On May 7, the HIV service organization RAIN rolled out a new logo, coinciding with many changes taking place in the organization. One of the changes is Chelsea Gulden’s position of President and CEO of RAIN. Says Gulden: “We are going through transition as a company with new leadership. Now seemed like a good time to release a logo that represents who we are.”
Gulden explained the significance of new look for the logo.
“The red ribbon starts over the I in RAIN to mean ‘individual’ and goes on to encompass everything else. We try to look at each individual client as a holistic picture, examining barriers that keep them from being successful.”
After spending 16 years with RAIN, Vice President of Philanthropy Nathan Smith is excited about the changes he has seen occur.
“More staff in their twenties and thirties,” he explains. “The younger generation is starting to lead the community towards RAIN’s ultimate vision of an HIV future. This new logo represents the youthful generation stepping up.”
Prior to adopting RAIN as its defacto organizational name, the title served as an acronym Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN).
“As HIV care moved from being rooted in communities of faith to being rooted in the professional world, we dropped the terms interfaith. There was also a big national push not to use the phrase AIDS [because some think of it as] more of a clinical term.”
RAIN works with clients that are living with HIV and AIDS.
Friends and family of those with HIV are some of the organization’s largest donors. One anonymous supporter is responsible for covering much of the costs for this new logo.
“We started making changes before the new logo rollout,” Smith explains. “There’s a graphic designer at RAIN who worked for months prior to create new banners and brochures. This change took about a year overall, because it’s a big conversation to have. Fortunately, we also have a board member who works for Bank of America and has a background in branding that was able to use his talents in this situation.”
As for the future of RAIN social events and fundraisers, Smith is upbeat.
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