5/8/2025
Jean-Bertrand Aristide was a strong supporter of human rights and helping those less fortunate in Haiti. He rose to power based on his advocacy for the most vulnerable and became the first democratically elected President in Haiti in 1991. As often happens, those with more resources were threatened by his efforts to raise up the less fortunate. They threw him out of the office, and the country. Suffice to say he remained committed to his cause and had an up and down career in Haiti. I’m reminded of the work the recently deceased Pope Francis dedicated his life to – helping the least among us.
Taking a stand to help those less fortunate than us is often a difficult path. We teach children to share their toys and to be kind to others. Where do those ideas go to when we get older? No matter what side of the political aisle you are on, there is no escaping the fact that the most vulnerable people among us are will be impacted by changes in funding for services. People who receive assistance to help with housing may end up living on the street. People who utilize programs to help with after school care for their children may have to quit their job to care for their children when programs close. Those who have health conditions and need help paying for medications may have to stop taking medication.
These examples may seem like worst-case scenarios, but they’re not. Change is hard but it gives us a chance to step up and help others. Look around you; I’m sure you can find a neighbor, a friend, a fellow church goer, or even a work colleague that needs a little help. If we all do a little to help a friend, it’ll be easier to get through what may be a difficult time. Often, we’re asked to help and the first thing we think of is giving money. While money may help people, and if you have it I encourage you to consider sharing, but if not there are many other ways.
Maybe you can offer to watch a neighbor’s child after school so they can keep their job. Maybe you can make peanut butter sandwiches and share with a person who’s living on the street. Maybe you can donate to a local food back or another nonprofit helping those less fortunate. Maybe you can sit and talk to a lonely older person on your block. Maybe you can sponsor a youth soccer league team. There are countless ways to help. The only thing I suggest is you make a regular commitment to help and get to know the person you’re helping. Most of the time, those you help are just like you and me – look them in the eyes and say thank you for being part of my community!
I encourage you to get involved, make a new friend, and help a person in need….the rewards far exceed the required effort!
Our next meeting for Region 3 will be on May 13th at 10:00 A.M.
In these meetings we take space for those to highlight work, accomplishments, and prove that those who are HIV+ thrive and are successful. As long as you're willing to help move the needle forward, by any action small or large, we genuinely want you to join us.
This year we're focused on mapping services that clients can access in our eight county region. We know that the work you currently, do, and might even begin to do is so critical to this effort. Even if you might not join us, we encourage to forward this invite to anyone who might be interested. After all, we're all in this together.
Can we count on you to join us? If so, click the button below for more information on how to do so.
We can't wait to see you there.
Charlotte Purvis | CharlottePurvis.com
When Elizabeth Mattfeld and the PWA team invited me to contribute to this newsletter, I replied right away, proudly saying “Yes.” Beginning with this column, I will share a series of messages about the importance of our words. We’ll focus on the words we use when communicating with the people PWA serves, our team members, community members, supporters, family members, and friends.
The word for today is “Introduction.” Introductions are important for relationships and for results. Let’s say I told you I’m going to share messages about the importance of our words but didn’t introduce myself. I can imagine your list of questions. Sure, you could go to my website and read my bio but my bio does not speak to this moment, where I’m now partnering with PWA. Yet after getting to know more about me through an introduction, you’re more likely to connect with the messages I’m sharing.
And now, I’ll introduce myself by sharing three things I want you to know about me as a contributor to the PWA Newsletter:
I was born and raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama during the Civil Rights Era.
In the late 1990’s my family and I learned that my brother-in-law Willie was living with AIDS and these four words sum up our approach as we supported him: No blame, no shame.
After completing a client project where I had been a customer service consultant for a program serving People Living With HIV, I was “desperate” to continue being of service. One telephone call with Kathy Kenney resulted in a virtual meeting with Elizabeth Mattfeld and that led to me being a presenter at the PWA Meeting the Moment event on April 17th. All of the above has led me to use one of my favorite phrases from my childhood in Alabama: “I am beside myself!”
I look forward to contributing to the PWA Newsletter and invite you to read and share my column, “Our Words Matter.” Thank you.
The next word will be: “Empathy”
Looking forward,
Charlotte Purvis
Take a moment and imagine what we’d ask ourselves after receiving devastating health news. Will our health insurance cover this (if you have it)? Do we have a way to consistently get to our appointments? Do we have a safe place to live? Can we keep our homes if we miss work due to this? Will my friends and family be there for me?
For those we help, unfortunately those questions are met with extreme uncertainty. For this reason, PWA urges you to consider making a planned monthly donation to PWA. For as little as $30 a month, you can help heat a home in the winter and have A/C in the summer. For $50 a month you help children get a healthy breakfast each day. For $100 a month, you can help provide a housing deposit that allows a single parent to move into an apartment.
In today’s challenging times, let’s come together to make sure that we can help as many as possible.