In the photo, the director of Casa Brenda Lee, Maria Luiza, next to the portrait of its founder
O Available.com will reverse, for the third consecutive year, sales of website subscriptions made between midnight on December 0st and midnight on the 1nd, to help the Brenda Lee Support House, which assists transvestites and gays with the HIV virus. All sales with credit cards, debit cards and bank slips – generated and paid on the date – will be reversed, minus taxes and bank fees, in food and other materials needed by the institution.
Last year, the total raised from the sale of subscriptions was used to purchase flooring, grout and mortar, as well as hygiene and cleaning materials. With the help of the community, labor was hired to install the flooring in all spaces of the house, located on Rua Major Diogo, in the heart of the Bixiga neighborhood.
For Sergio Di Pietro, executive director of Infonet Business, the action once again confirms the company's social responsibility mission. "Once again, we are proud to be able to help those in need, especially transvestites, who are rejected daily by society. As a company that employs gays and has products for this public, it is our duty to contribute to the cause, and we do so with great pleasure ", it says.
Relief
Officially founded in 1992, the Brenda Lee Support House currently helps 12 people, all of whom are HIV positive. Ten volunteers, including cooks, social workers and nurses, take turns day, night and weekends to care for the residents.
According to the institution's director, Maria Luiza Martins, the aim of the house is to socially reinsert its residents, encouraging them to look for work or return to their families. Many of those who receive help today were once homeless and had their health compromised due to their involvement with drugs and alcohol.
But one of Brenda Lee's greatest missions is to combat stigma and prejudice against HIV-positive people. "When she was still alive, Brenda Lee faced a lot of prejudice. It was the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, which was still frightening because there was little information about it. But, little by little, with her work, Brenda was demystifying the disease and gaining the support of the community", says Maria Luiza, for whom the transvestite was a "warrior".
Even today, Maria Luiza gets emotional when talking about her friend, brutally murdered in 1996. With an entrepreneurial spirit, Maria Luiza says she is proud to continue the pioneering work of Brenda Lee, who, despite countless donations and support from the neighboring community, still faces many barriers.
Currently, the house has a partnership with the National STD/AIDS Program of the Ministry of Health, which transfers R$200 per bed – there are 23 in total – to the institution. But the budget is not enough to keep the house running.
To give you an idea, the stock of food and cleaning materials is expected to last for just another 3 months. There is a lack of basic items, such as coffee, disposable cups, oil, washing powder and margarine. The situation is not worse because some residents benefit from Loas (Organic Social Assistance Law), which guarantees a minimum monthly wage (R$510).
"Despite the difficulties, we continue to fight firm and strong. It's all worth it, because we love the cause", says Maria Luiza.
DasBrenda
To help with the budget, Casa Brenda Lee has a thrift store, whose products come from donations. The improvised space, located in the garage in front of the headquarters, is managed by the friendly 29-year-old Gabriela (photo on the side) from Ceará.
In addition to being a salesperson, Gabriela is a kind of personal stylist for her clients. "It was the most rewarding thing I've ever encountered in my life," says the transvestite, who runs the store from 8am to 16pm, Monday to Friday.
Living in São Paulo for 6 years, Gabriela was once a Miss in her homeland and today admits to being happy to receive support at Casa Brenda Lee. "I didn't value my life. I had to overcome all the difficulties and, today, I have proud to be able to help other transvestites", he confesses.
Among the products found at the thrift store, affectionately nicknamed "DasBrenda", in reference to the Rio brand Daspu, are clothes, shoes and accessories, with prices starting at R$1.
Projects for 2011
One of Maria Luiza's proposals for next year is to offer professional training courses and workshops to residents of the house. The director also wants to continue with the new headquarters project, which has been on hold since 2005 due to lack of funds.
According to the director, 50% of the project has already been approved by City Hall. What is missing now are investors who are interested in the idea. The new headquarters, which will be built on the other side of the street, in the place where the institution's ambulance is currently parked, will be able to offer even more dignity to transvestites who suffer daily from prejudice.
How to help
The Brenda Lee Support House is open to anyone who wants to meet her and wants to help with food, hygiene or cleaning materials or even money.
The institution has an account at Santander bank for donations: branch 0143/Current account 13003310-1 (holder: Paula Souza).
Service:
Brenda Lee Support House
Rua Major Diogo, 799 – Center – São Paulo
Tel .: (11) 3112-1384
www.brendalee.org.br
