The good news is that San Diego GLBT community organizations are uniting efforts to help those affected by the San Diego wildfires, and the fires have not had a drastic impact on local services for the HIV/AIDS community. However, many local agencies still need extra donations to avert shortages, and volunteers to help with distribution.

Marci Bair, president of San Diego Family Matters, said that board members have been putting out e-mails to the Family Matters network — approximately 600 families in San Diego County — to get word of who is in need, and to assemble resources and donations.

“We have gotten responses that several families are staying with other Family Matters families because they have lost their homes,” said Bair. “They are trying to give them the basics and shelter them for now, and I’m trying to gather up a list of the items that people will need and how we can help them. And the kids — to get them back to some sort of sense of normalcy — we want to get them toys and activities to do.”

Bair said that Family Matters will coordinate their efforts with whatever resources The Center offers in the next few weeks, and will arrange some sort of fundraising when more is known about the precise needs of community members who have been affected.

San Diego area hospitals and care facilities, though very busy, have been able to accommodate most fire-related emergencies, which means medication and emergency services continue to be available for the HIV/AIDS community, who, along with having daily needs for medication and health services, are at a higher risk for health problems associated with the poor air quality.

“There was nobody who has come to us from the HIV/AIDS community who has needed anything in particular,” said Shannon Wagner, executive director of Being Alive San Diego. “We were concerned that that may be a situation for some of our people. We have a lot of clients that are housed up in North County, but none of those areas were within forty miles of the fire areas.… We didn’t have anything come up due to the fire situation. We are really grateful for that.”

Due to contracts Being Alive San Diego holds with the City and County of San Diego, they were required to close their central office in Hillcrest on Monday along with other city and county agencies. Many of the staff volunteered at the American Red Cross evacuation shelter in Balboa Park instead, bringing stuffed animals left over from carnival games that they held at this year’s Pride, and helping to get dog food for the people that had animals.

Ruth Henricks, executive director of Special Delivery, a nonprofit, volunteer-based meal delivery service for people with HIV/AIDS in San Diego, said they had a couple of volunteer drivers who are senior citizens call in Monday morning with respiratory problems due to the air quality.

“But I also had four people call and say that they would drive extra if we needed them,” Henricks said. “That has kind of compensated for the people that haven’t been able to drive.”

Special Delivery predominantly serves central San Diego, and has not had many problems in getting food to their clients, though they are keeping a close watch.

“We have quite a few fairly sick people that are on service right now,” said Henricks, “We’re keeping in close contact with [the clients] to make sure that they aren’t experiencing any breathing problems or anything, and if they are, we can pass their need on to an appropriate person — perhaps a case manager, physician or a nurse practitioner.”

One volunteer driver, a schoolteacher who had Monday off, said he would stop by the home of a very sick client who was on his route to make sure that they had everything they needed for the week.

San Diego businesses and residents have not forgotten the HIV/AIDS community due to the fires; some have even increased their donations to Special Delivery, anticipating a need for extra supplies over the next few weeks.

“We’re sending out [the extra] donations to our clients,” Henricks said. “So hopefully that can fill any void that is created.”

Trader Joe’s gives their first of three weekly donations to Special Delivery on Monday, and when Henricks went in to pick up their donation, which is usually one or two bags of food, she found almost fifteen bags.

The food needed to be distributed immediately to avoid spoilage. In response, all 25 people who currently volunteer at Special Delivery came in to help unpack and organize food deliveries that morning.

“That is really what Special Delivery is all about,” said Henricks. “People don’t need to be coerced; they come in because they want to be here and help.”

Mama’s Kitchen, however, was only taking emergency calls Monday and Tuesday morning, trying to get food out early to all of their clients. As of press time, the Gay and Lesbian Times was unable to determine whether they were encountering any problems with deliveries around the county.

Mary Anthony, volunteer coordinator at Being Alive North County, has not seen an increase in the needs of the North County HIV/AIDS community, but is also remaining prepared.

“We’re here and we’re open in case anybody needs us, but we are getting nothing right now,” said Anthony.

What resources are recommended for those with HIV/AIDS who are affected by the San Diego state of emergency?

“The first thing I tend to do is ask them about their case management,” said Anthony. “If they don’t have case management, then I would probably try to call a volunteer.… If it sounded like an emergency, I would recommend they hang up and call 911. If they just needed someone to talk them through, I could sit on the phone with them for a while.”

Many nonprofit HIV/AIDS agencies do not provide ‘hard services,’ such as physicians or medication. Certain laws may prohibit them from transporting clients or trying to help them at home, so many times these agencies serve as a referral service.

“I have resource manuals by my side,” Anthony explained. “Depending on what their need was I would try to refer them out and then do a follow-up call to make sure they had been helped with whatever they needed.”

If you or someone you know with HIV/AIDS is having recurring problems due to the wildfire — such as respiratory problems, shortage of medication, inaccessible physicians or healthcare, transportation problems or low food supply — or if you would like to donate or volunteer — refer to the listings in this issue’s resource guide.