Monthly E-Newsletter for

July 2010

Dear Friends,

Please take a minute and look at our expanded "WISH LIST" of items, and see if you can help make a wish come true. Also below are our latest announcements and opportunities.

Scott Blades, Executive Director

1. Making Wishes Come True - Check Out These Items on Our Newest "Wish List"

We wish for many things—that everyone is accepted and loved, that no one is alone or hungry, that we find an end to AIDS, and so much more. AND we also wish for very practical things to help make lives better. Take a look at the list of items below. We're betting that you, your business, or your congregation has one of these (or the ability to purchase and donate them)! Make a wish come true and support TIHAN in our work of changing lives. Items may be dropped off at the TIHAN office, or call us for more information. Thank you!

• Cross-cut (micro-cut) paper shredder

• Small appliances for CarePartners (microwave oven, crockpot, coffee maker, fan, space heater)

• Three (3) fireproof locking file cabinets - preferably 3 drawers

• Paper towels, toilet tissue, and Kleenex for office use

• Ink for a HP DeskJet 5150 Printer (black, and color)

• Easel for Poz Cafe

• Small sturdy ice-chest/cooler for Poz Cafe

• Lightbulb for video projector (Infocus SP-LAMP-018)

• Tri-fold display board for community events

• Poster-sized pads of paper, plain or self-adhesive, for easels

• 1-inch white view 3-ring binders

• Reams/cases of paper - 8.5" x 11" (letter size) 24 lb. - white

• Reams/cases of paper - 8.5" x 11" (letter size) 24 lb. - variety of colors, esp light green, light yellow, bright blue, and bright yellow

• Items for CarePackages (soap, shampoo, razors, feminine hygiene products, deodorant)

• Stick-on name badges

• Certificate paper to print on

• Gift Cards to Michael's Arts & Crafts Store

• Artwork and antiques for auction items

• Gift Cards to Office Depot or Office Max

• Postage Stamps - 44-cent and 28-cent stamps

• Canopy/Awning for outdoor events

• Gift certificates for local restaurants

• Plastic disposable color table cloths for 74" x 74" tables at Poz Cafe

• Cleaning Supplies, air fresheners, and Clorox® wipes

• Rolls of toilet tissue for CarePartner care packages

• 2-drawer filing cabinet with lock/key(s)

• Cork board - 20" x 30"

• Clear shredder bags (from Office Depot) - 10 gal. (item # 422-420)

• Long distance telephone calling cards

• Plastic clear 8 1/2" x 11" stand up holder portrait (bottom loading)

• Boxes of envelopes - clear seal, security tinted #10 (4 1/8" x 9 1/2")

• Post-it notes of all sizes and colors

• Computers (at least 3GB of memory and at least a dual-core processor)

• Three-part money receipt book (triplicate)

• Customizable buttons and baseball caps (new only)

• New, quality video camera

• Boxes of address mailing labels (Avery 5160)

• Holiday gifts and back-to-school gifts for CarePartners and their kids

• "Thank you" note cards

• Pads of lined note paper - 8.5 x 11

• Digital camera

• $25 gift cards for grocery stores for CarePartners

• Yellow highlight markers

• Gift certificates/trade credit at Bookman's

• Raffle and auction prizes for events

2. TIHAN in the News

Did you see TIHAN's Guest Opinion that appeared in the Sunday, June 27 Arizona Daily Star, co-authored by two TIHAN volunteers living with HIV? We're proud of their courageous statement, and their advocacy for ending the stigma and for encouraging HIV testing, treatment, and self-care.

Here's the link to Arizona Daily Star article: http://azstarnet.com/news/opinion/article_
045a0c76-3229-569e-bb90-65866a6ff55e.html

Or read TIHAN's Star guest opinion below.

No stigma in getting tested for HIV/AIDS
By the Rev. Chewee Hughley and Enrique Franco
Special To The Arizona Daily Star | Posted: Sunday, June 27, 2010 12:00am

Today is National HIV Testing Day. As two individuals living with HIV, we want to take this opportunity to share our thoughts with the Tucson community on the importance of getting tested to know your HIV status. When we hear about, or know of, someone getting tested for HIV/AIDS, what type of questions filter in our minds? Some begin to ask, What has he or she been doing? Or, Why are they getting tested anyway?

Don't get us wrong, everyone is entitled to ask questions. That's human nature. In this case, though, the best question to ask is: What business is it of mine?

Because, believe it or not, those other questions possess a damaging effect. They are contributing to the very stigma that frightens and stops people from getting an HIV test. It is because of stigma that people shy away from dealing with their own risk for HIV and self-care.

We believe that there is a greater force than stigma. That force is love. We also believe that anyone who stands up and gets tested possesses that love.

Through testing, they are showing a love for their body, their health and their lives. They are getting tested because they genuinely care about themselves. In doing so, these brave people are reclaiming the strength some would otherwise direct toward the stigma.

Those who are at risk of HIV/AIDS infection—all human beings—can help eliminate the stigma by being bold, stepping out of the box and practicing some self-care. We, as persons of faith, should encourage our faith communities to stop being contributors to the stigma.

