Posts
The AIDS Food Store at Christ Chapel
of Long Beach, Calif., has operated a free weekly or bimonthly food distribution
program for 27 years to help persons with HIV/AIDS. Participants do not have to
be church members to receive help. The store started in 1985 at the beginning
of the AIDS epidemic. Members at Christ Chapel befriended and assisted persons
with HIV/AIDS at a time when they were being shunned and ostracized by churches
and the general public. Neighbors in the area even protested against the food
store, but the church stood its ground.
The store began when food baskets
were distributed to seven church members with AIDS who were too sick to work
and could not support themselves. At first, the church started a weekly food
distribution serving about 125 persons a week. People, including non-church
goers, donated food and the congregation stocked the shelves. The demand was so
great that the food store received its 501 C-3 nonprofit status in 1992. About
six years ago, the food store, serving about 80 people, became bimonthly.
According to Greg Thompson, head pastor, although the demand has dropped, the
food store will continue. He vowed that as long as people are living with HIV
and AIDS in their community, the church will maintain the food store.
Margo Martinez, a 75-year-old who
began as a volunteer and is now the interim director, stated that they were “given
a gift” to help individuals with HIV/AIDS. She noted that people needed help,
and the members were not afraid. No one was turned away. She explained how much
worse the disease got and that many people died. Martinez described how she
first attended the church when it was located in a converted garage at the
pastor’s home, how friendly and welcoming people were, and how she became a
member. She added that the church works primarily with the lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender community, who many times feel alienated or isolated
from church because of people’s attitudes toward them.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
