produces and encourage others to do so.