Alliance Marks World Hunger Day with Promise to Keep Supporting NYers in Need

Sunday, October 16, marks World Hunger Day, an international day of action that has been observed since 1945. In New York City, food insecurity has skyrocketed since the outbreak of COVID-19. Access to nutritious food is especially important to people with chronic health conditions, including HIV/AIDS.

Alliance is committed to meeting the increased need with prepared meals at our community centers, and nutritious produce and pantry goods so people can eat nutritious foods at Alliance and in their homes. To support our work fighting hunger this season CLICK HERE.

Alliance for Positive Change Receives $750,000 in Federal Funding to Provide Recovery Support Amid Overdose Crisis

(New York, N.Y.)— Alliance for Positive Change has been awarded $750,000 in federal funding for recovery and harm reduction programming amid the growing overdose crisis. The funding from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will go to the development of the Supportive Opioid Addiction Recovery (SOAR) program at Alliance. 

Founded more than 30 years ago amid the height of the AIDS epidemic, Alliance is a leading multiservice organization that provides low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic conditions with access to quality health care, housing, harm reduction, and job training. 

The SOAR program will connect more than 600 low-income individuals who use drugs with Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) and other evidence-based recovery services, such as counseling and behavioral therapies. This funding will vastly increase Alliance’s ability to conduct outreach and engagement, screening for HIV and HCV, counseling and Peer coaching, and recovery support services.

“I am thrilled that Alliance for Positive Change received a critical $750,000 in funding to help continue their work combatting the overdose crisis in our City. Alliance is integral to our community, and I’m honored to be able to support their work through federal funding,” said Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney. “The need for help is evident, and I am glad that the Alliance has the resources it needs to help be a part of the solution.” 

 “Alliance is grateful that SAMHSA has awarded us this funding to expand our leadership in harm reduction and recovery,” says Alliance for Positive Change Founding Executive Director/CEO Sharen I. Duke. “The urgency of the overdose crisis is clear: more New Yorkers die of overdoses than homicides, suicides, and motor vehicle crashes combined. We are proud to promote the health and safety of people who use drugs and support their chosen paths to recovery and positive change.”

"Every New Yorker who comes to us has unique needs and life experiences, so we must offer a full spectrum of services to reach those who are being impacted by the overdose crisis," says Alliance’s Chief Program Officer of Prevention Services Ramona Cummings. "This crucial funding will go a long way towards increasing education around and access to Medication-Assisted Treatment. It is vital to be able to offer a range of lifesaving harm reduction and recovery supports that meet each individuals' goals."

Many of the people who will be served by SOAR live with other chronic health conditions and face systemic inequities, including insufficient access to quality medical and behavioral healthcare and substance use treatment. Certified Recovery Peer Advocates who have similar life experience will conduct community-based outreach and recruitment.

In 2023, Alliance will implement a hub service model based out of its Lower East Side Harm Reduction Center, where it will expand provider hours at its drop-in space. In future years, the program will expand to Alliance’s Midtown Manhattan headquarters, East Harlem, and East Village program sites to serve communities hit hardest by the overdose crisis.

Overdose deaths reached historic highs in New York City during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. The NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene reports that in the first two quarters of 2021, there were 1,233 overdose deaths in New York City, compared to 965 overdose deaths during the same period in 2020. Alliance’s SOAR program will address this concerning trend by providing New Yorkers who use drugs with health care, recovery support, peer counseling, and other vital services.

About Alliance for Positive Change

Alliance for Positive Change is a leading multi-service organization that provides low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic conditions with access to quality health care, housing, harm reduction, coaching, and renowned peer training and job placement programs that cultivate leadership and economic mobility. Alliance opened in 1991, at the height of the HIV crisis—a welcoming community of transformation and opportunity. Today, Alliance delivers on the promise of Positive Change with services and resources that equip people to navigate systemic inequities and achieve health and well-being. Learn about all the ways we inspire Positive Change at www.alliance.nyc

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Positive Change Hero: Vanessa

Photos: David Nager/Alliance

1.     Tell us a little about yourself, who you are, what you do, and what brought you to Alliance?

Vanessa: I’ve worked at Alliance for Positive Change since 2000. Back then there were fewer than 15 of us. And wouldn’t you know it, almost all of them are still working here today: Sharen, Ramona, Fulvia, Deborah, Lillian, Yvonne, Maria, Michelle, and John, at least. I came from Exponent, another program like our PREP training. I came here as a Peer educator specializing in recovery.

I’ve done so many jobs at Alliance. I’ve been a case manager, Peer trainer, so many different jobs!

