News
On Thursday, March 4, 2021, Fox 5 NY featured the Alliance as their Coronavirus Hero of the Day, highlighting our Food and Nutrition Services, which have provided meals for hungry New Yorkers during times of unprecedented food insecurity in NYC.
Learn more about how Alliance is caring for our community during the coronavirus outbreak here: www.alliance.nyc/coronavirus and support our work by giving to the Coronavirus Support Fund today!
Tell us a little about yourself, who you are, and what brought you to Alliance?
My name is Samuel Rodriguez and I am an Assistant Manager for Treatment Adherence Services at Alliance. I wanted to work with people that are HIV positive. I lost my baby sister to this disease in the early ‘90s. I told myself if I ever got a chance to work in the HIV field, I would do it. I've been with Alliance for about 12 years. I started as many have, having graduated from Alliance’s Peer Program. Once I completed that, I was hired as a consultant. From there I was hired as a staff. Now, I have been a staff member for over 8 years.
Tell me about your program/service and what problem it solves.
In our Treatment Adherence Program, our goal is to connect as many people as possible to our Pharmacy Access services and treatment support. We provide a safe, quiet, and confidential place where clients can come in and pick-up their medications or even take them right there as part of DOT (Directly Observed Therapy) support. We make sure our clients get what they need to adhere to medication. We refer them to support services or make sure they are going to see their doctor. Our goal is to make sure every client becomes Undetectable.
Is there an achievement or contribution to this program you are particularly proud of?
There was a man sleeping in front of our office building. Every morning when I came in, I would see him there on the street with a bag of cans he’d collect throughout the day. Every morning, I would start a conversation with him. In our conversation, he told me he was HIV positive. I asked if he was taking his meds. He said yes, but people robbed him, thinking his pills were drugs. I explained what I do and told him he could come every day and take his meds at our office. He said he would think about it. Two days later, I picked up all the cans in the office and brought them down to him. I reminded him how easy it would be for him to join our program. Not only could we help him with his meds, but also he could eat breakfast and lunch with us every day. He finally came up with me one day and had something to eat from our Food & Nutrition program. When he finished eating, he did an agency intake and came upstairs to enroll in Treatment Adherence and Pharmacy Access services. Part of his support was DOT where he would come in every day and take his meds in front of us. Now, you have to remember, he was sleeping in the streets, and only had two pairs of pants and three shirts with him. I told him it was time he gets a safe place to sleep and helped him find a shelter. He started coming to the office every day and when he was comfortable I connected him with a psychologist. He got on psychiatric medication and began taking them every day as prescribed. He got his own apartment, a part-time job, and after about a year in the program became Undetectable (when the amount of HIV viral load is under 200 copies per ML, or undetectable). The following year he found a partner. They moved upstate and he continues to do well.
You never know who is ready to get help. I was very proud to help this client, it only takes a connection from one person.
What’s your outlook for the future for this program and beyond?
The Treatment Adherence Program and Pharmacy Access Center have a group of special people working together. We continue getting clients involved and hopefully make them whole again.
Recently, the NYS made a seemingly small change that puts our Treatment Adherence Program at risk. The FY 20-21 budget directs the Department of Health to carve out the Medicaid Pharmacy benefit from managed care and transition it to a fee-for-service model starting April 1, 2021. This change will destroy the safety-net and reverse the progress we’ve made toward ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic by impacting the 340B drug discount program, and the people who rely on the services and programs that it supports.
We have joined others to oppose the carve-out and will do whatever it takes to keep these services and continue to offer a place where lives change for the better.
If you could do anything in addition to what you are doing now, what would it be?
The only other thing I would be is a professional poker player (haha). But in seriousness, I am so lucky that I can come into work on any day and help someone feel a little better than when they first came in.
Is there another question that I have not asked you that I should?
I've always worked to help people. For ten years I worked helping people affected by domestic violence and three years on the domestic violence hotline. I worked eight years in Brooklyn Criminal Court in Red Hook, helping defendants get treatment so they wouldn’t have to go to jail. And now, twelve years working with HIV-positive clients. I do this because I know I was meant to help people. I also know how easy it is to get frustrated and want to give up on your clients. But I can't!!! I am here to help people change their lives for the better—even if it's just making them smile for a few minutes. From there, I get ready for the next person that is asking for help.
1. Tell us a little about yourself, who you are, what you do, and what you brought you to Alliance?
I'm a 66 year old Black man who started working at the Alliance in 2004. I have been HIV-positive since 1986. I'm in control and undetectable. I have also been cured of hepatitis C. I've been in recovery for drug addiction since 1997, and am no longer involved in any criminal activity. Currently, I work as an outreach Peer . I came to Alliance to better my life.
