The Damien Center would like to congratulate Jamie Broderick for her promotion to Care Coordination Program Manager! Jamie will directly oversee the care coordination staff and leads our interdisciplinary team to develop, implement, and monitor client services. She will train and supervise new care coordinators in accordance with our agency's training curriculum, and she will participate in evaluative and quality assurance activities to ensure professional accountability to the agency, funders, and clients served.
Jamie originally joined the Damien Center staff in March 2010 as a Care Coordinator. Jamie started her career after college at Denver Health and Authority. She worked on a CDC funded HIV prevention counseling study called Project Respect 2. The study compared different forms of HIV testing and risk reduction counseling in clients at STD clinics throughout the United States. From Denver, Jamie moved to New Jersey and took a position as a Ryan White Title II case manager in Asbury Park, NJ. There she assisted clients with their day to day needs including housing, transportation, medical, etc. Building on her case management experience, she was fortunate enough to accept a position at the National AIDS Treatment Advocacy Project as a treatment educator in all 5 boroughs of New York City. NATAP is a leader in up-to-the-minute HIV treatment information covering the latest in drug development and research. Before moving back home to Indiana, Jamie was promoted to Director of Programs at the New Jersey Women and AIDS Network in New Brunswick, NJ where she helped to implement the SISTA Project.
After arriving in Indiana, Jamie has been working in tobacco control for the Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Agency. She was the Director of Programs for the Central West region and is also currently the coordinator for the Boone County Tobacco Free Coalition. Jamie started OUT Against Tobacco, a small group of tobacco control advocates that assist the LGBT community to fight back against the tobacco industry.
In her free time, Jamie likes to read, officiate women's basketball, and spend time with her partner and 3 kids.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
January Volunteer Spotlight: Sara Bruhn
This month's volunteer spotlight is Sara Bruhn! Sara was trained in October 2010, and she has since worked at health fairs and our food pantry. Sara did an outstanding job representing The Damien Center for Latino HIV/AIDS Awareness Day at Casa Mateo with her Spanish fluency.
Have you ever held a volunteer position before?
I volunteered sporadically in college…I volunteered for a semester in the program College Mentors for Kids for local schoolkids.
What sparked your interest in volunteering with the Damien Center? How do you hope to serve the community and our clients here at the Damien Center?
I’ve been especially interested in the HIV/AIDS cause ever since I took a class in college that dealt with the social aspects and stigmas associated with HIV/AIDS and I found the Damien Center online while looking for some opportunities for volunteer work after college. I hope to serve the community and our clients by helping staff events, spread awareness, and helping to provide a sense of support to those affected by HIV/AIDS.
What experience(s) would you like to gain from you volunteer position here?
I’d like to gain a more in-depth understanding of how HIV/AIDS affects individuals and societies and how we can band together more as a society to prevent further infections and provide support to those currently affected.
What are some attributes that you feel you can contribute to the Damien Center?
I’m perceptive, a hard-worker, and I speak decent Spanish.
What are your hobbies and interest?
Traveling, foreign affairs, soccer, shopping
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day - February 7
Xenobia Green, a local band performing their own brand of "Soul, Jazz, and overall good music," will have a performance on Saturday, February 5 from 10:30pm - 1:30am at Chatterbox on Mass Ave in honor of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. There is a $5 admission fee to the Chatterbox. Donations to The Damien Center can be made at the tables.
Dining Out for Life
It's that time of year again! This year's Dining Out for Life will be held on April 28.Dining Out for Life is an annual fundraiser where restaurants around the city donate 25%, 50%, or 100% of their day's proceeds to The Damien Center.
Part of what makes this event a huge success is our volunteer Ambassadors. If you would like more information on being an Ambassador, please contact Naomi Williams at nwilliams@damien.org or at 317-632-0123 x262.
The first restaurant to partner with us for 2011 is Agio! Agio is a legacy restaurant, having participated in this event for over five years. They are located on Massachusetts Avenue.
Even MORE Testing Hours!
Our Saturday hours have been so successful that we are proud to announce that we are expanding our testing hours - AGAIN! The Joseph F. Miller Testing Center at the Damien Center will be open from 10 am – 3 pm on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. We are also partnering with Walgreens on 16th and Meridian to provide testing from 10 am – 2 pm on the first and third Saturday of every month. Testing is free and includes HIV, gonorrhea, syphilis, Chlamydia, and trichomoniasis.
Volunteer Training - Saturday, February 5
We have a volunteer training Saturday, February 5, from 9-1. Trainings are mandatory for The Damien Center volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering and you haven't attended the training, please RSVP with Naomi Williams at nwilliams@damien.org or at 317-632-0123 x262.