2.    Tell me about your current program/service and what problem it solves.

Vanessa: I’m a harm reduction manager. In harm reduction, at Alliance Midtown Central, we work with HIV positive people who are actively using substances, having sex with multiple partners, or are on medication. I work to help them get the resources they need. The beauty of Alliance is once people come through our doors, they see other services that can help. Sometimes that means helping them get certifications to advance their careers.

3.    Tell me about a specific person in the harm reduction program.

Vanessa: The first person I’m thinking of was a man who didn’t have stable housing. He had discolored nails, which can be a symptom of really serious illness, so we got that addressed with medicine, to flush his system out, and we would text him to remind him to take the meds. We got him clean clothes, his resume up to date, and helped him get a job at Macy’s.

Within six months, we got his viral load improved, too.

4.    Is there an achievement or contribution to this program you are particularly proud of?

Vanessa: Our purview tends to be drugs, including alcohol, but I’m a cigarette smoker, and I know it’s a terrible thing for your body, and addictive. One person I worked with was a chronic cigarette smoker and developed advanced throat cancer. We were trying to address her body image issues and were able to help her reduce smoking, too.

5.    How has your program changed during the pandemic?

Vanessa: It’s been difficult with virtual treatment because a lot of people don’t have access or don’t know how or don’t want to do it. But we continued our virtual group therapy. I completed a Seeking Safety for Women training over Zoom, and some of those women really enjoyed that. But generally, trauma is better addressed in person.

6.    If you could do anything in addition to what you are doing now, what would it be?

Vanessa: I’d probably still be doing a lot of these same things, teaching harm reduction. After you’ve been doing this so long, it becomes a part of you. I’d also open up a foster care for children. I love children.

7.    Is there another question that I have not asked you that I should?

Vanessa: I’ve been known to meet people on a corner and bring them up into Alliance. In fact, one person I met and brought into Alliance now works here and has been stably housed for a long time.

Brittany Gomez featured in City Limits for Recovery Month

Alliance Peer and PREP Cycle 58 graduate Brittany Gomez shared her story in a guest column for City Limits. She advocates for more harm reduction services and options that support people in recovery without shaming people who use drugs including alcohol. As Brittany writes: “There is no one-size-fits-all solution to the overdose crisis. Recovery was the right path for me, but harm reduction interventions that help individuals use drugs more safely might work better for others.”

Positive Change Hero: Maria

Maria Madrid is one of the most vivacious, fun, and friendly people our staff, Peers, program participants, and visitors see at Alliance Midtown Central. After more than two decades, Maria is celebrating her retirement and transitioning from full-time to part-time work. We at Alliance are so grateful to Maria for her passion for harm reduction, and the kindness she shows everyone she comes into contact with. We’re so glad that she’ll still be in the office a few days a week, even if less than we’ve grown accustomed to, and wish her health and happiness with her extra free time. She has definitely earned it. We recently sat down with Maria to learn more about her work as a frontline hero.

1.     Tell us a little about yourself, who you are, what you do, and what you brought you to Alliance

Maria: I came to Alliance almost 30 years ago. I was using a lot of drugs and went to a lot of NA meetings. Someone I met there was coming to Alliance when we were ASC on 14th St. I’ve stayed for 22 years because I like to see people make positive changes.

2.    Tell me about your approach to your work and the program participants you see

Maria: Most of the people in my programs are people who use drugs. A lot of people can do moderation, like going from using four bags a week to two, that’s a huge improvement for them. Some people can’t. So some people’s solutions are different. I always treat people like people, and I think that’s what we do here, and it works. In my experience, nobody in the shelter system asks people how they are doing or if they need anything? We’re always polite and patient.

3.    Do you base a lot of how you treat people you work with on your personal experiences?

Maria: Oh absolutely. Like I said, some people are all or nothing when they’re using drugs. I was one of them. I couldn’t do moderation, so I know that other people are the same way. So I haven’t touched drugs or liquor in 29 years.

I also went through the shelter system. I also went through difficult relationships I had to repair. Including with my kids.

4.    Can you me about a specific person in the program?

Maria: The person who brought me here was Lurenda, I’ll always remember her. One person, I’m not going to say his name obviously, but he is always trying to stop, so he’s in the methadone program. His drug use was making his hepatitis C worse. We were able to get him into the methadone program, and for a while, his hepatitis C was supressed. He’s relapsed since then, but we’re not giving up on him. 

5.    How has your program changed during the pandemic?

Maria: It was good. I had a chance to hold more Zoom groups and the participants who were not tech-savvy still learned how to do it. A lot of people haven’t come back, yet, and some people are adapting. I think also people are going to have trauma from trying to deal with the world right now.

