So I wrote one diary about what your money does, here. And here’s a picture of me with our then-director, the year I was top fundraiser (not that that’s a hint): 
I thought I’d tell y’all some more things your donations do. Of course, if you’re already convinced this is a good cause, you can go straight to my Hill Country Ride for AIDS page and donate. Also – with 3 weeks to go, the Ride as a whole has only raised 21% of the goal. This is money that, as you will see, goes directly to help people. Research is great, but feeding people who need it is better; counseling for families affected by HIV is needed, helping with rent or legal aid — all of these help real people, right now.
Did you know that only one third of all HIV-infected people get anti-retroviral therapy? I didn’t. What if everyone who needed it could get it? How much better off would we all be?
So far (this is our 14th year), the Hill Country Ride for AIDS has had 4,071 riders & ridden 315,000 miles – that’s 40 times around the Earth! Here’s some specifics about exactly what your donations do:
$35 pays for one hot breakfast to feed 35 residents in a housing program. Or it could cover one rapid HIV test – we know that 40% of people who are HIV+ don’t know it yet. Through testing, we can get them into life saving care, and further reduce the spread of the virus.
Another thing it could do is buy a food voucher for emergency needs – many of those living with HIV are also living in poverty, and can’t afford their medication and nutritious food. This makes sure they get the food they need.
Or it’ll cover a medical co-payment for one patient – keeping people in consistant medical care keeps them healthy and connected to services. We know this saves lives.
$60 buys one testing & counseling session. And buys someone nutritious food and for one month – A month of nutritious food allows someone living with HIV to focus on staying healthy without worrying about the basic need of having enough to eat.
It can pay for a one month’s supply of medical prescription co-pays – Medications can reduce the virus so much that it keeps someone healthy and also reduces the risk of passing it along.
$250 Provides 7 hours of outreach to find people and get them into care – If you are homeless or unemployed, your HIV may not be at the top of list of your priorities. By finding people and making sure they get the care they need, lives are saved.
$1,000 will cover the costs of 2 memberships for Association of Burses in AIDS care, specifically for HIV updates. Or it could pay for an outpatient procedure for an uninsured client – many with HIV/AIDS do not have insurance. You can cover the expenses related to a needed procedure.
Or it can pay for four months of medication – Medications can reduce the virus so much that it keeps someone healthy and also reduces the risk of passing it along.
It costs approximately $367,000 to treat each infected patient over a lifetime. If you donate at my Hill Country Ride for AIDS page, look at all the good things the beneficiary agencies can do with that money. Please donate if you can!
And because it’s Friday, and because I’m me, here’s a U2 song:
Once again, this is a great cause, see how your money will go straight to helping people! Please donate at my Hill Country Ride for AIDS page
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