AIDS INTERFAITH MINISTRIES OF KENTUCKIANA, INC.

(502) 574-6086 aimvolunteers@aol.com 

or  (502) 574-6085 aimofkentuckiana@aol.com

or  www.AIMKYonline.org

AIDS Interfaith Ministries (AIM) of Kentuckiana, Inc. is committed to people living with HIV/AIDS by providing spiritual, nutritional and emotional support in a community building context, which is non-judgmental and life affirming in approach. AIM seeks to be a bridge between the HIV/AIDS and faith communities.” AIM provides pastoral care and counseling for individuals, couples, families and groups.  Hospital, home and nursing facility visitation is provided as well as funeral services and grief counseling. AIM provides a Food Closet inclusive of personal care items and household cleaning supplies, lifeskills educational workshops, retreats, a monthly social dinner, and volunteer services through the AIM Care Teams.

 HIV/AIDS Agency Overview: AIDS Interfaith Ministries of Kentuckiana, Inc. (AIM)
Written by: Linda Reynolds, M.Ed., M.A., Director of Pastoral Care and Counseling
Janet R. Mann, Director of Program Development

AIDS Interfaith Ministries of Kentuckiana, Inc. (AIM) was co-founded in the late 1980's by Dr. James Hyde, Sr. Mary Bennett Cecil, Fr. Vernon Robertson, Jack Kersey, and Sr. Marilyn Spink. AIM is a non-profit AIDS Services Center Coalition organization comprised of clergy, laity, community professionals and volunteers of all faith perspectives committed to People Living with HIV/AIDS by providing spiritual, nutritional and emotional support in a community building context that is non-judgmental and life affirming in approach. AIM seeks to be a bridge between the HIV/AIDS and faith communities.

One of AIM's major goals is to keep HIV clients independent and self-sufficient in their homes, helping to keep families together and reduce the risk of eviction, homelessness, and/or the necessity of extended nursing facility care due to the impact of the illness. This is done in a myriad of ways through free of charge, direct client services.

The Pastoral Care and Counseling Program (PCC) offers counseling to individuals, families, caregivers and community service providers who have been directly impacted by HIV/AIDS. Pastoral counseling services include: grief and bereavement therapy; home, nursing home, and hospital visitation; spirituality, support and self-help groups and crisis intervention. A weekend retreat is planned for the fall of 2006 to allow clients and their caregivers an extended time in a relaxed environment to reflect and to nurture a supportive community among themselves.

The services offered aim to integrate the spiritual and psychological dimensions of a person's unique experience of coping with the affects of HIV/AIDS. AIM serves as a pastoral resource and consultant for clients, families and community HIV/AIDS service organizations. The Pastoral Counselor follows-up and schedules referrals received by physicians, social workers, community organizations and the Kentucky Care Coordinator Program. We make our services most accessible by seeing clients not only in the office, but also in the home, nursing home or hospital.

One of the most valuable components of AIM's direct services is the Food Closet where non-perishable groceries are distributed to clients each month along with personal care items and gift cards to purchase household cleaning supplies. Approximately 100 food bags and 100 personal care bags are distributed each month.

The Third Tuesday Night Dinner is a joint venture between AIM and Central Presbyterian Church where 50-70 HIV positive men and women gather each month for fun, food, and fellowship. The dinner helps create lasting friendships and provides a wonderful environment for community building among our clients thus helping to alleviate the isolation that can accompany the disease.

AIM offers on-going life-skills educational workshops for clients dealing with topics promoting self-sufficiency and self-advocacy such as budgeting and money management, landlord negotiations, nutrition, HIV and healthy relationships, employment, community resources, end-of-life issues, self-esteem, spirituality, exercise, and healthcare, to name a few.

AIM Care Teams are volunteers who are matched with individuals and families infected or affected by HIV/AIDS to meet special needs and offer expressions of care and compassion. The services they provide, along with staff, may include transportation and accompaniment to medical appointments, grocery shopping, meal preparation, laundry, pet care, and friendly visiting.

Minor home repairs and yard work are arranged when possible. When illness is present, home maintenance and property maintenance can be a real challenge.

AIM does not discriminate against any person for any reason and all services are free of charge to persons infected and/or affected by HIV/AIDS living within the seven county regions. This includes professional services to Metro Louisville's poorest and minority populations. 99% of our clients receive disability payments and are low income/poverty level families. This vulnerable population consists of men, women, youth, children, heterosexuals, homosexuals, bisexuals, and transgendered persons.

For more information about AIM, please call (502) 574-6086 or (502) 574-6085.