Service Opportunities
IHM's AIDS Ministry promotes community service opportunities through three non-profit, social service agencies and three AIDS related events serving people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. Highlights of the ministry service projects that are open to all parishioners are listed below, along with details of each activity and a contact person.Living Room
Living Room helps people with HIV/AIDS transition from homelessness or unstable housing to permanent housing. Living Room accomplishes this through information, referral, and financial assistance and through advocacy for affordable housing. Living Room provides a number of important services, including identification of available public and private housing for clients, development of an appropriate housing plan for each client, assistance in applying to HIV supportive housing programs, emergency assistance with rent, utilities, and deposit, and home start kits or "Welcome Baskets".
IHM's AIDS Ministry serves the Living Room by providing approximately 100 Welcome Baskets annually. IHM's AIDS Ministry buys and collects items for baskets including toiletries, cleaning supplies, towels and bed linens and them assembles the baskets on scheduled Sundays during the year (see Calendar). Member contact: Bob Briggs : 404-633-1953.
Project Open Hand
The mission of Project Open Hand (POH) is to provide freshly cooked meals, groceries, and nutritional services to people with symptomatic HIV/AIDS, others living with chronic illnesses/disabilities and homebound seniors. Project Open Hand delivers two freshly cooked meals a day, seven days a week, to over 700 men, women, and children in the metro-Atlanta area. Over fifteen special meal diets are offered so that even the needs of those with the most restrictive dietary requirements can be met.
IHM's AIDS Ministry serves Project Open Hand by delivering meals two Saturdays a month. We deliver meals on the first and second Saturdays of each month from 9:30 a.m. - noon. Check our Calendar for the POH delivery dates. Member contact: Rita Panayioto at rpanayi@learnlink.emory.edu.
Jerusalem House
Jerusalem House provides two residential facilities for homeless people with HIV/AIDS. The first Jerusalem House, opened in 1991, is located in the Druid Hills/Virginia Highlands area and houses 25 single men and women. Residents are drug-free when they enter and must pledge to remain so.
In 1997, Jerusalem House opened a second residential facility for single women with AIDS and their children. Located near Emory University, the second Jerusalem House provides one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments for 15 families. More than 25 local agencies and organizations, including IHM's AIDS Ministry, form a network of support services for Jerusalem House families.
IHM's AIDS Ministry serves Jerusalem House by providing volunteers to tutor, do yard work, and take the children of Jerusalem House on fun outings.
Hispanic Outreach and Education
IHM's AIDS Ministry, in collaboration with IHM's Hispanic Religious Education & Evangelization staff, is seeking participation in the AIDS Ministry by youth who want to serve as peer educators. For more information, please contact Kathy Parker at (404) 634-5595.
Annual AIDS Walk
An annual Atlanta-wide event, the AIDS Walk is organized by AID Atlanta, usually in October. It benefits approximately 15 non-profit agencies in the greater Atlanta metro area that provide support to those infected and affected by the disease.
IHM's AIDS Ministry organizes a parish team of walkers (team #1048) and solicits sponsors. Funds raised by IHM are earmarked for the Atlanta Interfaith AIDS Network (AIAN), which operates Common Ground, a program for people with AIDS.
World AIDS Day
IHM's AIDS Ministry coordinates IHM's participation in World AIDS Day,which is the weekend nearest to December 1. Prior to the weekend, we prepare and place in bulletin "factoids", "reflections", on World AIDS, AIDS in U.S., Georgia, and Atlanta. For WAD weekend, we prepare and distribute red ribbons to the parish community as well as arrange for the display of the AIDS Ministry banner and the "Mother of God, Light in All Darkness" icon in the vestibule. There is also an Archdiocesan Mass for World AIDS Day during the weekend. (See Calendar for details.)
Informational sessions sponsored by AIDS Atlanta. For more information, please call 404-870-7742 or check our Calendar of upcoming events. A link to the AID Atlanta website can be found on our Links page.