For your #GivingTuesday consideration: the Hill Country Ride for AIDS

The Tuesday after Thanksgiving has become known as a day for charities to ask for donations. I’d like to ask for donations for the AIDS ride I do. What is the HCRA?

The HCRA is the largest fundraiser for nine local non-profit organizations: AIDS Services of Austin, allgo, CARE Program, Community Action, Friends of David Powell Health Center, Out Youth, Project Transitions, Waterloo Counseling, and the Wright House Wellness Center.

These organizations provide a continuum of critical HIV/AIDS services that include: prevention/education, medical care, housing, hospice, dental care, transportation, food pantry, case management, HIV testing, financial assistance, practical support, substance abuse, and mental health services.

Our goal is to raise $627,000. The Vast majority of funds raised comes from riders and volunteers. First time riders commit to raising at least $250 towards the goal. Each returning rider commits to raising $500. However, the usual average raised by riders is closer to $1,000.

Here’s how your donations help:

35 covers one rapid HIV rest – we know that 40% of HIV+ people don’t know it yet. Through testing, we can get them into life saving care, and further reduce the spread of the virus.

$60 pays for a one month supply of medical prescriptions. Medications can reduce the virus so much that it keeps someone healthy and also reduces the risk of passing it along. And did you know that only 1/3 of all HIV-infected people get anti-retroviral therapy?? I think we can do better than that, so here’s my Hill Country Ride page

$120 provides education for 440 people. Education is one of the most important tools in reducing new infections.

$250 provides 3 family counseling sessions. It can be devastating for a family when a member is diagnosed, and we know that an intact family unit promotes health and provides a built in support.

$500 provides a month of rent for one family in supportive housing. Assistance with food, daily chores, trips to medical appointments and social support create a foundation for continued health and a step toward independence.

$1,000 gives 450 home cooked meals for hospice patients. When in hospice, there are often unique food needs. You can make sure that final days are spent with delicious food that doesn’t upset someone’s stomach.

More information about the impact of your donations can be found on the HCRA page.

Please give if you can – one more time, here’s my Hill Country Ride page

and if you share this, use the tag #HCRA2020 so we can see if that social media sharing thing helps — thanks!

and you know I have to involve my boys — the 2nd verse of this song gets me in the heart, every time: “….write a world where we can belong to each other and sing it like no other…..love is bigger than anything in it’s way”

1 Comment

  1. Wish I could do more right now besides tweet these out. All of my discretionary spending and a little more besides has either already gone or been committed. I’m hoping by the time the Ride actually happens I’ll be able to help. Thank you so much for doing this. {{{HUGS}}}

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