2. Tell me about your program/service and what problem it solves.
As a Peer, I help people learn how to manage their HIV/ AIDS, so that they can live a healthier life—free from drugs and alcohol.
3. Tell us about the impact you’ve had within your program.
Overall, I can speak to many people, who I’ve met and worked with that have inspired me to reach higher. When I first do my outreach to meet prospective clients, I meet them at shelters, soup kitchens, subways, and on the streets. They are dealing with drug use, homelessness, and health issues. Most of these individuals seem depressed and hopeless. The biggest challenge these clients are facing are trust issues, especially around being accepted for their past. I have been able to help clients by telling them good news: that they can get help, and take control of their lives. Their lives are much better now than they were before. Now, they know there’s a program at Alliance that will help them reach their goals.
4. Is there an achievement or contribution to this program you are particularly proud of?
I am always particularly proud when I am able to give out clothing and food through our basic needs and lunch program.
6. Is there another question that I have not asked you that I should?
Overall, in order to do this job, you have to be a people person, you have to believe in giving second chances, and you have to have compassion. As an employee, you are a door to people who are looking for help. As a door, you’re giving clients an opportunity to better their lives. That’s what I do, and why I give back at the Alliance. I’m giving what was given to me so freely in 2004.
Tell us a little about yourself, who you are, and what brought you to Alliance?
I found out about Alliance through word of mouth, when it was still the AIDS Service Center of Lower Manhattan. I was at a women’s HIV support group in a little church in Brooklyn when a woman gave me an application to the Peer Recovery Education Program—that’s what brought me to Alliance: Cycle 5 in 1996. It was in PREP Cycle 5, that I realized that I was able to live with HIV and not die.
Tell us about your experience in PREP?
Coming to the Peer Recovery Education Program, I got more than I bargained for. I was in an environment with like people, who were living with something that didn’t necessarily define them. I realized that I had a lot of life to live, and there were opportunities beyond just the training. It opened up a whole new world for me. I didn’t have to deal with stigma, and I wasn’t being treated differently because I had this virus. I had a new community I could rely on. I had hope for myself and my life beyond my status.
What do you do now at Alliance, and tell us about your program.
I am the Director for Peer Training at the Alliance for Positive Change. I work in training individuals to develop pathways to reenter the workforce, develop skills and knowledge, or attitudes that will be helpful in their communities, and ultimately helping themselves. Our foundational training offers soft skills, basic knowledge around HIV and AIDS, presentations skills, outreach/engagement skills, motivational interviewing, how to connect with people, and much more. Many of these individuals become integral in helping Alliance staff do their work (i.e. outreach into communities). From here, many individuals obtain certifications, gain higher level degrees, reenter the workforce, and beyond.
Is there someone you have helped create positive change?
I met a woman in a mutual aid meeting. I was open with my HIV+ status, and we connected. This person was also HIV+. She had been isolated for many years, her son had been murdered, her aunt had just passed away from complications with liver disease (and also had an AIDS diagnosis). Her family was secretive, and encouraged her not to talk about any of her traumas. I talked her into coming to PREP. Overtime, she got inspired to enter the workforce. She began as a cleaner in a city level job, and over the years she has become a conductor.
Is there a contribution to this program you are particularly proud of?
Because we believe in individuals, individuals have come to believe in themselves. And now they are able to reenter the workforce.
I am also incredibly proud of my team, and the dedication they bring.
Tell us a little about yourself, who you are, what you do, and what you brought you to Alliance?
I began my career journey in 1987, when I was trained by NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse) as a Substance Abuse Counselor and Outreach Worker. This was during the height of the AIDS epidemic in New York City. This work became my passion. I found out about Alliance through my wife. I was semi-retired after having heart surgery and getting bored sitting at home when she met a member of LES Harm Reduction Center. I learned more about its mission, and I signed up to volunteer because Alliance’s work is very meaningful to me.
Tell us about your program.
Alliance LES Harm Reduction Center is more than just a syringe exchange. We provide referrals for those seeking treatment, we have counselors for individuals seeking aid, and we have a mental health therapist and a psychologist on board. We also help with Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT)—all while stemming the tide of overdose and reducing HIV transmission.
Is there someone you have helped create positive change?
