Cascade aids project-prep outreach volunteerHistory/Mission |
Founded in 1983 and incorporated in 1985, Cascade AIDS Project (CAP), originally was formed to provide outreach and prevention education to men who have sex with men (MSM) but has expanded to provide a wider range of services: testing & prevention services, housing support services, mental health services, healthcare navigation & support, “Prism Health” | Primary Care, and support services + social groups. The organization's priority population includes members of the LGBTQ+ community. Services are available to all, but services are typically geared towards addressing issues of sexual and gender minorities and their family and friends. CAP's Mission statement: “We support and empower all people living with or affected by HIV, reduce stigma, and provide the LGBTQ+ community and beyond with compassionate healthcare.” Duties/Responsibility | I chose to volunteer with CAP because I feel that I have a moral obligation to serve the LGBTQ+ community, since I am not only apart of the community, but have benefited from the advocacy and civil work of older members, and those members who are no longer with us due to AIDS. It also gave me the opportunity to work alongside a diverse staff and gain professional development experience in community health services. My official position title was as a PrEP/PEP Outreach Volunteer. My responsibilities included representing CAP’s PrEP program, building CAP’s PEP pharmacy list, and strengthening CAP’s Provider network. Due to CAP office's being temporarily closed because of public health measures taken place to reduce the spread of Covid-19, my duties during this capstone were limited to virtual outreach task such as: researching PrEP telehealth options, social media outreach, and editing community partners assessment spreadsheets. Reflection on Effecting Change | The time I've spent volunteering for Cascade AIDS Project has been a professional and personal enlightening experience. I have gained knowledge on the organizational structures of health services within the Portland Metro, how to work alongside and collaborate with a unique staff of passionate employees, and, of course, how to better assist the community I live in. The most rewarding part of this process with the ability to continue the work that older generations of the LGBTQ+ community paved the way for. From here, I'm hoping to take all that I've learned from the experiences I've had being involved with the Prevention Department at CAP (whether that's administrative, community, or testing needs) and use them to excel further in my academic and professional journey. |