The Boston Living Center Review

The Boston Living Center

• Established in 1989
• New England’s largest community and resource center for people living with HIV/AIDS
• Headquarters located in Boston
• In 2008, The Boston Living Center served 1,500 people

As I perused the Boston Living Center website, I could really feel the energy of the organization. I know, I know. That sounds all new-agey.  Believe me, not my schtick.

But in all seriousness.  Maybe it was the great photographs of volunteers and members or all of the information about the tangible, real services the organization offers to people living with HIV/AIDS around the Boston area.  It was moving.  I was moved! Especially when I read through all of the Run for Life Marathon Team fundraising pages- it made me think about my own impending Half Marathon, and how one person can really make a difference in the lives of many.

I feel inspired. Read on, and maybe you will, too.

When I searched for The Boston Living Center (BLC) at engines like Google, I was largely successful by conducting more specific searches;  for example, the organization appeared at the second spot when I searched “Boston, HIV/AIDS”.  The header the organization uses is “The Boston Living Center, a Boston, MA HIV/AIDS help, community, counseling, volunteering, meal organization in Boston.”  The repetition of  “Boston” helps to ensure BLC turns up when anything HIV/AIDS-related is searched in conjunction with Boston, MA, or New England.

Although I was unable to find any lists of corporate, individual or organizational partners, BLC is located at the YMCA in Boston, so perhaps they are in partnership with the Y for certain services? It is unclear from the information offered at the website.

There are links to BLC’s social networks (as well as their blog) on the left-side tab of their website in the form of small buttons with corresponding links.  The BLC Facebook page has 644 fans, and features discussions, photos, events and a link to their Twitter feed.  The wall is very active, with lots of pictures posted from various events around the Boston area.  The Twitter account is a bit smaller, with nearly 150 followers, frequent tweets, retweets and direct tweets to supporters, as well as links to their Facebook.   The other link that is offered to visitors at the BLC site is to their Flickr account, which is full of great photographs from events, volunteer days, and more.  Currently new pictures from the Boston Marathon are posted. 

A blue banner that appears around the site encourages visitors to “Get the BLC E-Bulletin ”.  Click on this link and you’re taken to a separate registration page that simply prompts you to submit your email address. 

Otherwise,the BLC functions as a sort of membership-based nonprofit (those who are living with HIV/AIDS can become a member and use the services offered by BLC), but there are no other options for supporters to make themselves known to the organization at the site itself (i.e. become a joiner online). 

When I searched for options to knowledge share with BLC (i.e. read or comment on blogs, or add to discussions) I was successful in finding a blog that is powered by Wordpress and linked at the left side of the website (along with social networks).   This blog, titled BLC Soup, is interactive-- readers can comment on posts or easily navigate their way to Facebook or Twitter pages from the feeds featured at the blog.  Unfortunately, the bloggers of each entry are featured in name only-- there is no other information making clear if the authors are staff members or volunteers.

From the “Volunteers” tab, you can find information regarding volunteer opportunities with BLC, which range from helping in one of the following areas: the meals program, food pantry, nutrition works, coat check, office work, computer lab, holistic programs, or with more skilled work for hairstylists and barbers or as special events volunteers.   For those who wish to request additional information, the email address of Lisa Brown, the Volunteer Coordinator, is posted in this section.  In addition, due to the nature of the organization’s mission, volunteers must be 18 years or older, sign a confidentiality agreement, complete an orientation and have a CORI (Criminal Offense Record Information) run before they can work with BLC.

For those who become inspired to give to BLC, there is a button on the left hand side of the website that is titled “Donate Now Through Network For Good”, which encourages online donations.  Additional fundraising information is located at the “Support Us” tab by clicking on the “Other Ways to Support” link.  Here, BLC provides information about monthly, matching, tribute and in honor donations, as well as  information about their programs, Cornerstone Society ($1,000 or more annually) and Stepping Stone ($1,000 or less annually).   The page titled “Why Support the Boston Living Center” is notable in that it transparently discusses the annual budget on which the organization operates, and seeks to answer the questions, “why donate to BLC” and “how is my donation used”.  

Also from the “Support Us” tab, I found an “Events” link that featured pages on upcoming and annual events such as the Celebration of Life Thanksgiving, Running for Life Marathon Team, and Dinnerfest, as well as a brief list of special events.  The Running for Life Marathon Team was the most interactive events page with each team member’s name linked to their separate fundraising page (encouraging individuals to set up fundraising pages for your organization is a great booster-level fundraising tool).  Otherwise, all of the events pages offer site visitors information, photographs from past events, and RSVP contacts but no other interactive tools for involvement (such as sign-ups, calendars to add to or edit, etc.)

Other nonprofit strategy areas I normally explore at websites-- including tools that would encourage on and offline advocacy and recruitment-- did not seem to be a focus at the BLC website.

Boosters, or supporters who have a multiplying effect on an organization, certainly exist for BLC.  It seems there are levels of volunteers who frequently work with the organization, as well as peer advocates (members of BLC who take on a leadership role), and members of the Consumer Advisory Board (members who meet to discuss concerns).   Other than content at the website that describes these positions, there are no clear avenues (with corresponding web tools)for those interested in devoting their time and energy to BLC at a booster-level. 

For those interested in working for BLC, mouse over the “Contact Us” tab to find a “Job Opportunities” page that provides information regarding job postings, as well as an email contact for prospective employees who wish to send a resume off to the appropriate person. 

There is not a whole lot at the BLC site that speaks to the type of active-boosterism that we encourage at CoreWeb; for example, there is a great blog, but no opportunities for supporters to add blog entries.  With that said, there are wonderful volunteer positions, and a system set up that seems to engage and gather these individuals into a streamlined, collective base of support, but there are no tools online to encourage a more active volunteer base (such as volunteer sign-ups or logins specifically for volunteers) and the organizing seems to occur entirely offline. 

Notably, the organization touches on booster-level fundraising by featuring the separate fundraising pages (powered by First Giving) at the Run for Life Marathon Team page.  These pages are a great example of the impact one motivated advocate can have in “multiplying” supporter energy for the organization (raising money through their own personal networks) and therefore, having a greater impact on BLC than if he or she donated individually.

You can find the names of  BLC leaders by mousing over the “About Us” tab and clicking on “Board of  Directors”.  Otherwise, the only information available is at “Contact Us”, where there is a staff directory with names, titles, emails and extensions listed.