Who We Are: NRRC Nebraska Red Ribbon Community
- We speak for those who have no voice.
- We are the individual HIV+ Nebraskan.
- We are GLBTQ and Straight, too!
- We represent people who want to make a difference regardless of their sexual orientation, sexual preference or gender representation.
- We advise and inform Community Based Organizations, Health Care systems and clinics, State agencies, including Ryan White, and anyone else who requires timely, meaningful information from Nebraskans infected and living with HIV about their Physical, Mental, and Medical needs.
- We offer peer-to-peer support and friendship to those HIV+ across Nebraska.
- We only have closed meetings, No Public Invited and ALWAYS Confidential. We protect your identity.
If you’re Positive – You Already Belong!
We believe that all Nebraskans diagnosed with HIV are a part of the NRRC already, and whether we know your name or not, we are advocating for you so that your life with HIV is healthier and longer as a result of our work.
Since we are living longer with HIV thanks to the new drugs available and excellent health care options, we have dreams of helping the NRRC grow, becoming more and more a true reflection of the “Faces of HIV” in Nebraska and being an active voice for all HIV+ Nebraskans.
We encourage all HIV+ Nebraskans to know their status, stay connected to care, continue to take live-saving HIV meds, and protect their partners. And if you are able to, become a member of the NRRC.
Membership Options:
We currently have members in the following Status Categories:
- Active: HIV+ Nebraskan fully participating, voting member with the NRRC.
- Honorary: HIV+ Nebraskan who is currently not Active with the NRRC (Non-voting, Non-participating).
- Supportive: Any Nebraskans impacted by HIV, and/or offering services, care, treatment, case management, or other supportive services to the HIV community (Non-voting, non-participating).
Where we started:
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the primary federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable, funded meetings of people living with HIV throughout the United States in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s.
Out of these meetings was a realization that government sponsored advisory groups made up of people living with HIV was necessary to identify and begin trying to meet the needs of this new emerging community of which it knew nothing about.
The Nebraska Red Ribbon Community was born in January 2001 in response to the previous two years of HRSA retreats to focus on what the HIV community’s medical and physical needs living with HIV are in Nebraska and to brainstorm ways to close the barriers and gaps in treatment and access to care here.
The NRRC Advisory Board was instructed to give feedback and “real world” information directly from the HIV community infected and impacted, to whomever needed it, but in an anonymous way, while Protecting the group member’s identities at all times.
Looking to Grow:
The NRRC has a membership that is chronically ill, and has seen a lot of members come and go over the years. This is part of the HIV epidemic.
So, if you are HIV+ in Nebraska, the process to activate your membership with the NRRC is simple.
- Start by letting us know of your interest in activating your membership with the NRRC in the comment form below.
- Fill out the easy NRRC application which will either be sent to you in a nondescript envelope, or you can download it, print and sign it that way.
If we ever, ever send something to you, it will NEVER, EVER have our name on the outside of the envelope anywhere, and there won’t be any words like HIV or AIDS either – WE PROMISE! - Make sure to sign the application and the Confidentiality Agreement certifying to the NRRC that YOU, the prospective member agrees to adhere to the best of YOUR ability to the Operating Guidelines of the group and will ask for clarification if need be at any time.
- That’s IT… All done… Submit the app to our P.O. Box.
- We will let you know we are in receipt of your app and advise after our membership acts.
As An Active NRRC Member: Responsibilities:
- Be diagnosed HIV positive.
- Live in Nebraska.
- Fill out an application.
- Commit to 4 (four) quarterly meetings per year.
- Read, agree to, and sign the Confidentiality Agreement.
- Give feedback when needed regarding access to health care, case management, supportive services, including; transportation, insurance premiums, co-pays, deductibles, nutrition, drugs and access to pharmacies and clinics, gaps and barriers to care and treatment, when needed.
- Protect others and Protect YOURSELF – Keep all personal information said at the meeting in total and strict confidence – The others will do the same as well.
NRRC Membership Status:
Your Membership status with the NRRC starts with YOU. Once you submit an application to activate your membership and the NRRC acts on it, you are an active member until you decide to change your status with us for one reason or another if you are HIV+
If you are an HIV+. Nebraskan who has served on the NRRC and for any reason decide to take a break, you then become an Honorary Member.
Supportive Members are active with the NRRC unless they retire, go out-of-business or whatever “breaks us up”! We always are recruting for Supportive members and know the ones we currently have are precious and trusted parts of our care teams.
NRRC into the Future:
Throughout the NRRC’s membership history there were as many as 20+ members at one time, and as few as 5 or so.
Nothing has stopped the NRRC from moving forward despite the setbacks!
This group knows loss of loved ones, and has said goodbye to many of our past members before we were ready to do so, but that is the nature of HIV.
We’ll never get used to it, but at least there is more hope now than ever for a cure – We’d like to be around for it!