Harold Keller / L’Observateur / July 26, 2000

I’m sure that most of us have known someone who has died from the dreaded disease of AIDS. We don’t hear much talk about it, because thevictims are usually doomed to death and people don’t like to think about, or talk about, things of which they can do nothing.

As of now, there is no cure for AIDS. The death rate caused by AIDS (theterminal phase of being HIV-infected) has dropped, mostly due to new drugs which have increased the number of years that a person’s quality of life remains stable.) The bottom line is that it prolongs an inevitabledeath.

Until recently, I didn’t realize that a program to assist people who are HIV and homeless was available to the River Parish area. My good friend, Mr.Floyd Wilson of LaPlace, serves on the board of directors of such an agency.

The agency, SLHR (South Louisiana Human Resources Inc.) is located inHouma and serves the Region III parishes, which include Assumption, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary andTerrebonne.

The following services are available to those persons, and their families, who are infected with HIV/AIDS: 1. Care co-ordinators who help clients find resources, as well as directclients to receive the services offered by SLHR.

2. A transitional homeless shelter named Exchange House, which housespeople who are HIV and homeless for the Region III parishes.

3. Food pantry, which gathers food and distributes the food to all clientswho qualify in the Region III parishes.

4. Financial assistance with medication expenses, rent and utilities, rentand utility deposits, transportation, dental expenses and other emergencies.

I thank Mr. Wilson for providing me with this information. If you have anyquestions, please call SLHR at (504) 879-3768, or Mr. Wilson at (504)652-5653.

HAROLD KELLER writes this column as part of his affiliation with the Get High on Life religious motivational group.

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