For too long, many faith communities have viewed sex as something that is unnatural and only acceptable for certain people, and then only for the purpose of procreation. The reality is people are having sex and it is damaging to institutionalize puritanical sexual mores that have not worked. The fact that sex is viewed as dirty and shameful contributes to low self-esteem in all areas of our lives. It is time for faith communities to embrace reality and move boldly into the realm of teaching our people to get tested.

This self-empowerment should be celebrated, rather than questioned. There is absolutely no shame in getting tested; the shame comes from those who decide to inflict and impose the stigma. Getting tested for HIV is not a shameful thing to do, and having HIV/AIDS is not a shameful thing to have.

HIV/AIDS is just a disease. Those who get tested for HIV/AIDS are just getting tested. Nothing more, nothing less. It is that simple. If you are one of those people asking, "Should I get tested?" we encourage you to do so. This is a private matter between you and your doctor. You are boldly getting the answer to a significant question concerning you and your health.

Get tested for your peace of mind. Please don't allow any shame, fear or labeling to stop you. Remember, getting tested is a form of loving one's self—as is knowing your HIV status, as is managing your HIV infection to stay healthy and live well. Confidential HIV testing is available for no cost or low cost at a variety of locations in Southern Arizona. Contact the Pima County Health Department at 791-7676 to find out where you can get tested.

As members of the Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network (TIHAN), we invite faith communities to join us in an informed, sensitive and compassionate response to those affected by HIV/AIDS. Through education and support, we—as individuals and faith communities—work to build bridges, reduce stigma and sustain hope.

The Rev. Chewee Hughley, who is pastor of Church of Our Faith Fellowship, and Enrique Franco are volunteers with the Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network. Go to www.tihan.org for more information and e-mail them at friends@tihan.org.

3. Helping Change Lives Through Caring

What do CarePartner Support volunteers provide for our CarePartners living with HIV? As you can see, almost too many things to list! Having a supportive community contributes to a person's overall wellness and health. Join them! All you have to do is attend our free Care & Support Training.

This quarterly training is offered at no cost in collaboration with Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation for individuals who have previously participated in a volunteer orientation at either organization and who have a desire to volunteer with individuals living with HIV/AIDS. The training will be held on Saturday, August 7 at SAAF, located at 375 South Euclid Avenue, from 9am to 5pm. Please call 628-7223 for more information.

4. Supporting Our Kids' Readiness to Learn With Back To School Supplies

Many children won't get that back-to-school shopping experience. That why we're here! To help fully provide these children with the right amount of supplies they need, we need your help. Any donation of school supplies will be appreciated, especially:

If you have any questions or want to make a donation, please contact Taina at 520-299-6647 ext#13 or taina@tihan.org.

5. Scientists Announce Breakthrough in AIDS Research

We were heartened to hear the announcement last week about an exciting new development in AIDS research—discovery of three new antibodies to HIV described in the Wall Street Journal's health section as "a renaissance that could lead to new ways to develop vaccines against the AIDS virus and other viral diseases." For the entire article on this exciting news, click here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052
748703609004575355072271264394.html

6. Represent TIHAN at the Community's World AIDS Day Planning Committee!

Join Tucsonans representing various community agencies and concerned individuals who come together to plan a December 1 evening event for World AIDS Day, including speakers, live music and dance performances, onsite HIV testing, information tables, food, and fun. Meetings are held on Thursdays at COPE Community Services (4601 E. Broadway Blvd.) at 4:15pm once a month (and more frequently as we move closer to the event date).

As a TIHAN representative, you would be expected to attend these meetings and be the information conduit between the planning committee and TIHAN staff. If interested, please contact Natalie Brown, Director of Education & Community Relations, natalie@tihan.org, 299-6647 ext 14.

7. Look good. Feel good. Do good. Wednesday, September 15: "A Day of Beauty" Benefit at Robert Markley Salon Spa and the new Robert's Barber Lounge!

Treat yourself—and your loved ones—to beauty, style, and relaxation, and TIHAN benefits too: all proceeds support TIHAN's programs for people living with HIV/AIDS! Robert Markley Salon Spa and Robert's Barber Lounge are offering a special event on Wednesday, September 15 from 4:00-8:00pm. Pamper yourself and book:

a hair cut/style/treatment/color,
massage, facial, or waxing
at Markley Salon Spa
AND/OR
a hair cut/shave, manicure or pedicure
at Robert's Barber Lounge

The salon and the barber lounge will donate ALL proceeds (and tips!) to TIHAN for everything booked from 4:00-8:00pm that day. Both facilities offer services to men and women, are located at the Plaza at Williams Centre, 5350 East Broadway Boulevard (just west of Craycroft), Suite 160 and a few doors down at Suite 252. To book your services and make an appointment for this special TIHAN event, call Robert Markley Salon Spa at 520-747-1388 or Robert's Barber Lounge at 748-3502.

Men and women welcome!
Check out the website and explore the possibilities: http://www.robertmarkley.com/ and http://www.robertsbarberlounge.com. Transform yourself, and help transform TIHAN, too.

What is a barber lounge?

Robert's Barber Lounge is Tucson's newest full service hair salon for sophisticated men and women.

