5. Help Raise Money
Donating to HIV-related causes is one of the easiest forms of HIV advocacy you can do. It can be anonymous, it’s tax-deductible and it may take only minutes of your time—especially with the ease of the Internet.
Strapped for cash? A lot of HIV advocates also help raise money and advocate for HIV-related causes in more grassroots ways, for example, by reaching out to venues in their communities to host parties, bake sales or fundraisers.
“In 2015, I was able to help plan and execute a bar fundraiser called Code Red, which helped support those affected by HIV/AIDS,” says Cortlen Yarbrough, a community health worker based in Washington, DC, who has been working and volunteering with the Institute for Public Health Innovation over the last three years. “We raised $800 and were able to give that to Casa Ruby, which helps homeless LGBTQ and the trans community.”
Ready to start raising money? Click here to check out the POZ Calendar, where you can check out what other people are doing to help fund HIV-related causes, join other grassroots initiatives or publicize your own event.