Date: Fri 23-Feb-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDREA

Quick Words:

AIDS-Interfaith-Ministry

Full Text:

AIDS Agency Expands Along With The Need For Its Services

B Y A NDREA Z IMMERMANN

After a year of intensive fundraising, Interfaith AIDS Ministry of Greater

Danbury, Inc, has seen a goal become a reality with its relocation to a larger

space. The agency will host an open house to celebrate the move to Suite 202

at 155 Main Street in Danbury, on Friday, February 23, from 4 to 7 pm.

"[Our original space] at St James' Church served us well - for a long time we

had just a part-time person in the office," said Executive Director Fred

Hammond. But the new location allows the agency to have three phone lines, a

meeting room for training, conferences, and reference materials, as well as

more work space to accommodate an expanding staff and growing community needs.

All services are provided free of charge to area residents, including those in

Newtown.

"AIDS is alive and well, and very much here," admitted Mr Hammond. But agency

expansion is positive in the sense that the community is seeing the need for

AIDS education and is looking to Interfaith to help guide them. An increase in

knowledge base can lead to changes in behavior that will curtail the spread of

the disease, he added.

Begun in 1987 as an outreach by St James' Episcopal Church, the church fathers

soon invited other clergy to talk about forming an agency or ministry that

would help meet the needs of those affected by AIDS. In January of 1989,

Interfaith AIDS Ministry was established with the Association of Religious

Communities acting as fudiciary agent for the first few years.

"A part of our mission is to provide spiritual support," said Mr Hammond, who

has been with the agency from the beginning. "That aspect is as broad as you

want to go - we have served people who are Wicca, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist,

New Age... Because we are interfaith, we have been able to reach out to

everybody."

The first Monday of every month, an Interfaith Service is held at St James

Church at 7:30 pm. And each year in October, a candlelight march and vigil is

held with a service representing as many different faith traditions as

possible. "It is neat to hear the common threads of all the different

spiritualities - the common themes and truths," said Mr Hammond.

The United Way agency also provides direct care/in-home assistance, pastoral

counseling, AIDS education, HIV/AIDS advocacy, and service referrals. And it

works to create and advocate safe havens within the religious community. A

free quarterly newsletter keeps people updated on programs, denominational,

perspectives, people, and events in the local area concerning AIDS.

In 1990, the agency started its Care Team Program where trained volunteers

provide a variety of services including transportation to doctor's

appointments, shopping, light housekeeping, meal preparation, visitation, and

brief respite for the caregiver - "anything to help someone with AIDS maintain

independence and remain at home," said Mr Hammond. Volunteers are needed for

this program, especially during the day.

Short-term counselling can help those infected with AIDS or family members

cope with crises. For instance, a relative may need help in trying to

reconcile a faith that says AIDS is a plague sent from God with the fact that

he has a loved one with AIDS, according to Mr Hammond. Or there may be a need

to help someone be supportive to an AIDS-infected relative who lives a

thousand miles away.

Youth are invited to become involved in AIDS education, community service

projects, and activities involving children who have AIDS. Youth Reacting To

AIDS is co-sponsored by Interfaith, American Red Cross, and Wooster School.

Nationally, the number of AIDS cases has gone down. But last year, the

diagnosed cases of infection in Danbury rose 48 percent; in Newtown, 25-30

percent, said Mr Hammond. But these newly diagnosed cases are a result of

infections from eight, nine, or ten years ago. "We're trying to increase AIDS

education so five years from now we'll see a real impact," said the executive

director. "That makes our job harder because we don't see results [right

away]."

"I find it very sad that we have to continue to grow and move into bigger

quarters," said Joan Bowers, a member of the board of directors and a Newtown

resident. "I would like to see us go out of business."

Although there is no cure yet available, new medication and research has

enabled people with AIDS to live 5 to 10 years longer, said Mr Hammond. "We

have a lot of work ahead of us still," said Mr Hammond. "But I see a lot of

hope."

Anyone interested in attending the March 9 and 16 training to become a Direct

Care voluteer may call Ivana Butera at Interfaith AIDS Ministry, 748-4077. The

agency welcomes donations of money, or household goods to distribute to

clients. Items that are needed include items which cannot be purchased with

food stamps: toilet paper, deoderant, tampons, and cleaning supplies. A fax

machine, copier, and large conference table is on the wish list for the

agency.