Many members of our community are experiencing deep fear and uncertainty about the future as this new chapter in our nation’s history begins.
The incoming federal administration is moving quickly to undermine our nation’s science-based public health system, hard-won civil rights protections, and life-saving federal safety-net programs, to name just a few areas that directly affect our participants’ well-being.
We can’t predict precisely how things will unfold, but we can promise this: We will stand WITH our community, show up FOR our community, and continue to be A PLACE OF SAFETY, DIGNITY, AND BELONGING for the people we serve.
History is our guide. Alliance was founded in the early 1990s, when stigma and misinformation surrounding HIV and AIDS were the norm.
We created Alliance as a resource and sanctuary for people facing cruelty and discrimination at the most vulnerable time in their lives—sometimes from elected officials, sometimes from the healthcare sector, and sometimes even from their own friends and families.
We persevered through those times and improved hundreds of thousands of lives. We will persist through these times, too.
Alliance will always be a community of belonging and respect for all people. We will continue working diligently to resource our participants for positive change in health, economic opportunity, safety, and self-determination. We will join with our city, state, and community partners—just as we always have—to press for what’s right.
This is our promise as together we face the significant challenges to come: we will live up to our name and pursue our commitment to positive change.
Thank you for standing beside us,
Alliance for Positive Change Leadership
Sharen I. Duke, Executive Director/CEO
Brenda Starks-Ross, Deputy Executive Director/COO
Tamara Green, Deputy Executive Director/CPO
Ramona Cummings, CPO of Harm Reduction
Judy Hederman, SVP of Finance
Brooke Montes, SVP of Business Development & Communications
Statement On the Results of the 2024 Election
With the reelection of Donald Trump—whose policies and rhetoric have viciously targeted people of color, women, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, disabled people, and other marginalized communities at the heart of Alliance’s mission—today is not a day for silence.
This election outcome is a threat to the values we hold dear, including human rights, social justice, equitable healthcare, bodily autonomy, and responsible public health policy.
Alliance for Positive Change was founded more than 30 years ago at the height of the AIDS epidemic, with a core ethos of respect, compassion, and care. We are writing today to reaffirm our enduring commitment to welcoming services and the dignity of all people, with particular concern for those most harmed by discrimination, marginalization, and hate.
We cannot and will not allow our progress to be reversed or our communities to be sidelined.
Please stand with us as we find a way forward through what is likely to be a destabilizing period in our nation’s history. Let’s together uplift and embody positive change—today, tomorrow, and always.
With gratitude for your support,
Alliance for Positive Change
US Senators Schumer and Gillibrand Champion Funding for Alliance
Alliance for Positive Change has been awarded a federal funding allocation for our new Accessing Options for Opioid Management (Options) program, which expands access to trauma-informed harm reduction and substance use treatment for women living in New York City. Alliance’s Options provides supportive services for low-income cisgender and transgender women to navigate systemic inequities to health and well-being.
“We are grateful to Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand for investing in community-based organizations and allocating funding to advance health equity in New York,” said Brenda Starks-Ross, Alliance’s Deputy Executive Director and COO. “With this funding, Alliance will significantly expand our programming for women to explore options for harm reduction and substance use treatment in a safe, welcoming space. In the face of the overdose crisis, we advocate for the dignity, health, and safety of every individual’s chosen pathway to positive change.”
"All New Yorkers deserve to have access to medical, behavioral health and trauma-informed services," said Senator Gillibrand. "This investment in the Alliance for Positive Change Options program will advance health equity and provide women in New York City with expanded options for harm reduction and substance use treatment. I am proud to deliver this funding and will continue to fight for federal resources to improve health outcomes for all New Yorkers.”
“I am proud to support Alliance for Positive Change’s Options program to improve health outcomes for low-income, marginalized women with substance use disorder,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. “With New York City experiencing a record number of overdose deaths each year, it is so important we continue to invest in community-based organizations combating the overdose crisis. This $500,000 in federal funding will expand access to Alliance’s opioid management program and help New Yorkers overcome barriers to equitable healthcare. I won’t stop fighting to deliver the resources needed to support local organizations like Alliance and their work to help the most vulnerable people in our communities.”
Alliance’s Options creates a safe space for women to receive support and resources that address underlying trauma, depression, stigma, and substance use. By addressing social determinants of health—such as food insecurity, housing instability, violence, trauma, and poverty—Options will improve access to medical and behavioral health and recovery support services. Alliance’s Options leverages Peer-led learning among program participants and staff where women can receive support and resources that will result in reduced hospitalizations, reduced emergency room utilization, and improved health outcomes for women in New York.
Overdose deaths in New York City continue to rise. The NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene reports that in 2022, there were 3,026 overdose deaths in New York City, an increase of 12 percent from 2021 and the highest number on record since reporting began in 2000. Alliance’s Options program will address this concerning trend by providing New Yorkers who use drugs with health care, connection to Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), recovery support, Peer counseling, and other vital services.
Alliance Responds to the 2023 NYS Budget
As you may be aware, on May 3, 2023, the New York State budget finally passed. Despite extraordinary advocacy by Alliance for Positive Change and other community health providers, the Hochul administration and NYS Department of Health implemented a disastrous Medicaid pharmacy benefit “carve-out,” drastically cutting essential funding to Alliance and other safety-net health providers.
We are outraged, BUT WE ARE NOT DISHEARTENED. We did everything in our power to fight—and will never stop fighting for our community’s equitable access to health resources.
