The San Antonio Aids Foundation

The San Antonio Aids Foundation
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Introduction
There are myriads of socio economic problems ailing the humanity especially in the modern times. One of the threatening such problems is the HIV aids that has claimed many lives in the world over. The old and the young alike have not been spared by this mind boggling disease that has threatened to wipe humanity. In the midst of the threats presented by HIV Aids, there have been some foundations oriented towards helping the infected as well as the affected people. One of such organizations is the San Antonio Aids Foundation. This paper discusses the deliberations of this crucial foundation in offering support to the Latinos infected and affected by HIV Aids.
San Antonio Aids Foundation
San Antonio Aids Foundation is an organization that offers support related to health matters especially to those affected and infected by HIV Aids. Its origin can be traced to the works of Edwards. This man, who preferred to be referred to as ‘papa bear’ or simply bear, started the San Antonio Aids foundation in the late 70s. At first, it was intended to cater for the gay men who were sick and dying of HIV aids without anyone offering any assistance. This man had a gay son who encouraged him to open a gay bar. With his commitment to the San Antonio engagements in offering support to the AIDS infected, he could no longer find time to attend to his business. He therefore closed it down to give full attention to the foundation. This foundation has a structure involving the executive director who is the head. There is the senior director and the regional directors too.
One theory that is very much applicable to the San Antonio Aids foundation is the socialist foundation. This theory is oriented to the mindfulness of the welfare of the others. It is very much opposed to individualism whereby; one cares for their needs and those of their close families. At San Antonio Aids Foundation, there is care for the well being of the others because; the workers there are determined to see the wellbeing of those that are infected and affected with HIV Aids. It is crucial to note that, San Antonio also offers services for other ailments besides the HIV Aids. For instance, there are services for testing other STDs such as gonorrhea. Only that HIV Aids is given primary attention. This follows the danger that is posed by his killer disease and also the stigma that is associated with it.
Concerning the interviewed person, A leadership style was forthright is that of democracy. The leader interviewed at the San Antonio Aids Foundation denoted democracy in the sense of the talk. He kept asking on my opinion and this led to the conclusion that he must also be executing the same kind of leadership in the running of the organization.
The NASW code of ethics that is applicable to this agency is social justice. The San Antonio Aids Foundation orients to the realization of justice to every individual regardless of their status. The social justice at this agency is not restricted by social, economic or even political boundaries. It is this social justice as a NASW code of ethics that sees that San Antonio Aids Foundation extents its services even to the prisoners. The people that may be segregated by the others in the society on basis of their sexual orientation such the gays, have found refuge at the San Antonio Aid Foundation. This foundation has had no limitation in the kinds of people that get their services. The orientation of the San Antonio Aids Foundation services towards the NASW code of social justice has ensured that this foundation reaches many people. Many people therefore have benefitted immensely from the noble services offered by this foundation.
Experienced problem
The San Antonio Aids foundation can be said to be experiencing several problems but all of them cannot be discussed here. One of the problems experienced is that of financial shortage. This foundation offers unlimited services that require huge sums of money. With its orientation, the fund sources are very much limited. The critical services such as the aids testing are done for free. Malunguza, Mushayabasa, Chiyaka et al (2010) clarify that this comes with huge financial implication. At times the donors are not forth coming; hence some of the services become difficult to offer. Considering the dedication of the workers at San Antonio, it is not taken easily when they are unable to offer the services because of the shortage of finances. There have been several initiatives to come up with finances to help shield the organization from the huge financial deficits and to enable the workers to continue with the work f offering the crucial services. Such initiatives include the recent fiesta in the internet where people were encouraged to buy their tickets through online. The funds would go a long way in enabling the provision of the services offered by this organization. There is much need for the funds especially considering the hard economic times whereby commodities come at higher prices.
This problem can be viewed as genuine problem especially considering the myriads of activities that this foundation engages in. Despite the hard financial times, this foundation continues to offer myriads of services to the vulnerable in the society. This is laudable especially the services offered to the HIV Aids victims and their families. The foundation, despite the financial problems extent their services even to the prisons and also to other socially ailing people such as nursing and hospice care. The stake holders that are concerned with giving financial aid perceive this as a great setback in the provision of the crucial services offered by this noble foundation. It is from those sentiments that they continue to offer their financial assistance with the aim of enabling the foundation to continue to offer the services. There have been myriads of stakeholders that offer the financial assistance either in form of cash or through the campaigns such as the recent face book fiesta that aimed at making some significant financial gains to help in the offering of the services that this organization continues to offer.
The San Antonio Aids Foundation has many targets for intervention. Of primary concern are the HIV AIDS victims. This foundation aims to offer services to the people infected with HIV AIDS and also their immediate families. This follows the realization that the impact of this deadly disease is not only experienced by those that are infected. The people who are close to the infected persons experience the impact of this disease in many dimensions. For instance, socially, those that are related to the people infected with HIV AIDS may experience discrimination and stigma from the other members of the society. This is so especially when the infected person is oriented to the social groups that are not fully accepted in the society, for example the gay. In view of this then the close family members require some counseling in order to be able to sustain these kinds of stigma and discrimination.
On the economic dimensions, the people related to the ones infected with HIV AIDS experience hard financial times. Ribaudo, Smith, Robbins et al (2013) notes that; this follows the needs of the infected persons to feed on balan...