Real People: Santos gives back through fundraising for HIV/AIDS causes

Biltmore Ballrooms, 817 W. Peachtree St.

Information: www.jerusalem house/org /stars party; 404-350-1633

For 17 years, Jon Santos has worked behind the scenes to make life easier for those living with HIV/AIDS. The face of the 46-year-old Inman Park resident may not even be known to many of the people he’s served, since his expertise lies in raising the money that funds organizations working with AIDS patients. A native of Hawaii, he arrived in Atlanta to work during the Olympics, and stayed in town to support the work of Common Ground, AID Atlanta, the AIDS Memorial quilt, and most recently, Jerusalem House, a nonprofit that provides affordable and safe living facilities where anyone afflicted with AIDS can find a place to call home and a community of fellowship.

But for Santos, working at these organizations has not been about having a job.

“HIV/AIDS is my cause, and I’m working to effect change,” he said. “I do it because when I was young and living in Los Angeles, HIV was in its infancy. I stopped counting how many people I knew who died of it when the number got to 40.”

The defining moment for Santos came in the early 1990s when a friend who was in the final stages of AIDS was dropped off at a hospital by his family, and he died alone.

“They were embarrassed by him; in fact, they were so stigmatized they had a private funeral and buried him in an unmarked grave,” Santos said. “I made a vow then that it won’t happen to anyone else.”

But he also knew his talents didn’t include being a caregiver or counselor.

“I don’t have the patience to be a social worker; that’s not my strength,” he said. “What I do well is raise money. I started out doing events and took off from there.”

The major fundraiser Santos is currently designing is a Silver Stars party on April 3 to support Jerusalem House, which is marking its 25th year of service to the AIDS community.

“We are the oldest and largest provider of supportive housing for homeless and low-income for men, women and children who are affected by HIV/AIDS,” said Santos. “We’re not a homeless shelter; some people may have jobs, but they still need help making ends meet. People can stay with us as long as they need to, and that varies from person to person. Some are here for a month; one person has been here since 1996.”

Just where “here” is is not public knowledge. Jerusalem House operates two facilities and several apartments in various locations across town. On most days, about 240 residents - including 70 children - call a Jerusalem House unit home.

“Having a place to live means kids are not homeless, and they don’t see their mother struggling to find a meal or shelter,” said Santos. “When I first started doing this, I thought it was just about raising money. But I can see exactly where the money is going and how well our people are doing. It’s more than just giving people a roof and shelter; it’s having a place that’s safe, secure and serene. And that’s a huge thing.”