Why do YOU CARE for AIDS?

CFAU at Truman State University launched their “March Media Madness Week” on Sunday night with a collection of pictures we wanted to share with all of you.  ”March Media Madness” is an opportunity to assist the students in reaching their fundraising goal this year towards packing 100,000 meals on each campus that will be sent to Kenya in partnership with Feeding Children Everywhere.

Social media has become an incredible way to show what you care about and get others involved, and our students are doing just that.

Would you like to contribute to their Food imPACKt Event?

Why do YOU CARE for AIDS? 

Visit the Truman State, Furman, and Vanderbilt fundraising pages and help them reach their goal!

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Never Too Young

Winston Churchill once said, ” Continuous effort- not strength or intelligence- is the key to unlocking our potential.”

Effort is something our CFAU leaders have not lacked over the past two semesters. While they still have about a month left to reach their goals, our student chapters at Vanderbilt, Furman, and Truman State have worked hard over the last six months to raise awareness and funds for CARE for AIDS clients through letter writing campaigns and events.

It takes a gifted leader to be willing to test out a new fundraising model as a full-time student. First years are always filled with trial and error and an abundance of obstacles. Luckily God blessed us with a great group of college students with a passion and willingness to fight for a cause greater than themselves!

When asked, each of our campus leaders would tell you that they push through the stress and the obstacles of starting a new student organization for two reasons:

1) They each believe it’s important as a college student to get involved in something bigger than yourself. You’re never too young to begin to make a difference.

2) CARE for AIDS is different than other organizations. CARE for AIDS invests and empowers people to change their lives for the long-term.

The hope for each of our current CFAU chapters over the next five years is that they would be a recognized organizations on campus that people want and feel a need to be a part of.  Our leaders feel that not only is CFAU a way for students to make a direct impact on those infected by HIV/AIDS, but it’s a fun organization where students can find a sense of community on their campus.

To find out more about what college students are doing for CFA clients and how you can get involved, visit www.careforaids.org/cfauniversity.

We wish our campuses luck as they finish out they’re semesters strong!  We are proud and amazed by all that they’ve accomplished so far!  With their effort we know their potential has no limits.

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An Energizing Trip!

This weekend, I had the chance to travel to Kirksville, Missouri. This is not a place that you just happen upon; you have to really want to go there. We flew into St. Louis and drove three hours to this small town where we joined our Truman State University chapter for their kickoff event. Over a hundred students braved the snow to join us for this event.

Over a hundred students at the Truman State kickoff event.

At our most recent Praxis retreat, one of our mentors, Jake Harriman, challenged us to really think strategically about how we define our role as the leader. He challenged us to keep a running list of the activities that energize us and the ones that deflate us. He showed his list that he kept right in the back of his notebook. While I believe there are some things, like casting vision, that should not be delegated, we should try to bring people around us who are energized by the tasks that deflate us. 

I share that brief tangent because working with college students is so energizing for me, and it is something that will always be part of my role because it gives me incredible joy to see students who serve tirelessly to make an impact on a country they have never been to and for a people that they have never met. Going to encourage college chapters definitely makes the “energize” list for me. Make sure that you build your role around the tasks that:

1. Only you, as the leader, can do.

2. You are BEST at.

3. Energize you.

This Truman State event was my third college event this month, and each campus did a great job in its own respect. However, Truman State really outdid themselves by preparing a traditional Kenyan meal for everyone to enjoy and then taking the students through a recreation of CARE for AIDS centers that they built using cardboard. Each student was given a scenario of a client, and as they progressed through this experience, they learned more about their story. Some clients were chosen to be in the CFA program and others weren’t. Their scenario played out differently depending on that factor.

What an innovative and compelling way for students to experience the impact that HIV/AIDS and our program have on lives. No description I could ever give would paint the same picture that these scenarios did.

What do you need to delegate that is deflating your energy? Are their things that you need to take back on your plate just because they give you life?

The phenomenal leadership team behind this event.

Traditional Kenyan dish, rice pilau. Served with chapati and chai.

CFA center replicas

The volunteer at the health station handing out scenarios to students.