Before she became involved with TIHAN in 2017, Janice had never met anyone with HIV, and didn’t know much about the disease, other than hearing in the 1980s about Ryan White, the young boy who was a hemophiliac and contracted HIV from a blood transfusion. That all changed one Sunday when one of the members of her faith community talked during a worship service about TIHAN’s Poz Café lunch program. “I signed up to help when Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church was co-sponsoring the luncheon,” she recalled, “And I saw how appreciative the CarePartner (clients living with HIV) were, and I just fell in love with the program.” Not content to help only once a year when it was her church’s turn, Janice signed up to attend TIHAN’s Volunteer Orientation so she could volunteer with Poz Café on a regular basis. “Jenny, who had been helping with Poz Café for many years, was the person who coordinated playing Bingo at Poz Café” Janice said. “I just saw what fun the CarePartners were having playing bingo and when Jenny wanted to step back, I thought this was my lucky day, and it was. I get thrilled standing up there in front of the crowd and telling them how glad I am to see them, and they’re so excited, waiting for that next number to be called that will make them the winner!”
Janice became the liaison between Beautiful Savior and TIHAN, and continues to serve as a co-liaison today. She’s known and loved at Poz Café as the “Bingo Queen.” “I truly love Poz Cafe as the perfect time to be with my treasured friends for fun and food and bingo,” she shared. “It’s my favorite day of the month!”
Janice was born in Illinois, and moved to Alabama when she was in her 20s, and still carries that Southern accent with her. In 1994, she visited Tucson and fell in love with it. Two weeks later, she and her then-husband quit their jobs at the University of North Alabama, packed up, and moved to Tucson. Once here, she worked as a switchboard operator at JC Penney, and later at a labor hall. There, where locals gathered looking for day work (usually in construction or landscaping), Janice started to learn about homelessness. “I had no idea of the extent of the problem, and I suddenly met so many people who were coming by looking for work,” she remembered. Hearing their stories and seeing their humanity, Janice’s heart was touched. Janice was also deeply impacted by a tragic accident that happened to her son Eric, causing him to become a paraplegic. They moved him to Tucson and Janice cared for him until his passing at the age of 22. After that, her husband also passed away.
After a period of grieving, Janice met Frank, and a year later they married. (This fall will be their 25th anniversary!) Janice had been attending Our Saviour’s Lutheran, but their new home was in northwest Tucson, so Frank encouraged Janice to switch to the Lutheran church just two blocks from their home. Janice became an active member of Beautiful Savior. “I love the congregation, and their commitment to outreach and missions. There are so many friendly and caring people, stepping forward to help people in the community in a variety of ways.” Through the church, Janice got involved with Interfaith Community Services (ICS), where she volunteers once a week putting together food boxes, and then she delivers any remaining food to Casa Maria Soup Kitchen.
The church’s ministry also include Habitat for Humanity, where Janice and a team of volunteers assist with events when a new volunteer-built home is dedicated and keys given to the new homeowner, where they decorate the doors, set up refreshments, and provide a basket with cleaning supplies and gifts for the new owners.
Janice also loves that Beautiful Saviour’s outreach program includes making “manna bags” filled with bottles of water, fruit, and snacks given to parishioners to distribute to people in need. Janice takes that a step farther, collecting other items (including socks and blankets) from people within and outside of the congregation, then several times a week loading up her card and taking those items to people without homes living on the streets or in parks. Janice doesn’t just hand them the bags—she befriends with them, listens to their stories, and (if they consent) takes their photo and posts their picture and a bit about them on her social media to help people see the humanity behind “homeless people.”
Janice loves taking photos, so she usually has a camera with her. “My parents gave me a camera when I was 12 years old,” Janice said. “That was the best gift I ever got. I have always loved taking photos of people. I love taking photos of people and I ask them if it’s ok for me to share their photo.” Whether it’s her friends who are unhoused in the park, or folks at church, her Red Hat Ladies Club friends, befriending the servers at the restaurants where they eat, or her friends at Poz Café, Janice takes lots of photos.
You’re probably noticing a theme here. “Well, you know, I’m a people person. I like being around genuine people who don’t put on any airs. That’s what I love about the TIHAN staff, volunteers, and the CarePartners. Caring people who are like-minded, who want to help and have so much love to share, and are so glad to see you.”
Janice has a big heart for people, and TIHAN has helped expand that love to include folks she had never met before: people living with HIV. Now, she considers our CarePartners dear friends. Since becoming involved with TIHAN, one of her extended family members, who she knew was gay, became very ill, and Janice encouraged them to get tested for HIV. They did get tested, and the test came back positive. Fortunately, they got into HIV medical care quickly, and on medications that are helping tremendously. “I’m so glad they are doing better now,” Janice shared. “I tell their family about TIHAN and the support they provide and how much the CarePartners appreciate it. We’re all wishing they had something like TIHAN where they live, too.”
And, Janice, we’re all wishing there were more folks like you to keep expanding the love wherever you go.
