If you’ve been in a store, seen messages on your phone, been online or watched TV in the past few weeks, I’m sure you’ve seen all the hype about Black Friday sales. The charitable and not for profit sectors have worked to promote a balance to this consumerism with a message of philanthropy and volunteerism – Giving Tuesday (November 28). Realize is pleased to be an official Giving Tuesday partner this year – our 25th Anniversary.
We thank all the community members, researchers, volunteers, financial supporters, and partners who contribute to our mission:
Fostering Positive Change for People Living with HIV and other Episodic Disabilities.
We know that many people are struggling with high costs and tight incomes, especially in the HIV and episodic disability communities. If, however, you are thinking about contributing to charitable organizations before the end of 2023, I hope you will consider making Realize a part of your philanthropy. You can make a donation here.
Starting with Giving Tuesday and continuing through to New Year’s Eve, Realize is running a special 25th anniversary campaign in support of our breakthrough work in HIV and aging, optimal health and wellbeing for people living with HIV, and meaningful social inclusion for people living with episodic disabilities, particularly when it comes to employment and income.
HIV and Aging: the increasing number of people aging with HIV, and the complexity of aging with HIV, present new challenges for care, treatment, and support. Realize is working as a catalyst, bringing together the HIV and aging sectors to respond to these challenges. Realize hosts the Secretariat of the National Coordinating Committee on HIV and Aging (NCC). addressing issues affecting older adults living with or vulnerable to HIV in Canada.
Optimal Health and Wellbeing: Realize plays a leadership role in investigating what optimal health and wellbeing means for people living with HIV. Our goal is to better understand the supports and circumstances that contribute to optimal health and wellbeing for people living with HIV as well as the issues, barriers, and gaps that interfere with attaining it. Realize hosts the National Community Advisory Group on optimal health and wellbeing in the HIV community – to address the quality-of-life gap in global and national HIV/AIDS programs.
Episodic Disabilities: episodic disabilities are chronic health conditions characterized by fluctuating periods and degrees of illness and wellness – as experienced by many people living with HIV, MS, arthritis, anxiety, diabetes, long COVID, depression, lupus, and many other illnesses. Realize is a leader in research and advocacy addressing the range of complex barriers to inclusion people living with episodic disabilities experience, particularly in employment. Realize is the convening organization for the Episodic Disabilities Forum — a pan-Canadian forum comprised of people with living experience, national disability organizations, federal policymakers, and researchers.
Thank you for your support!