The Season of Giving

Did you know that we're the largest and oldest HIV/AIDS service organization in Indiana? Here are ten reasons to give a little extra this holiday season:

YOU can help make a difference!
Make a donation at www.damien.org/donate

#10: You can help serve the most people infected and affected by HIV in Indiana. Last year, we helped 1,230 people with HIV/AIDS; this holiday season, we expect to serve nearly twice as many people in December as we did last year.

#9: You can help end hunger. People living with HIV need nutritious meals to help their immune system fight the disease. We gave out over 150,000 pounds of food through our pantry this year.

#8: You can help shelter people with HIV. Stable, affordable housing helps people with HIV stay on medication. We helped house 70 families in 2011.

#7: You can help prevent the spread of HIV. We provided more than 2,000 free and confidential HIV tests so far this year - up from last year's total of 1,533.

#6: You can help keep young people safe from the disease; individuals 20-24 account for the highest rates of new infections. We reached more than 700 young people with information on how HIV is transmitted and how to keep themselves safe this year, and we expect that number to double in 2012.

#5: You can help end stigma and discrimination. We provide legal services for people infected or affected by HIV with discrimination issues, living and legal wills, and various other civil legal matters.

#4: You can help people with HIV get jobs. As medications get better, more people with HIV are living healthy lives they didn’t expect to have; we teach skills that help them reenter the workforce.

#3: You can help formerly incarcerated individuals receive interventions that reduce substance abuse and other risky behaviors. We help these individuals keep themselves and others safe from HIV.

#2: You can help link people with HIV to health insurance that makes life-saving medication affordable.

#1: You can help us end HIV. We distribute more than 5,000 condoms every year; without a cure, condoms are one of the only sure-fire ways we can stop the spread of HIV. 

World AIDS Day - ten ways to get to zero!

HIV is a worldwide epidemic, and it’s affecting every part of our local community; in Indiana, there were 9,837 people living with HIV/AIDS in 2010. This year, World AIDS Day on December 1 is all about “Getting to Zero” – that is, zero HIV-related deaths, zero new infections, and zero stigma. Here are ten ways you can help observe World AIDS Day, make a difference, and help your community get to zero:

1. Talk about it openly and honestly. HIV isn’t something to be ashamed of, but there’s a lot of stigma surrounding the disease. Just being open to talking about it can make people less afraid and more proactive in protecting themselves and their loved ones.
2. Wear a condom. This is the best way of protecting yourself – and it can be the most fun! Ribbed, magnum, ultra-thin - there are hundreds of different kinds of condoms from which to choose, and there’s a perfect condom for every situation. Don’t forget about insertive/female condoms! Many public health, family planning, and HIV/AIDS service organizations give out quality condoms for free.
3. Get tested. Many people don’t show symptoms of HIV for 10 or more years; nation-wide, one in five people don’t know that they’re HIV+. The only way to know for sure is to get tested, and many places just need a swab – no blood necessary! Remember that getting tested means checking in to see if you’ve been doing a good job; testing doesn’t prevent the disease from happening. The Damien Center has free and confidential HIV, STD, and pregnancy testing. (www.damien.org)
4. Get involved. There’s dozens of events each year that you can participate in to raise awareness – and many are listed in your local community calendars! Some events, like Dining Out for Life, make it easy to participate. Many local businesses, like Just Pop In located in Broad Ripple and the airport, donate proceeds from sales year-round to local HIV/AIDS service organizations. (Just Pop In is helping The Damien Center get to zero on December 1 – check it out at justpopinonline.com!)
5. Educate yourself. Talk to your doctor or a local HIV/AIDS service organization to learn more about the disease. Know that it’s not transmitted through casual contact like hugging or coughing, but rather through an exchange of body fluids like semen, blood, vaginal fluid, or breast milk. Go to AIDS.gov for easy HIV basics!
6. Drink in moderation. Consuming alcohol can impair your judgment, leading to unsafe sex or other decisions you might not normally make. Have fun, but always keep a clear mind!
7. If you’re HIV+, be sure to take your medications on-time every time. This helps reduce the amount of virus in your body, which also lowers the chances you’ll transmit HIV. Just remember that you can still transmit HIV to your partner even if you have a low viral load – so always use a condom.
8. Volunteer. It’s one of the best ways to see the impact you’re making in the lives of people infected or affected by the disease. Most HIV/AIDS service organizations couldn’t survive without the help of generous volunteers!
9. Donate. Volunteering goes a long way toward helping people, but monetary contributions are essential. With funders cutting back on their grant money due to the recession, nonprofits helping HIV/AIDS patients are relying on individual contributions more than ever.
10. Spread the word. Educating a friend about HIV/AIDS could save their life – and you might never know it. Even a simple Facebook status or tweet about wearing a condom or getting tested helps raise awareness. Connect with organizations like The Damien Center on Facebook or through Twitter @damiencenter for ways you can help spread the word and get Indiana down to zero!

