How You Can Volunteer
for Change! Every volunteer at AIDS Services of Austin (ASA) makes a dramatic difference
in the lives of the individuals we serve by giving the gift of self. The
willingness to grow, to be there, to learn, and to serve is the greatest gift
of all for a person dealing with the physical and emotional stresses HIV/AIDS
can create. People come to us from every race, creed, culture, age, marital
status, and orientation. Following are some ways you as a volunteer can give
directly to clients at ASA:
Helpers: This is one of our areas of greatest need for volunteers. Many
people, upon coming home from a hospital visit or as disease progresses, become
unable to care for their home environment. Helper volunteers do general light
housework, laundry, meal preparation, errands, or grocery shopping. Helpers
enable clients to remain in the comfort of their own home.
Freelance: Our primary need in this area is for people with daytime
availability, even it’s only one day, one morning, or one afternoon during the
week. We can work within your schedule. Daytime volunteers primarily
assist clients with rides to medical, dental, and social services appointments.
So, if you drive, have a vehicle, and have daytime hours available
please let us know!
To get started, we provide volunteers with a general orientation to
HIV/AIDS and to ASA. The next orientations are Saturday, April 5, 11am-1pm,
and Wednesday, May 7, 6-8pm. An information/training seminar is held over a
subsequent weekend for those going on to be Helpers and Buddies. The next
training is scheduled for May 31-June 1. Please call
406-6167 for further
information. We look forward to meeting you!
We can also be reached by
e-mail at: asa@fc.net. — Robert Stewart
This article appears in April 4 • 1997 and April 4 • 1997 (Cover).