I'm not trying to be hypocritical (although I know I am) and I am certainly not sermonizing, but I just wanted to post some ackowledgement to the HIPS organization based in DC for everyone's reference.  HIPS stands for Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive and is an outreach organization to DC street prostitutes - and I think it is an especially worthwhile and apropos organization for support by the hobbyist community.  

While I know that some of the providers that many of us (myself included) frequent and wax poetic about aren't necessarily living in the lap of luxury either, I think that any little bit of help to those who don't benefit much (or at all) from this "hobby" deserve attention.

At a minimum, this should appeal to all of us from a selfish perspective to help make the hobby a little "safer" for all.

Peace.

I looked up HIPS: it has an impressive history:
1993 Fas a cooperative extension service of the Center for Disease Control (CDC); begins night-based outreach and hotline counseling to young women on the streets.

1996 Becomes 501(c)3 (non profit org); collaboration with Metro Teen AIDS in S.E. Washington DC.

1997 “Divas Against AIDS” Peer Education programming, one of the first to engage current sex workers as health educators.

2000 Independent office in Adams Morgan; grant from the Washington AIDS Partnership for our first own outreach vehicle.

2005 “Safety Counts” – a CDC approved “Effective Intervention” for working with drug users.

2007 Adapts “Positive Opinion Leader” – another CDC approved effective intervention to providing community level HIV prevention education to women.

2008 National AIDS Fund has HIPS adapt and evaluate “Charm School” an adaptation of  Safety Counts specifically to address the HIV prevention needs of black women engaging in survival sex work.

2008 Funded by WDC to expand Syringe Access, integrating syringe exchange activities, engaging community leaders.

2009 Building on the success of “Charm School”, HIPS adapts Safety Counts for transgender women and men to help increase self efficacy and reach risk reduction goals in their lives.  

2010 New office and drop–in center on Rhode Island Avenue NE, expanding our programming to include HIV Testing and Counseling and over 20 hours of in-house education and services.

since I totally forgot to do so.  (hey, what can I say, it was late last night when I posted the message - for me anyway).