Volunteering

One of the things that this disease has taught me is that it is important to give back some of what you've learned to the others who are following.  I would love to see a mentoring program set up for people with HIV/AIDS, so that those who are newly diagnosed would benefit from the experience, strength and hope of those of us who are still here.

One of the ways that I was able to help was by volunteering at the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force.  I helped fold newsletters, stuff envelopes, work at fund raisers, and pretty much do anything else that I was able to do.  

But my real love, and probably the thing that I liked best was working with the Speakers Bureau.  This was a group of men and women, both infected and affected, who went to schools, churches, colleges, health fairs, community groups, anywhere that we are asked and talked about HIV and AIDS.  Those affected (and some of us infected folk) did AIDS 101 talks.  AIDS 101 is an overview of the virus, how it is spread, ways to protect yourself, universal precautions, and harm reduction.  

Several of those of us who are infected did Personal Perspective talks, in which we tried to give a face to the disease and share a little about what having HIV/AIDS has meant in our lives.  This is very important in Pittsburgh, because here the disease is very closeted.  I have the luxury of being out to my family and friends (as a gay man and a person with AIDS) and not having to worry about who may see me (since I'm retired and can't be fired).  So I am able to go places and do some work that a lot of others with HIV/AIDS are unable to do because of the stigma still surrounding this disease.

Matt, also, has been very involved with the Task Force.  In 1998 he became a legal consultant at PATF, in addition to the volunteer work he was doing.  Matt has training as a paralegal.  He has been working to help find legal assistance for people with HIV/AIDS in the areas of landlord/tenant issues, estate planning, wills, discrimination by medical practitioners, and limited criminal defense.  He is becoming increasingly busy with Social Security law and back to work issues . 

Matt is member of the Southwestern Pennsylvania AIDS Planning Coalition.  This is the organizations that is responsible for overseeing Ryan White Care funding in the SW PA region.  It has been a real experience and very rewarding to get to have direct input into the planning and funding of services for people living with HIV/AIDS .  We became members of the Consumer Advisory Board of the Coalition.  We help advise the Coalition on needs and issue of concern to people with HIV and AIDS. We regularly attend functions at the Shepherd Wellness Community. I was asked to join the Board of Directors in 2001. As part of my volunteer commitment to that organization, I built and maintain their web site.

I heartily recommend that you find your own way to give back something to the community that has helped you.  Writing a check is fine - please, don't stop that.  However, the experiences you will gain and the people that you will meet when you give of your time will enrich and expand your life.

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Updated: 11.01.2003