Judy Warren:
Driven For God

Judy is the Founder and President of Midland/Odessa Area AIDS Support, Inc (MAAS).  MAAS delivers two important programs; SUPPORT and EDUCATION.  MAAS provides support to individuals and families whose lives are affected by HIV/AIDS in the Midland/Odessa region.  The purpose of MAAS also includes providing a comprehensive HIV/STD prevention education program. In 2006 MAAS is celebrating 15 years of service to the community.

Judy’s development and accomplishments in the fight against HIV and in her service to the HIV/AIDS community include being presented the 2004 Jefferson Award for Public Service and also being named as one of Midland’s “Unsung Heroes.”  Judy’s qualifications include:

State certified to counsel HIV/AIDS clients and do AIDS prevention education

Completed the Stephen Ministry Leadership Training Course qualifying her to teach the Stephen Ministry Program at First Presbyterian Church in Midland, Texas (Stephen Ministry Program teaches lay people for six months to be able to work with others in times of crisis, grieving or many other situations)

Ordained Minister – World Bibleway Fellowship

Business College Degree – Durham’s Business College, Austin, Texas

Executive Director of a nonprofit association for retarded citizens in Lynchburg,Virgina (LAARC)

Opened and assisted in the management of Four Seasons Nursing Center in Austin, TX

Opened and managed a preschool and an accredited kindergarten in Houston, Texas (Playcare Centers of America, Inc)

Owner of Interior Design business

In Her Own Words

In 1987, I learned that my baby brother, who was also like my son, had AIDS.  I was devastated.  In a split second, my life changed, never to be the same again.  Until he lost his life to AIDS, I took care of my brother.  He was the first AIDS patient to enter ICU at our local hospital in Midland, Texas.  They were not prepared for him at all.  No one wanted to touch him while he lay there dying.  I watched him lose his brilliant mind and go completely blind. 

During that time, you could turn your T.V. on and hear about people with AIDS and their families being literally run out of town and for some, their houses were even burned down.  That, plus moving to conservative Midland from Houston, added to our fear and isolation greatly.  We lived a complete double life.  I was becoming very active in our community, but no one knew I was taking care of my brother with AIDS in our home.  In 1988, I found out that I had thyroid cancer myself and had to have my thyroid removed and our Mother developed a slow growing cancer that took her from us in 1997.  She never got over any of it.