News and Events

On Saturday, April 25, members of Second joined 3500 Kansas Citians for the 22 AIDS Walk which raised $400,000. for KCIDS organizations.

Community Resources
Good Samaritan Project
a non-for-profit agency serving those infected with HIV/AIDS and their families with particular focus on individuals who cannot afford or access services; also provides and coordinates volunteer opportunities 816-561-8784.
www.gsp-kc.org

Kansas City Free Health Clinic
816- 816-753-5144

www.kcfree.org
provides comprehensive, free health care to individuals who are HIV positive

Hope Care Center
816-523-3988

www.hopecarecenter.org
a non-profit, long term skilled nursing center for individuals with HIV/AIDS

Education and Awareness
Presbyterian Church USA - www.pcusa.org
working in the global fight against HIV/AIDS through the International Health Ministries by funding and training of volunteers who provide education and resourcesin Africa; and by providing educational resources to its congregations throughout the United States.

Facts

850,000-950,000 individuals in the US are living with AIDS including 180,000 who don't know they are infected (GSP website/2007)

Worldwide 11 of every 1,000 adults aged 15-40 years old are HIV infected (GSP website/2007)

More than 5700 individuals in KC live with HIV/AIDS, 700 of those between the ages of 13-24 (AIDS Walk Fact Sheet, 2009)-- 

History of the AIDS Ministry

The AIDS Ministry at Second Church was created in late 1989. It grew out of an "AIDS in the Church" weekend seminar sponsored by the Hage Committee. Two speakers from Houston, Ron Sunderland and Earl Shelp, who helped organize interfaith AIDS care teams there, described the need for churches to respond to this public health crisis. As a result, people who wanted to decide how Second could be part of the solution gathered together to become the AIDS ministry. Over the years the Ministry has included members of other churches, too, especially Country Club Congregational United Church of Christ. The Ministry spent much of its first year or two educating itself by reading books, hearing outside speakers and visiting AIDS service organizations. Ministry members decided they would work with secular agencies but under the banner of Second Church so that the community would know that at least some parts of the church were responding to the AIDS crisis with something beyond words of condemnation for homosexuals, who made up the bulk of the first people to be afflicted with this disease. Eventually, Ministry members helped in the creation of the TLC AIDS unit at South Park Care Center, a nursing home on 68th between Holmes and Troost. That unit cared for many persons with AIDS but eventually was dissolved. When that happened, Ministry members were part of the group that eventually founded Hope Care Center, which received crucial seed money from Second Church. Hope Care opened in 1996 as a 24-hour skilled nursing facility for persons with HIV/AIDS. Over the years, Ministry members have been active volunteers with such groups as the Good Samaritan Project, especially its Interfaith Care Teams program; Safe Home; Hope Care Center, and other groups. In addition, Ministry members helped to educate not only the Second Church congregation but also many other congregations, some of whom later started their own AIDS ministries. The Ministry has never been large - no more than 20 members at any one time. But it has been a consistent and persistent advocate for a compassionate response to this crisis.

The AIDS Ministry today has several dimensions

o         Serving as a care team for an individual in the community who is afflicted with HIV/AIDS. Care team members provide assistance as needed to the individual such as providing transportation, running errands, and providing companionship. Individual's are under the guidance of the Good Samaritan Project Interfaith Team.

o         Promoting education and understanding of HIV/AIDS in our congregation and the community

o         Sponsoring food and personal hygiene collections to benefit local pantries

o         Participating in the citywide annual AIDS Walk each April

Second's Congregational Support
The congregation at Second provides support in addition to the work of the AIDS Ministry group. For example, the women of the church made and contributed quilts to the Hope Care Center and other individuals have donated art work. Members participate in food and toiletries collections throughout the year. Through the Board of Deacon's Metropolitan Mission, Good Samaritan Project, and Hope Care Center.