SOUTH CAROLINA
AID Upstate: Marking 20 Years of Service
by David R. Gillespie
They’re nondescript buildings with only
address numbers in a medical court. No signs
indicating the organization’s presence. At the
administrative offices a block away the formu
la repeats itself — still no signs.
In-between those nondescript buildings
you’ll find a food pantry and a resale store. On
the other side of the building housing case
managers you’ll find
renovations taking
place to turn a one
time assisted-living
facility into a tempo
rary residence home.
This might not
sound like the first
place you’d look for an
AIDS service organi
zation, but behind
these doors you’ll find
people coming togeth-
Andy Hall is the gr to empower indi
executive director viduals living with
of AID Upstate. hIV/AIDS.
The staff of AID Upstate is hard at work
encouraging active community responses
through advocacy, direct services, awareness
and prevention.
Located in Greenville, S.C., in September
2007 the organization will celebrate 20 years
of service to HIV-infected and -affected peo
ple in the western portion of the Upstate.
Its service area includes Anderson, Oconee,
Pickens and Greenville counties.
AID Upstate came about as.the area’s
response to the AIDS epidemic in 1987, the
year in which then-President Ronald Reagan
first uttered the word “AIDS” to the American
people.
Ron Rolette, at that time the director of the
facility where AIDS first appeared in the
see twenty on 21
SCEC fights back against anti-gay amendment
from page 11
know about the amendment, or if they do, it’s
very “misconstrued.”
Discussions are currently being held at
SCEC campaign headquarters about repeating
the bus tour, but this time focusing on the
more rural areas of the state.
Additionally, a grassroots training event
will be held in Columbia August 19-20, led by
representatives of national organizations such
as GLAAD and the ACLU. Hinojosa said the
goal is to have 100 people from around the
state attend the event. At the time he spoke
with Q-Notes, 35 people had registered.
With less than 100 days before the vote, the
Fairness for All Families Campaign is still
developing creative ways to get its message to
voters in the Palmetto State.
Significant attempts are being made,
according to Hinojosa, to reach out to people
of color and the NAACP, with this simple mes
sage: [“We are] not talking about gay mar
riage, we’re talking about families.” -. .
Additionally, efforts are being made to
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organize what Hinojosa dubbed, “Hot 100
Parties,” These are hosted house parties held
before the vote. House party kits are available
online at the SCEC website at www.
scequality.org.
Plans are also being made to produce radio
commercials targeted at faith communities,
which the organizations hopes will be aired on
Christian radio stations in the state, such as
WMHK (belonging to Columbia International
University) and WMUU (belonging to Bob
Jones University).
To assist in these efforts, in addition to
Asha Leong (campaign director) and Hinojosa
(field director), the campaign has hired a field
organizer, Coya Artichoker, and a development
director, Denise Jennings.
Several campaign staff members will leave
the state following the Nov. 7 election.
Hinojosa, however, will be one who is staying.
He’s a local boy, having been hired away from a
credit union by the campaign in mid-June.
According to SCEC Chair Ed Madden, one of
the great things about that is “all the training
and experience he [Hinojosa] is getting will
stay in the state.”
Fundraising efforts for the campaign are
continuing. Madden told Q-Notes that a part of
the work of Jennings will be to seek out and
secure “significant donors” for the campaign.
Overall, Madden said he is “extraordinarily
pleased with the generosity of South
Carolinians” in giving to the campaign. Almost
$50,000 has been raised through a matching
grant, which will continue to match donations
up to $100,000.
Organizations participating in that match
ing grant program so far include Care Team,
AFFA, Open Door Church, Rainbow Radio and
the South Carolina Gay 8c Lesbian Pride
Movement.
The group’s online fundraising effort, “25
in 25,” is an effort to secure $25,000 in dona
tions online through the website. When we
spoke with Madden at the end of July, approxi
mately $9,000 had been raised. I
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