Costume Ideas: Straight from Mad Men

Welcome to the Costume Ideas blog series! This series is intended to inspire your inner fashion designer so you can look like you stepped out of the 1950/60s when you walk into Mad Masquerade.


This week, we're taking a look at AMC Mad Men's Season 4 Fashion Gallery! The gallery showcases many fantastic outfits, but these are our top three.

1. Joan's "Wave" Dress: We love it! Much like Janie Bryant, costume designer for Mad Men, we're attracted to the ruffles at the collar and sleeve. We also love the high contrast between the darker blue and the white, creating a cleaner look. Accessories weren't emphasized in the 60s, and she does a very good job of keeping using the gold accents to enhance her look without dominating it.

2. Stan Rizzo's Suit: Even though it wasn't particularly characteristic of the early 60s, Stan did a pretty good job of being trendy with this green plaid suit. "He's one of our more modern characters who takes a casual approach to being at work," says Bryant. The late sixties was a movement away from the fifties - so while the gray flannel suit is the standard, Stan shows us that we're able to be more creative!

3. Faye Miller's Black and White: Her look is eye catching with the bold black and white print; her bold lipstick only helps to emphasize the overall look's strength. Her gray skirt is houndstooth, shown below and to the left.


For more ideas straight from Mad Men, please visit their Season 4 Fashion Gallery! (Of course, we own none of these images; they were taken directly out of the Season 4 Fashion Gallery. Many thanks to Janie Bryan for her inspirational vintage fashion!)

Mad Masquerade Costume Ideas

Welcome to the Costume Ideas blog series! This series is intended to inspire your inner fashion designer so you can look like you stepped out of the 1950/60s when you walk into Mad Masquerade.


Men in the 1950s and early 60s were very traditional; this was the era of the man in a gray suit. Coats were unwaisted with one or three buttons, typically worn with a white shirt, tie, and cufflinks. Other common suit colors were tan or navy. Pennyloafer shoes and a hat (usually a fedora) rounded out the look.


The mid-to-late 60s saw more diversity in men's fashion than ever - brighter colored dress shirts like plaid were more accepted. Ties were changing sizes (both to skinny ties and wide ties) with stripes and patterns - unheard of just a decade earlier. Suits became more tailored, thanks to Italian designer influence.


Where to find this vintage menswear? Try Banana Republic's Mad Men Collection, geared specifically toward the Mad Men look! (A promo shot from the collection can be seen to the bottom right.) They also have a pretty nice Mad Men collection for women, too! Other suitable options can be found at J Crew. (Picture top right.)


Are you excited about Mad Masquerade yet? Purchase tickets your tickets now - prices go up in just a few weeks!

Costume Ideas: The Cold War Woman - Grande Masquerade

Welcome to the Costume Ideas blog series! This series is intended to inspire your inner fashion designer so you can look like you stepped out of the 1950/60s when you walk into Mad Masquerade.

During WWII, society saw many men leave the country to fight, and many women stepped up and took traditionally male jobs. When WWII ended in 1945, the United States saw an influx of men returning to the workforce, pushing many women back into more traditional roles.

Because of this push, we see women's fashion in the 50s accentuate traditional femininity through tighter waists, wider busts, and curvy hips - in other words, an hourglass silhouette. Pencil skirts became popular in the workplace.

The early 60s followed First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy; feminine elegance was the mantra. The First Lady popularized the pillbox hat, and dresses were simple and geometric. The sixties saw a distance from the more conservative colors of the 50s, enjoying brighter colors and bolder patterns.

But where can you find these clothes? Take a look at this magenta "Work to Wow" dress from ModCloth.com. Notice the hourglass shape; this dress could have been popular in the workplace. In fact, take a look at all of the 1950s/60s dresses from Modcloth - it's a great place for vintage-inspired clothing.

