RAIN Records

Collection

Identifier: MS0456

Staff Only

Audiovisual and Digital Media

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Scope and Contents

Materials created and collected by RAIN staff between 1992 and 2013 that reflect the growth and development of the organization in their work to alleviate the suffering of HIV/AIDS patients by organizing congregational-based care teams for AIDS sufferers, providing programs to promote awareness and prevention of HIV/AIDS, and coordinating public events to support the program.

These records mainly consist of ephemeral printed materials and memorabilia associated with the activities of the RAIN organization, including newsletters, clippings, flyers, event posters, fabric items and other memorabilia. Notably there is a good representative collection of RAIN’s newsletter, Raindrops, from 1997-2008. The collection also includes electronic media documenting religious services, training, and media coverage of RAIN and AIDS events between 1995 and 2010.

In addition, the collection has a small but significant group of reports evaluating RAIN that were created by third parties. A very small amount of correspondence is scattered among other printed materials throughout the collection, and there are a few financial records.

Dates

Creation: circa 1992 - 2013

Creator

RAIN, Inc. (Organization : Charlotte, N.C.) (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the patron's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.

Historical Note

RAIN (Regional AIDS Interfaith Network) is a coalition of religious congregations in the Southern Piedmont of North Carolina that was founded in Charlotte in 1992 by the Reverend Deborah Warren to address the needs of persons with HIV/AIDS disease. From the outset RAIN’s goals were to enhance the lives of AIDS sufferers through ministry and compassionate care, to break down barriers between people by fostering relationships, and to reduce fear and stigma surrounding AIDS through public education. In addition to drawing on her own experience caring for people with AIDS, Warren modeled RAIN on a combination of two programs: a care team/care partner program that was developed by Arkansas RAIN and replicated in other states; and the practices employed by Clinical Pastor Education (CPE).

Since the 1990’s, under the leadership of President and CEO Reverend Deborah Warren, RAIN has continued to train volunteers, build and support a network of congregational-based care teams for AIDS sufferers, provide programs to promote awareness and prevention of HIV/AIDS, and coordinate a variety of public events, notably Gay Bingo, and their signature fundraiser, AIDS Walk Charlotte. RAIN has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including a Ford Foundation 2002 “Leadership for a Changing World” award. RAIN was featured in the research of New York University/Wagner Research Center for Leadership in Action in “How North Carolina’s Religious Congregations Are Building a Volunteer Network to Sustain People With HIV/AIDS.” In 2006 Deborah Warren received the “Local Hero” award from Bank of America.

During its existence, RAIN’s focus has shifted from caring for people dying of AIDS to providing compassionate care for those living with the disease, and the organization now coordinates programs in over 100 congregations from 20 different denominations and faith traditions in 13 counties in North Carolina. RAIN’s corporate office was originally located at Myers Park Presbyterian Church, moved to First United Methodist Church in 1999, and is now located at 601 E. 5th Street, Charlotte N.C. 28202. RAIN Inc. is a nonprofit organization. Various other ‘RAIN’ organizations formed throughout the United States during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, including one in Little Rock, Arkansas, and one in New Orleans. Both institutions preceded RAIN in Charlotte and helped to shape Warren’s mission. Two other North Carolina Regional AIDS Interfaith Network organizations emerged after Warren pioneered RAIN in Charlotte, namely Guilford Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (GRAIN), and Triangle AIDS Interfaith Network (TRAIN).

Note. Information sourced from RAIN (Regional AIDS Interfaith Network) record collection and institution’s website www.carolinarain.org .

Extent

7.5 Linear Feet (10 boxes, 2 oversize box, 1 oversize sign)

430.9 Megabytes (1 DVD)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Records of RAIN (Regional AIDS Interfaith Network,) an organization founded in 1992 in Charlotte, North Carolina and dedicated to addressing the needs of persons with HIV/AIDS disease in the Carolinas. The collection largely documents events and activities including fund raising, public education, and organizing volunteers.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into ten series, one of which (Audiovisual and Digital Media) contains a subseries. The ten series are: Financial materials, Gay Bingo, AIDS Memorial Quilt, NYU Leadership for a Changing World, Publications (1992-2013), Photographs and Negatives (1998-2002), Posters (1991-2013), Printed material and clippings, Memorabilia (1999-2010), Audiovisual and Digital Media (1995-2010). There are also a few files that do not belong to any series.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of RAIN Inc., 2013

Note

Forms part of the King-Henry-Brockington LGBTQ+ Archive.

Processing Information

Records have been rehoused for preservation. Although they largely reflect their original intellectual arrangement, materials have been grouped by format for optimum storage.

Processing completed in 2014 by Tina Wright, Oral History Interviewer.