Gay Men's Health Crisis is not all gay, it's not all men, and on good days the crisis can even feel manageable. GMHC is the oldest and largest AIDS service organization in the United States. Begun in 1981 with a handful of volunteers trying to cope with a mysterious, deadly illness, today GMHC serves more than 8,500 New York City men, women, and children each year, and reaches tens of thousands more through its AIDS education campaigns and advocacy work.
The shift GMHC has gone through says something about the incredible changes wrought by 15 years of the epidemic. AIDS has become a fact of life - it's the nation's leading killer of men aged 25 to 40, and commonplace on pediatric wards in inner-city hospitals. At GMHC, dealing with AIDS has always meant focusing first on devising effective programs for people who are marginalized and in need of immediate help - gay men, junkies, poor black women and their children, for example. At the same time, the organization has had to reach out to an often hostile public and try to help change attitudes about sex, race, and drug use. And if that's not enough of a balancing act, GMHC's leaders have also been called on in recent years to deal with congressional politics, the intricacies of managed-care systems, and the implications of new genetic research.
This makes for a sophisticated organization, and GMHC still has a reputation for cutting-edge programs and innovative advocacy work. Working at GMHC takes brains as well as heart: It's not your standard charity gig, where you just show up and smile. Maybe because of its volunteer origins, volunteers are an important part of GMHC and are taken seriously, with training, contracts, and scheduled hours.
Openings for volunteers in December run to a 10-page list of jobs - among them children's playroom sitter, data-entry assistant, cook, translator (Creole, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and more) and "buddy" (emotional and practical support). Mental-health professionals, doctors, and substance abuse specialists are always needed. But with the holidays upon us, GMHC has an urgent need for licensed haircutters who can provide free styling to clients with AIDS in its Therapies Program.
The appeal of GMHC is that it manages to take care of business - from haircuts to groceries - and make a difference in the day-to-day lives of its clients, while never giving up on trying to influence the big picture. That's the kind of attitude that keeps volunteers coming back, wanting to be a part of something that matters, both immediately and in the long term.
Call GMHC's volunteer office at +1 (212) 337 3611. The AIDS hotline, for questions about HIV, AIDS, and the services offered by GMHC, is +1 (212) 807 6655.