6.    If you could do anything in addition to what you are doing now, what would it be?

Maria: If I had a million dollars, I would be doing this same type of job, giving people help who want it. Because people making serious changes in their lives is a long-term process.

7.    So you’ve just transition away from working full-time Alliance, right?  

Maria: Yes. I’m becoming a Peer here. After 22 years of working full-time here, I’m taking more time to be with my family. My kids are 48 and 44. I have two granddaughters, one who is 30 who has twins.

8.    Is there another question that I have not asked you that I should? 

Maria: I’ll give you my philosophy, too: Be good to yourself and be good to other people. You can’t help everyone, but don’t put someone down because you can’t help them.

Positive Change Hero: Eugene and Taryn

Photo: David Nager/Alliance

1.     Tell us a little about yourself, who you are, what you do, and what you brought you to Alliance

Eugene: I grew up in Long Island.  I’m the manager of the Criminal Justice (CJI) initiative and I've worked at Alliance for seven years.

Taryn: I was born and raised in the Lower East Side. I started on CJI and have been working on that and other criminal initiatives at Alliance off and on for the past 5 years.

2.    Tell me about your program/service and what problem it solves

Eugene: At CJI, we help HIV positive people get connected to care as they're released from prison back into one of a few boroughs in the city. We help them find housing, get connected to care, and other reorientation skills like using a smartphone. You might not realize it, but for people who've been incarcerated, things like this can be big hurdles. 

Taryn: I work with Eugene on the CJI program and our District Attorney of New York (DANY) arrest diversion program that lets people avoid prison time for some drug offenses. I lead one-on-one harm reduction sessions, help people get trained to use Narcan, and set goals, big and small.

But it only works if there’s trust. Honesty is key to their success, and my ability to help them.

3.    Do participants always trust you right away, or do some just not even want to know you?

Eugene: A lot of participants don’t initially trust anyone, but they recognize me from going into prisons to meet people and leave flyers with my face on them—Arianne Watson and I would do that pre-pandemic. Then when we meet, I share my story. I was also incarcerated and utilized reorientation services. So, I let them know I also didn’t know the steps, but it worked out for me and if they let me, I’ll teach them the steps to keep themselves okay. 

Taryn: Initially, sure. But I let people know where I come from, and I don’t shy away from the truth. I let them know straight-up: I can’t make you be ready, but I can walk you through it and if you want to make it work, support you with that. And I think a lot of the people I work with appreciate that I won’t B.S. them and they won’t B.S. me.

4.    Tell me about a specific person in the program 

Eugene: We had a participant waiting to find permanent housing who went off the grid before he was assigned a residence. My colleague Taryn got a call from a local McDonalds where the participant was having a mental health crisis. We talked to him and found out he’d relapsed. 

I told him “pencils come with erasers, we can fix that.” We got him enrolled in a rehab facility right away, so he wouldn’t be in trouble with his parole officer. Sometimes there isn’t a happy ending, but we’re there. The clients know we care, and they appreciate that— a lot of them have never had that before.  

Taryn: A couple people come to mind, including the person Eugene mentioned. One person was diagnosed as schizophrenic and bipolar, and he had PTSD. He smoked K2 (synthetic marijuana) which he said made him stop hearing voices. He started opening up. And he wouldn’t talk to anyone but me. He went to our writing and art classes, and he wouldn’t even take the incentives offered. When he’d get arrested, he’d tell the police to call me.

5.    How has your program changed during the pandemic?

Eugene: During the pandemic, we never closed. People were still being released from prison and needed housing or support. So we'd meet them somewhere in NYC, I'd find whatever NYC housing office was open and let them know we were coming. I went with our participants to help them understand their documents and sign forms. The big loss is that we couldn’t do big monthly meet and greets in the agency. Before the pandemic, we’d bring in people from the CJI program to get some food and soda, and while they were in, they could access other agency services. 

Taryn: CJI didn’t change at all. We connected clients to open HASA offices in Manhattan and the Bronx, and a YMCA in Queens. Eugene and I would go to HASA with our participants and bring survival backpacks with underwear, socks, t-shirts, phone, wallet, towel, lotion, and other basics and information on our services.

6.    If you could do anything in addition to what you are doing now, what would it be?

Eugene: DJing—I made music with a Serato set a few weeks ago. My stage name is “DJ Unique” and my first gig is actually coming up soon, at a Paint and Sip. I’d also probably be deep into podcasting. I’d like to create a safe, non-judgmental space where people can really talk.  Lastly, I’d like to be by the water—because I grew up in the Hamptons, water makes me feel calm. 

