Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network is staging a virtual benefit that’s sure to warm the hearts of attendees while lifting the lives of those living with HIV/AIDS.
Treasures for TIHAN: Colors of the Heart will livestream at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 4.
“You have to have your heart in this work. It can be challenging emotionally to see the things people have to endure, but it really fills your heart to see people rise above the stigma and physical challenges associated with HIV and AIDS and live well,” said Scott Blades, executive director of the nonprofit comprised of almost 50 faith communities dedicated to providing support for those living with HIV/AIDS.
TIHAN provides a wide variety of services and support for CarePartners (the term for people living with HIV/AIDS who receive TIHAN services), including CarePackages consisting of grocery store gift cards, toiletries, cleaning and household supplies, clothing, paper items and other basic necessities.
The nonprofit also provides trained volunteers who work with CarePartners, many of whom offer various types of support including home delivery of CarePackages and boxed meals that were traditionally provided through the Poz Cafe, a lunch and social program that went remote during the pandemic.
Other support includes Living Well With HIV, a series of classes for CarePartners and their caregivers and families, along with social events and other support.
Blades said that TIHAN is seeing record numbers of people coming forward for support.
“HIV is still impacting people right here in our community. It has been around for decades, but there are some people who don’t want to acknowledge that or learn the facts about how many people are impacted. For the most part, though, people are aware of the magnitude of the impact HIV has on the population and they want to help and create systems that help people live better,” said Blades.
Those systems have been disrupted not only by COVID, but inflation and concerns about a possible recession. Blades said this makes Treasures for TIHAN more important than ever.
“Inflation has a real impact on people’s abilities to pay for food, rent, transportation, medical co-pays, and insurance. Donors are also impacted. The amount they can contribute now may be different than a year ago,” he said.
Treasures for TIHAN co-chairs Dan Uroff and Caroline Lochner understand the importance of the event to CarePartners.
Uroff, who has been a member of the board of directors for 11 years, said that TIHAN is vital to those living with HIV who may not have other support or resources.
“Lots of CarePartners are isolated for various reasons — they may be HIV positive and haven’t disclosed to others, or maybe they don’t get out for that reason. Some might not feel worthy, and many have financial issues so they barely get by month-to-month. TIHAN fills a need and lets them know that someone cares,” said Uroff.
Showing that she cares is a huge motivation for Lochner’s involvement in TIHAN and her work on Colors of the Heart.
She believes that if people can offer time, talent or treasure, they have an obligation to try to uplift and support those in need. She said that TIHAN welcomes all three, particularly since the organization lost many volunteers during the pandemic.
“With everything going on, now, more than ever, we need to come together as a community to lift each other up and take care of each other. When you have the means to do it, I think you need to think outside of what is going on in your small space and try to help. Everyone has stress and difficult things they are dealing with, and not to diminish that, but there are folks out there dealing with that and so much more,” she said.
Uroff and Lochner said they enjoy volunteering with TIHAN and helping lead the Treasures for TIHAN fundraising event.
“Between the 10-day online auction and the one-hour live-streaming event on June 4, there are so many ways to engage and help people in need, and our donors and volunteers are giving their all. Our CarePartners are counting on Tucson being generous again this year,” said Blades.