Also consider this black "Five to Nine" dress from Shabby Apple, another online retailer specializing in vintage-inspired clothing; taking a cue from Jackie Kennedy, this black dress features a thin collar, has soft shoulders, and a loose, feminine bow near the neck.

World Hepatitis Day

This Thursday (July 28) is World Hepatitis Day! Hepatitis is when your liver is inflamed, and five viruses are known to cause it. Here are our top five reasons we care.

1) A lot of people with HIV are also infected with hepatitis because it's a similar mode of transmission. In fact, the CDC reports that 50-90% of people who contracted HIV through intravenous drug use are living with the hepatitis C virus (HCV).

2) One in twelve people in the world are infected with either hepatitis B or C, according to the World Hepatitis Alliance.

3) At a presentation by ViiV today at The Damien Center, hepatitis drugs can often interfere with HIV drugs. Sometimes, this makes doctors choose between treating HIV or treating the hepatitis.

4) The CDC also notes that HCV is more serious in people who are also infected with HIV. A coinfection (when a person has more than one infection) leads to quicker liver damage.

5) Your liver is part of what cleans your blood and gets rid of toxins. If left untreated, people with viral hepatitis can have liver scarring (cirrhosis), which can lead to liver cancer, liver failure, death, and more. The good news is that we have vaccines for hepatitis A and B and treatment for all forms of viral hepatitis - you just need to get tested and know!

6) (BONUS!) A bonus reason that we care about hepatitis is because some people can go for years without having any symptoms. It's very important that you are tested for hepatitis as regularly as you're tested for HIV!

For more information about World Hepatitis Day, please visit the World Hepatitis Alliance.

Have you had your vaccinations for hepatitis A and B? Have you also been tested for hepatitis C? What are you doing to stay safe? Let us know!

Saturday Testing - New Hours!

Our Saturday testing is temporarily changing! Walgreens on 16th and Meridian is undergoing a renovation, so we'll be testing here at The Damien Center's Joseph F. Miller Testing Center (26 N Arsenal Ave) the first four Saturdays of the month from 10-3. We're excited to see the new building when it's finished!

Mad Masquerade

Have you seen this year's Grande Masquerade theme yet? If not, it's our pleasure to introduce Mad Masquerade, held Saturday, October 22, at the Indianapolis Mariott Downtown!

This year's event takes place in 1950s-60s America. This post-World War II period marked the birth of cocktail hours, beehives, and Barbie. Elvis Presley ruled the stage, public fascination with Outer Space reached an all-time high, and Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat. Elizabeth Taylor began her career, later championing the HIV/AIDS cause.

Does this sound like your cup of tea? If so, grab yourself some tickets! Prices go up $25 per ticket after October 14th, so be sure to get them early!

General Admission: $135

VIP: $175

Table of 10: $1350

VIP Table of 10: $1750

The VIP reception begins at 6pm, with general admission cocktails at 6:30. Dinner, silent auction, and entertainment starts at 7:30, with dancing starting at 10 and lasting until midnight.

For more information, please contact Brenden Hudson at bhudson@damien.org or at 317-632-0123 x237.

New Hours

Did you know that we have new hours for Care Coordination and the food pantry? We hope that these hours are more consistent and easy to remember! Our testing hours are staying the same, and we're still open late for testing on Tuesday and Thursday. Our Saturday testing hours are the same, too!

Hours of Operation:

• Mon: 9-6
• Tue: 9-6
• Wed: 11-6
• Thu: 9-6
• Fri: 9-5

Food Pantry Hours:

• Mon: 9-5
• Tue: 9-5
• Wed: 11-5
• Thu: 9-5
• Fri: 9-5

Testing Hours:

• Mon: 9-5
• Tue: 9-7
• Wed: 11-5
• Thu: 9-7
• Fri: 9-2

Saturday Testing Hours:

• 1st and 3rd Saturdays: 10-2 @ Walgreens on 16th and Meridian
• 2nd and 4th Saturdays: 10-3 @ our Joseph F. Miller Testing Center (26 N Arsenal Ave)

If you have any questions about our new hours, feel free to call us at 317-632-0123 or email us at info@damien.org!

June Volunteer Training

There's less than a week left until our next volunteer training! It will be held next Tuesday, June 21, from 5:30-8:30.

All volunteers for The Damien Center are required to attend a volunteer training. At the training, they'll learn all about our agency, our various programs, and our many volunteer opportunities. Additionally, participants will learn about the history of HIV, ways it's transmitted, and how to protect yourself. It's very educational!