It starts with a wish; well really, a need. It is an ask to help an individual or family living with or affected by HIV/AIDS get through the holiday season. This is a time of year that the AIDS Committee of York Region, along with caring members of the community, can spread joy and laughter while shielding the cold and loneliness this wintery time of year can bring.
This holiday season let’s add words like ‘cheer’, ‘compassion’ and ‘giving’ to our wish lists and offer some support to those who need it.
Receiving the gift of ‘Cheer’ should be universally felt by everyone, but sadly it is not. Everyone, regardless of disability or illness, race or religion, should be allowed to experience a warm sit down meal, and the essentials from jackets, mitts and toques to plates and utensils for their home.
How do you wrap up dignity into a parcel with a bow?
It is a difficult question, but it can sometimes have a fairly simple answer. When the compassion of one can lead to a smile on the face of another, that is the truest form of ‘Holiday Cheer’.
Visit https://cayrcc.org/get-involved/holidaywishlist-b/ and learn how to get involved.
By Mark Koning
Mark is the Communications & Administration Coordinator with the AIDS Committee of York Region. Mark is also an Author and Blogger of Challenging Barriers and The BIST Blog. (Brain Injury Society of Toronto)