Taryn: I’d love to be a high school/middle school basketball coach. I was a point guard. I’d love to be at a K-12 school so I could really see them grow, and see their journeys. I’d still be doing Narcan trainings and violence-prevention interventions, which I do in my community on my own time. Mrs. Brenda has always appreciated and encouraged us to bring these types of interventions into our own communities.

7.    Is there another question that I have not asked you that I should? 

Eugene: Yes, what’s my philosophy? It’s “do unto others as you’d have them do to you.” 

Taryn: Who is Taryn? A swimmer. I love to swim. I play basketball on Sundays with a lot of guys from my neighborhood. I’m a father. My youngest daughter is like my best friend. She loves to go go-karting, we electric scooter around our complex.

Alliance Voices at Barnes & Noble 2022

Before a crowd of over 50 people, poets Eugene Eppes, Harriet McNeill (a.k.a. Star Heed), Charles Waters, Azeem Khan, IA, and Rosa Velez read poems they have written. The event included readings from, and a memorial tribute to, Alliance poets we’ve lost in recent years.

After a three-year-hiatus from this event, it was great to be back in Barnes & Noble celebrating community, and the transformational powers of art and creativity. More photos of the event can be found HERE.

Alliance Voices Poetry Reading at Barnes & Noble August 2022

Photo: David Nager/Alliance

Alliance Continues ONE Condoms Partnership with Custom Condoms

You may have seen Alliance’s safer sex mascot Captain Condom on Instagram or in the community -- but did you know they also have their own custom condom line?

ONE Condoms, the manufacturer of the first condoms to ever receive FDA-approval for anal sex use, donated over 300 condoms with our mascot on the wrapper. The manufacturer also sent hundreds of other safer sex supplies including lip balms, beads, and more, that have found happy homes at outreach events and KIKI Balls.

And a new batch of custom Captain Condom wrappers is headed Alliance’s way this month, fresh from the manufacturer’s Boston headquarters.

“Creative condom outreach directly in communities always inspires us at ONE®,” said Milla Impola, Director of Marketing and Communications at ONE® Condoms. "From social posts and photos, we love seeing how Captain Condom brings smiles, sexual health supplies, and a whole lot of condom conversations to people across New York City.” 

ONE Condoms’ first batch of custom Captain Condom wrappers

Out in the community distributing custom ONE Condoms with Captain Condom

Nongendered superhero Captain Condom was conceived of by a small committee at Alliance, sketched by committee member Ashley Johnson, and brought to life by professional illustrator Gwen Blackman.

“The custom Captain Condom condoms have given people an opening to ask questions about safer sex,” said Guy Williams, Director of Prevention Services. “When they see our team in custom shirts with our cardboard mascot, and then the same images on the condom wrappers that we’re handing out, it really opens the door for conversations on the street from people who otherwise might not engage with us. Captain Condom lets people see the fun side of safer sex, and we appreciate ONE Condoms’ donation of these awesome custom condoms.”

The presence of Captain Condom, in wrapper form, and cardboard cutout, has also helped Alliance’s prevention teams with HIV testing, Williams said.

“Talking about sexual health isn’t always easy. Captain Condom is the sexual health superhero we’ve been dreaming about!” said Impola.

Follow Captain Condom’s adventures on Instagram @CaptainCondomNY, and read more Community Stories of ONE Condoms helping to promote safer sex at https://www.onecondoms.com/blogs/community-stories.

Alliance for Positive Change Announces New Board Members

(New York, N.Y.)—Alliance for Positive Change, which for three decades has provided low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic conditions with access to quality health care, housing, and harm reduction, today announced the election of three new members to its Board of Directors.

The three new Board Members are: Jennifer S. Gordon, Esq., of Paramount Global, Nick Holmes, MBA, of Microsoft, and Andres Nieto of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. All have begun two-year terms.

“Since our founding days, Alliance has always been fortunate to receive the expertise and knowledge of a committed Board that cares deeply about equity and opportunity,” said Board Chair William Toler. “We are incredibly grateful to welcome Jennifer, Nick and Andres, all whose expertise and passion for change will not only help our organization to grow but for our program participants to experience positive change.”

About Alliance for Positive Change

Alliance for Positive Change is a leading multiservice organization that provides low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic conditions with access to quality health care, housing, harm reduction, coaching, and our renowned peer training and job placement program that cultivates leadership and economic mobility. Alliance opened in 1991, at the height of the HIV crisis—a welcoming community of transformation and opportunity. Today, we deliver on the promise of Positive Change with services and resources that equip people to navigate systemic inequities and achieve health and well-being. Learn about all the ways we inspire Positive Change at www.alliance.nyc.

Jennifer S. Gordon, Esq.

Nick Holmes, MBA

Andres Nieto