Food Pantry Update - January
The food pantry's meat stores have been depleted because of the holiday season. Donations of canned meat, especially beef and chicken, are needed. Other sources of protein are also welcome.
Speakers Bureau
The Damien Center is putting together a volunteer Speakers Bureau. Volunteers in the Speakers Bureau go to organizations, churches, and schools to tell them about HIV and AIDS, The Damien Center, and how important the fight against HIV and AIDS truly is. Volunteers in the Speakers Bureau should have good public speaking and communication skills.
McNamara Cares
McNamara is partnering with the Damien Center through its McNamara Cares program. Whenever you buy flowers from McNamara, mention the code "Damien" for a portion of the proceeds from your sale to go to the Damien Center. This code works online or in any one of the seven McNamara stores. On wire-out orders, customers will also receive $5.00 off whenever they mention the code "Damien"
New Staff at The Damien Center!
We would like to welcome four new staff members this month!
Samantha Akers is our new receptionist. An Indianapolis native, she has been involved with Spotlight, AIDS Walk, and the Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis. Samantha is currently studying American Sign Language.
Jamie Putman joins our prevention team as the Prevention Case Manager for Project CORE. She has experience with youth drug and alcohol prevention, LGBTQ issues, HIV/AIDS prevention, breast cancer awareness, and political campaigns. A creative thinker, Jamie loves to craft and bake.
Bashiri Asad is our newest HIV Tester. He is a former Americorps member who has worked with The Red Cross, FEMA, Denver Parks Department, and Habitat for Humanity. Outside of work, Bashiri is the leading vocalist for Xenobia Green.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Building a Future Adds Four New Classes in 2011
The Damien Center released its schedule for their Building a Future classes January 3, 2011. This schedule offers four new classes to clients of The Damien Center: Substance Use and Recovery, HIV101/Prevention Education, Peer Support/Special Topics, and Career Development. Classes are open to all clients of The Damien Center.
Since its inception, this series of classes has grown as clients’ needs continue to expand. “We added a nutrition class [last year] because we realized people weren’t eating well,” says Amanda Quillen, Client Services Assistant at The Damien Center. “Eating well is a big part of being and staying healthy.” The Nutrition on a Budget class teaches clients how to purchase and prepare healthy meals with limited resources. Most classes are held quarterly, but some classes, like Peer Support/Special Topics and Career Development, convene monthly.
Building a Future classes are taught by experts in the field. “It’s a good opportunity for people to give back,” says Quillen. In 2011, a nutritionist and a chef will teach the Nutrition on a Budget class.
People in the community are welcome to lend their expertise and teach a class. The classes’ topics are flexible; even if a person’s expertise doesn’t quite fit into one of the current course titles, there is a monthly class with special topics. For example, one special topic class will teach the importance stress management and relief.
Wes Wilson, HIV/STD tester at The Damien Center, will teach the new HIV 101/Prevention Education class. “The big problem is that people don’t understand this disease,” says Wilson. Many people who are newly diagnosed have a lot of questions, and this class is meant to provide a safe environment where these questions can be answered.
“It’s not just for people who are newly diagnosed,” says Wilson. “A lot of people are overwhelmed with information at first, so the questions sometimes come later.”
People who are HIV+ can sometimes feel like they can’t have sex, especially if they’re newly diagnosed – which isn’t true. This class will also stress the importance of safe sex and protection after people become HIV+ and empower them to take control of their sex lives. “Just because you have HIV doesn’t mean you can’t get something else on top of that,” says Wilson. He stresses the importance of testing for STDs every 6 months for people with HIV.
“Our goal is to move people to a place where they don’t need us anymore,” says Quillen. Many clients go to The Damien Center during hard times. The agency helps them during their time of need, but classes like Building a Future also teach skills, like resume writing and budgeting, that help them become self-sufficient.
For a list of classes, descriptions, and times, please visit www.damien.org. If you are interested in teaching a class, please contact Terry Michael at tmichael@damien.org.
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The mission of the The
We believe passionately in the dignity and worth of every person who seeks our services. We strive to be a safe and welcoming place so that no barriers separate people from the services they need to prolong and enhance their lives.
Joseph F. Miller Testing Center Hours
Monday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Tuesday 9:00 am to 7:00 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Thursday 9:00 am to 7:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am to 2:00 pm
Saturday 10am to 2pm (11/13, 12/11, and 1/8 only. Closed all other Saturdays.)
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