Summer, summer, summertime!

It is officially June; in the HIV/AIDS prevention world that means a month centered around Gay Pride activities (HAPPY PRIDE!!!!!) and National HIV Testing Day. June also officially kicks off a summer full of outdoor HIV prevention activities including: programmatic outreach, tabling, and HIV/STI testing; all of which occur in a variety of venues that include outside health fairs, block parties, parades, barbeques, etc. All in all, June denotes “the busy season” for many Prevention/Education Departments at AIDS Service Organizations (ASOs) and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) nationwide.

Having already made you exhausted by reminding you of the summer’s workload, let me add a piece of corn to your summer work bbq; a signature summer event! Now, I can see the eyes rolling, the exasperated sighs, the hands fluttering that another summer event is just not feasible, not worth it, and not going to fly. While all of those reasons may be valid, let me throw something out there for you. In the midst of Medicaid cuts to COBRA case management, decreases in grant allotments, and the ever changing economy, it is time to think about the work that your agency does and how it is perceived by the community and the media. Your agency may provide the best case management, the most innovative HIV prevention programs, and provide a lifeline to thousands of clients, but if your community does not know the excellent work being conducted, your agency is essentially providing its services in a vacuum.

Now a signature summer event may certainly not be possible this year, but let us look ahead to next summer and how your agency can provide services to the community while also receiving the press/media that it deserves. My answer to you is the Tony Cox Community Fund (is anyone reading this really surprised??). Utilizing TCCF funds allow you to promote your event through media avenues that are not always utilized by ASOs; public education campaigns, website banners, online promotion, text messaging, and instant messaging are sources of new technology that can truly promote an event and have branding opportunities for both the agency and corporate sponsors.

Some agencies have balked at the fact that the Tony Cox Community Fund only provides up to $7,000 in unrestricted funding. While it is true that TCCF can provide up to $7,000 in true dollars, the cable connections, press recognition, and community exposure gained are worth their weight in gasoline, which at today’s prices is worth more than gold!