June was a very busy month, filled with lots of commemorations and celebrations. We hosted information tables at lots of events, including many Pride events. We also commemorated Juneteenth, the June 5th anniversary of the CDC’s article about a strange cluster of unusual cancers among gay men which is now marked as the beginning of the AIDS crisis, Stonewall Day, National HIV Testing Day, the anniversary of the Pulse shooting, the first organizing meeting of faith communities which would eventually form TIHAN, and more. And we had our biggest in-person Poz Café since 2019!
Yes, June was a very busy month!
Your support of TIHAN and our programs provides support and connection, and we are grateful.
Scott Blades
Executive Director
Quick Links to This Month’s Articles
- US Surgeon General Speaks about the “Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation” that TIHAN is Addressing
- Opportunities to Serve Our Community – Volunteer Orientation
- Seeking Donations of Small Bottles of Bleach for Our CarePackages
- Designating a Portion of Your Fry’s Purchases to TIHAN
- Our Next Newsletter Folding Party is Coming Soon!
- Supporting Local Businesses that Support Us!
US Surgeon General Speaks about the “Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation” that TIHAN is Addressing
US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthi recently released a report laying out a framework for addressing something that we all feel and experience, an “epidemic of loneliness and isolation.” Isolation is an all-too-common theme among people living with HIV, and the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated that. Surgeon General Murthy, in his advisory, spoke about the important role of nonprofit organizations that foster social connections. And that is exactly what TIHAN does, connecting people living with HIV to others—both peers as well as volunteers. And our coalition connects volunteers and donors from very diverse backgrounds. TIHAN is part of that “social infrastructure” which plays an essential role.
“Equitable access to social infrastructure for all groups, including those most at-risk for social disconnection, is foundational to building a connected … community,” Dr. Murthy wrote. As noted in an article on CNN.com, “research has shown that loneliness and isolation are linked to sleep problems, inflammation and immune changes in younger adults. In older people, they’re tied to symptoms such as pain, insomnia, depression, anxiety and short life span. In people of all ages, they may be associated with higher risks of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, addiction, suicidality and self-harm, and dementia.”
TIHAN is one of those volunteer organizations, which include social groups and faith communities, that can foster healthy social connections that increase the physical and emotional wellbeing of individuals as well as of communities. Through gathering and meeting new people, through serving people and your community, through meeting people like us as well as people very different from us, we can all address the epidemic of loneliness and isolation that has gripped us, especially since the COVID pandemic. Let’s keep connecting!
Opportunities to Serve Our Community – Volunteer Orientation
We’ve been extremely short-staffed over the past three months, and our volunteer onboarding has been on pause out of necessity. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
This month, we’ll be re-starting volunteer onboarding by following up with volunteers who are in process of getting started, and in August we’ll start a new volunteer orientation for people who are interested.
Are you interested in finding out more about volunteer opportunities within TIHAN? We have direct services roles, as well as office help, and fundraising support needed, too. Additionally, we are seeking people to serve on our Board of Directors and its committees, including program evaluation and development/fundraising. Maybe you want to help by taking photos at our monthly lunch event, or making invitation phone calls to our CarePartners about upcoming events.
We have lots of opportunities to learn and serve, and we have a Volunteer Orientation on Tuesday, August 22 – advance registration is required. If you are interested, check out our volunteer opportunities.
Please contact us at VolunteerCoordinator@tihan.org or 520-299-6647 ext 206, and we’ll give you more info and get you started with our volunteer onboarding process! And if you are already in process, you’ll be hearing from us soon!
Seeking Donations of Small Bottles of Bleach for Our CarePackages
The CarePackages we provide to our CarePartners (clients living with HIV) contain essential items, and one essential is bleach, which helps people keep their home/apartment clean and safe from viruses and bacteria. It’s good for cleaning the kitchen and bathroom, and also for keeping clothes whiter.
We’d love your help getting smaller bottles of disinfecting bleach, because the larger bottles are too heavy and cumbersome for folks taking the bus, walking, or riding their bicycles.
If you find smaller (11 oz) bottles of bleach, please consider purchasing some and bringing them to the TIHAN office. Donations can be dropped off at the TIHAN office Monday through Friday, from 8:30am-4:30pm. Thank you!
Designating a Portion of Your Fry’s Purchases to TIHAN
If you shop at Fry’s, TIHAN has an account you can link your VIP Rewards card to. You get a discount on some prices, and TIHAN gets a percent too. Here’s how you can make sure your Fry’s purchases support TIHAN’s programs and services!
- Go to FrysFood.com
- Click on “Sign In” and either enter your ID and password, or click to establish a new account.
- If you already have a Fry’s VIP account (which you enter each time you shop), enter that number, or if needed, set that up and a number will be assigned to you.
- Go to the site’s Community Rewards program, and choose Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network (TIHAN) as your chosen charity, and Fry’s will donate a percentage of your purchases to TIHAN. Our organization ID number is SH655.
Our Next Newsletter Folding Party is Coming Soon
Our quarterly newsletter assembly (Folding Party) will be happening in August. If you’d like to come in and join us to help for whatever period of time you have available, even if it’s just for a couple of hours, we’d love it.
To get on the list to be notified of the dates and times, please contact Gina Snyder, Admin and Program Support, at 520-299-6647.
Thank you!
Supporting Local Businesses that Support Us!
Please support the local businesses, shops, and restaurants that generously support TIHAN and other important community causes. It’s especially important to support them during the summer months when business might be slower. Thanks for always supporting those who support us!