Owner Robert Markley has restructured the classic barbershop to provide a fresh, contemporary environment for both traditional and modern barber and salon services. Enjoy a cold beer or a glass of wine while you kick back and relax and experience a unique barbershop setting for discerning men and women accustomed to high salon services. Come experience the difference for yourself.

A special thanks to Robert Markley and all of his staff for donating their time and ALL proceeds from this evening, including tips, to support TIHAN's programs.

8. Clean Your Closets for TIHAN! You're Invited to Have A Yard Sale to Benefit TIHAN and Our Programs!

One person's trash is another person's treasure. Yard sales (garage sales, tag sales, rummage sales) are a great way to make money by selling items that are already in your house. So clean out your closets, set up a yard sale, and it's a win-win solution for you and for TIHAN's programs!

Thanks to our friends at The New Tucson Shopper, which is our corporate sponsor for this "Clean Your Closets for TIHAN" concept, when you register with us to have a yard sale benefit, you receive a free Yard Sale Planning Guide filled with tips and information, preprinted street signs, and free advertising of your yard sale in The New Tucson Shopper (www.newtucsonshopper.com). We'll provide you with TIHAN flyers, newsletters, and donation envelopes if you'd like. What we ask is that at least 50% of the proceeds (or even better—100% of the proceeds!) be donated to TIHAN.

You can also ask friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc. to donate stuff (old furniture, appliances, kitchenware, clothes, coats, toys, books, etc.). It's likely that they will be happy to rid themselves of a few items that are just causing clutter. You can also coordinate a multi-family yard sale, or a community yard sale at your congregation or business.

To request your "Clean Out Your Closets for TIHAN" packet, Yard Sale Planning Guide, and free advertising in The New Tucson Shopper, contact Scott at 299-6647 or scott@tihan.org.

More tips for having a successful charity yard sale:

Don't be afraid to price items generously - people tend to try to bargain prices down. Hopefully, since they know the proceeds are going to charity, they will not try to bargain too much, but even inexpensive items will help profit your charity.

Put a donation jar out for people who would like to help your cause but are not going to purchase anything. Make it a festive atmosphere with balloons and music (CDs or radio).

Hold a raffle for a special item. You can display the actual item or a picture of the item you are raffling. Sell tickets throughout the sale (or sales) and have the raffle drawing at the end of the sale, or sell raffle tickets to a raffle that is ending at a later date.

Have a table with "grab bags" of items where people can get one bag for $2 or $5. These bags could contain some items like utensils, Tupperware, pots, bath products, etc. In each bag have a flyer that also gives someone the option to send in a small donation later.

On a clipboard at your checkout counter, offer a newsletter sign-up form. Include a notation that they could donate their used goods or volunteer to have their own sale. Have a "check" box for this. Remember ask, ask, ask!

It is also a good idea to pre-print "thank you" notes to give to customers after they make their purchase, thanking them for helping your cause and directing them to where they could find more information (web site, phone numbers, etc.).

9. A Note, A Need, An Opportunity to Make A Difference

From Rose Carmichael, TIHAN Volunteer:

All of us have busy lives and lots of activities—whether we are working or retired. But somehow in our busy days, it is nice to take time out and have some coffee or a sandwich with a friend. Some of my best friends are people I have met through volunteering at TIHAN's Poz Cafe. When I call and invite them out, usually they are surprised and happy. It is a wonderful break in both of our schedules.

I love to volunteer and it is a blessing. If there are needs, of course we try to address those also, but mostly it is just a chance to relax and have fun together. I recommend that you give it a try and volunteer with TIHAN's support programs and see how it feels.

10. Thanks to Natalie and Announcing Staffing Changes at TIHAN

Natalie Brown, TIHAN's part-time Director of Education and Community Relations, will be leaving TIHAN in August to take a full-time position with Iskashitaa Refugee Harvesting Network, where she's been working part-time along with her part-time work with TIHAN.

With this change in personnel, we are re-organizing our staffing and combining this part-time position with our part-time Volunteer Resources Coordinator position, creating a full-time Director of Congregational and Community Programs.

After many months of study and discussion, TIHAN is making a renewed focus on the programs that are most core to our mission: CareTeams, Poz Cafe, Link Specialist Support, Volunteer Training, and Congregational Relations. These programs will be our primary focus, with two full-time program staff overseeing the volunteers and programs.

TIHAN's programs will change, and there will also be some restructuring of staff responsibilities. We are blessed to have the ongoing leadership of Taina Compagnet, Director of CarePartner Support, and we will now begin recruitment for a new full-time Director of Congregational and Community Programs to work in conjunction with Taina to carry out our programs providing a compassionate interfaith response to HIV (with the support of our Administrative Assistant and Executive Director).

By focusing on the programs most congruent with our mission and by restructuring our staffing to have two full-time positions (instead of one full-time and two part-time), we will be able to more effectively serve and support our staff, volunteers, and CarePartners living with HIV. With your support through contributing your time, skills, and funds, TIHAN will continue to thrive—even during these challenging times.

The job description for the new position is being finalized. Interested applicants should contact Scott Blades at scott@tihan.org. 

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