In The Know...

By Jennifer D. Medina

As I reflect on my 10^th year of working within the HIV/AIDS field, I realize that some old adages will forever ring true. The one that comes to mind for me, having returned from doing some serious volunteerism in New Orleans, is it’s not what you know but who you know. While it may seem trite and overused, it really struck me (as I was hanging dry wall on second story scaffolding at a Unitarian Universalist church in New Orleans), how very true these words are.

Let me explain myself…..

Cable Positive was fortunate enough to coordinate a HUGE volunteerism in New Orleans during the 2008 National Cable & Telecommunication Association Trade Show, known as “The Cable Show.” While prepping for the volunteerism, we looked to see what agencies were in need in New Orleans and how we could best help them. As a reference point, we contacted a Tony Cox Community Fund grantee, NO/AIDS Task Force, in order to follow-up with them regarding the needs of the community and how best to use the resources at our disposal (which included over 100 volunteers from NBC Universal, SES Americom, Time Warner, Rainbow Media, Imagine Communications, and other cable systems). After explaining our volunteerism proposal, NO/AIDS Task Force put us into communication with two residences in New Orleans for people living with HIV/AIDS that needed extensive landscaping and painting.

Many (MANY) emails and phone calls later, NO/AIDS Task Force had a new 22ft (400 sq. ft) wall at their shared kitchen/food pantry facility, Project Lazarus had a completely landscaped facility (four buildings worth!!), newly cleaned windows (inside and out), and all grounds had been completed mulched, and Kent House had a freshly painted kitchen, completely weeded and cleaned garden entrance, and a brand new backyard, complete with new barbeque pit, new seating area/patio, reset brick walk, and over 20 new potted plants. Additionally, through a generous donation from Josh Sapan of Rainbow Media, 35 works of art were donated to Project Lazarus and Kent House and each resident was able to choose their favorite, take it off the wall at the art gallery, and take it home.

As I look back at all the good that happened because of that ONE phone call to NO/AIDS Task Force, I am overwhelmed by the professional game of telephone that occurred; I called Noel, who called Glen, who called Eric, who called Lois, who called Jeff; and then they ALL called me back. So the morale of the story is that no matter how big or small a grant (our Tony Cox Community Fund for example), even applying for it can build bridges/connections that will benefit your agency, your community, and sister agencies; knowing others in your community who do similar work can make for collaborations and partnerships that are mutually beneficial. Know your colleagues, know your community partners, know your consumers; you never know when you can all help each other out!