by Evelyn Bailey
In May, 2012 the Helping People With Aids Collection was sent to the Smithsonian Museum of American History Archives in Washington, DC. What an amazing accomplishment! Ms. Patricia Finerty, the Archival Consultant for the 2011 – 2012 DHP Documentation Project, made arrangements for the Rochester HPA Collection to be placed at the Smithsonian.
Helping People With AIDS was a grassroots fundraising not-for-profit organization which provided financial support to persons with HIV in Rochester from 1986 – 2003. HPA donated funds to AIDS Rochester, Community Health Network, and to AIDS Research at Rochester's Strong Memorial Hospital as well as other providers of service specifically for persons with HIV. These federally funded programs were in the forefront of the national response to the AIDS crisis.
By 1991 HPA had begun the Wish List Fund dedicated to fulfilling the needs of people with AIDS. A wish could be anything from a trip that never was, to a television set that many of us at that time took for granted, to providing money for veterinary care for a favorite pet. HPA became a model for other communities across the United States. Over 17 years of fundraising, HPA raised close to 1 million dollars to meet the daily needs of persons with HIV.
By 2003 federal, state, and local money was flowing through the pipeline to many organizations whose purpose was to provide for the financial, spiritual and physical needs of persons with HIV. The need for HPA was diminishing. AIDS had become a chronic disease that you could live with. The urgency for a cure was also diminishing. In November, 2003, the Board of HPA voted to dissolve the corporation.
In 2009, the Gay Alliance received its first NYS Archives DHP Documentation Project Grant. The purpose of this and subsequent grants was to identify, locate and survey as many of the records of the 260+ Rochester lgbt organizations, agencies, groups and individuals as possible. Helping People With AIDS was one of these organizations.Tim Tompkins, the last Chair of HPA, had the HPA records in his basement. The Gay Alliance identified, located and surveyed these records. It was decided the collection needed to be a part of the historical record of the nation's response to AIDS.
The Smithsonian was very interested in having the collection, and it was decided that this would be an appropriate placement.
On August 2, 2012 at 11 am the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley will hold a press conference at the AIDS Remembrance Garden at Highland Park announcing the Smithsonian's formal acceptance of the Helping People With AIDS Collection. This will be a historic occasion for the Rochester community, and another proud moment in our history. The many contributions that Helping People With AIDS made to the Rochester community and the national response to the AIDS crisis will be preserved for future generations to study and learn from. All are welcome to attend the news conference on August 2nd at the AIDS Remembrance Garden at Highland Park at 11am.