I am proud to help many people through my work with Alliance LES Harm Reduction Center. One person I am especially proud of is a gentleman who came for syringe exchange services, and whose life was in chaos because of substance use. The first time I met him, he didn’t want to talk about anything. He said, “Just give me what I ask for, so I can go.” As we built a rapport and relationship, our conversations became longer and friendlier. I let him know about the many services we offered to help him on his journey. Today, he is in recovery and employed with Alliance after completing our Peer training program. I will never forget the look of pride when he graduated from the Peer training program—he is truly creating positive change in his life.
Is there a contribution to this program you are particularly proud of?
I am proud I can offer my two decades of experience working with at-risk populations to help even more people in need!
If you could do anything in addition to what you are doing now, what would it be?
I have been very blessed to have found my calling. I do what I love: counseling and helping people. It is a great feeling to have someone say, “Thank you for helping.” I don’t want to do anything else.
We grieve the loss and honor the legacy of the brilliant, resilient and courageous Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg who fought fiercely for dignity, fairness and opportunity. As only the second woman to join the nation’s highest court, she long championed many of the rights we cherish and was a committed champion of full gender and LGBTQ equality.
Her inspiring words loom large today. She avowed, “We should not be held back from pursuing our full talents, from contributing what we could contribute to the society, because we fit into a certain mold ― because we belong to a group that historically has been the object of discrimination.”
I heard the news of her passing as I celebrated Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, with my family. Those who pass away on this holiday are regarded as tzadik, a title bestowed to the righteous.
As we mourn Justice Ginsburg, let us also celebrate her legacy, and reflect on her life’s achievements, ones that will continue to guide our efforts as we continue our work towards social justice, inclusivity, respect and equity. She will always be a hero in our hearts.
- Sharen I. Duke, Executive Director/CEO
Sharen I. Duke, Executive Director and CEO of The Alliance for Positive Change, issued the following statement about the death of U.S. Congressman John Lewis on Friday, July 17, 2020:
“This weekend, we lost a hero and icon of the civil rights movement – the Honorable Congressman John Lewis. Marching side-by-side with Dr. Martin Luther King, Congressman Lewis never gave up on the dream to achieve justice, dignity and equality for all. He stood up against discrimination on any basis, and as a staunch supporter of the HIV/AIDS community, he told advocates, “Your life is valuable. You are beautiful and strong, you must stay the course, and you must continue the fight. You cannot give up, and you cannot give in. Please know that you are not alone.” We mourn his loss, celebrate his life, and revere his commitment to creating a more equitable, just, and hopeful world for all of us.”
This summer would mark our third anniversary participating in the international Dining Out For Life fundraiser.
However, given the impact of COVID-19 on our community and clients and the ever-developing challenges and demands Alliance faces to ensure the delivery, quality, and impact of our services, we will not hold the event this year.
Initially planned for April, then re-conceived as a virtual event – Dining IN For Life – scheduled for July 30, the event has been (and will be again!) a wonderful way to convene friends, colleagues, Alliance staff and Peers, along with our corporate and restaurant partners to eat, celebrate, and support the work we do. This year we will not have this opportunity. But, that doesn’t mean that we don’t need the funds.
In the spirit of “Dining” together, we ask that you contribute to Alliance’s Coronavirus Support Fund, a fund that directly addresses the painful and compounding issue of food insecurity amplified by the virus: www.alliance.nyc/giving. 100% of your donation will go to support our food and nutrition initiatives.
Our work, providing a range of care services to New Yorkers living with HIV and other chronic illnesses, substance use, and homelessness has always been essential. This year, under the cloud of COVID-19 where our community has been particularly hard hit, it is critical. And it requires grit, ingenuity, and resources—human and financial.
Despite the necessities of social distancing, program reductions, and facility closures or limitations, Alliance has been on the streets, in our harm-reduction van, and on the phone (calling over 6,000 clients weekly!).
Alliance trained staff and our powerful legion of Peers are:
· screening for COVID-19
· evaluating essential physical, medical, and emotional needs
· helping to determine plans of action
· providing boxed meals
· delivering pantry items
· issuing gift cards for food to the homebound/isolated
· offering harm reduction services, HIV and HepC testing, free condoms, and syringe exchange
· making certain that our locations adhere to strict safety standards
· being that voice that simply says “I’m here…”
In advance, thanks for your understanding and your help. A contribution of even $10 or $20 will make a difference, put food on what might otherwise be an empty table, and even put a smile on someone’s face (albeit under a mask ;). www.alliance.nyc/giving
Feel Better. Live Better. Do Better.
The Alliance for Positive Change and our Executive Director Sharen I. Duke are featured in Crain’s Health Pulse New York. Check out the article below!