Thank you for standing with Alliance and our allies as we fought to prevent this ill-advised policy decision. You responded to our action alerts with calls, emails, and generous support. We are grateful for you—and for our amazing community of providers, advocates, and coalitions.
So what comes next? Alliance and other safety-net providers will step up to fill the void, despite the challenges. Thanks to our collective advocacy, the NYS budget includes nearly $300 million in “reinvestment pools” to be directed to providers like Alliance for Positive Change. These monies in no way compensate for the lost funding, but they’ll enable Alliance and others to continue care coordination, patient navigation, treatment adherence support, and other lifesaving services. And we will hold the Governor and NYS Health Department accountable to follow through on their commitments. Learn more here.
Alliance for Positive Change has 30+ years at the forefront of HIV services, harm reduction, and other urgent yet underfunded health priorities—we are resilient, and we will weather this storm.
Thanks for standing with us as we continue fighting for the equitable health services our communities deserve. Read all about our recent work and achievements in Alliance’s 2022 Impact Update!
Alliance Statement on Uvalde, Texas School Shooting
Alliance for Positive Change mourns the horrific murders in Uvalde, Texas. This tragedy marks the 27th school shooting so far this year. This senseless violence is preventable. We need meaningful gun safety reforms, such as universal background checks and mandatory waiting periods for gun applications. We cannot imagine the unbearable pain that the victims’ families, and the community of Uvalde, are experiencing. We fervently hope that the tears of a nation, and future gun safety reforms in memory of the victims, can bring them some measure of comfort in a time of so much pain.
Alliance for Positive Change Awarded Grants to Increase COVID-19 Vaccine Access
—Funding will expand equitable vaccine access among New Yorkers disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, including low-income and BIPOC communities—
—Amid the Delta variant, the need for increasing vaccination rates has taken on new urgency—
(New York, N.Y.)—Amid the rise in Delta variant-related coronavirus cases, Alliance for Positive Change, a nonprofit that has been working to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic for three decades, has been awarded grants from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Fund for Public Health. The funding will help to reduce preventable COVID-19 infections and death among New Yorkers disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, including low-income and BIPOC communities.
Support from HRSA will advance goals to stop the spread of COVID-19 by implementing strategies that Alliance has deployed for decades in the fight against HIV/AIDS, including leveraging partnerships and community outreach to identify and engage New Yorkers who are vaccine hesitant. In partnership with Housing Works, Argus Community Inc., and BOOM!Health, the grant will enlist Alliance’s corps of peers to serve as community vaccine ambassadors, and involve weekly discussion groups, outreach through Alliance on the Move -- the organization’s mobile van, development of educational material, assistance with scheduling vaccine appointments, and employ social media to reach new audiences.
The Fund for Public Health’s Vaccine Equity Partner Engagement Project supports equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. The grant will strengthen Alliance’s ability to disseminate tailored, community-informed, and culturally relevant messaging about vaccines to address concerns in disproportionately impacted communities, and provide one-on-one navigation services to improve access to vaccinations in Central Harlem.
“Alliance is eager to implement the outreach and education strategies we have learned over the past three decades as an organization serving New Yorkers with HIV and other chronic health conditions to expand equitable vaccine access amid the pandemic,” says Arianne Watson, Director of Outreach & Community Engagement at Alliance for Positive Change. “Tailored vaccine messaging in communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic will be instrumental to advancing the fight against COVID-19.”
The COVID-19 pandemic is a public health crisis that has presented significant obstacles in efforts to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic. New data demonstrates that people living with HIV who become infected with the coronavirus are at extremely high risk of severe illness from COVID-19. HIV testing—our most important tool for early detection that saves lives—has decreased by as much as 45% nationwide. People have lost access to care due to lockdowns and increased economic hardship, while the overburdened and under-resourced healthcare system has struggled to keep up.
About Alliance for Positive Change
Alliance for Positive Change supports lasting, positive change among low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses. Focusing on underserved communities of color, our culturally competent, multilingual services remove barriers to accessing quality medical care, managing addiction, escaping homelessness, and achieving economic mobility. We address the underlying issues that contribute to health inequity through individualized, full-service support based on a harm reduction approach designed to help New Yorkers lead healthier, more self-sufficient lives. Because everyone deserves the chance to feel better, live better, and do better. Learn more at www.alliance.nyc.
Alliance Statement on Passing of Congressman John Lewis
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.”
Alliance on the Move!
The Alliance for Positive Change unveils “Alliance on the Move” mobile van to provide HIV testing and other health services in communities across NYC
- Launch of the life-saving van coincides with the nonprofit’s
Summer of Testing campaign to support HIV testing -
- Watch a live stream of the ribbon-cutting here -
(New York, NY) - The Alliance for Positive Change is fueling up its campaign to put the brakes on HIV and AIDS in New York City: this week the 29-year-old nonprofit unveiled its new Alliance on the Move mobile van to head to communities across the city to provide free, life-saving HIV testing, prevention, health care, and harm reduction services.
The New York City Council provided funding for Alliance to launch the program, which will bring HIV prevention education and linkage-to-care services into low-income and hard-to-reach communities throughout the city. The program is expected to reach thousands of New Yorkers each year.
“With Alliance on the Move, we are thrilled to be bringing some of our key services—including HIV and STI testing, linkage to care, and support for people struggling with substance use—into some of the highest-need neighborhoods in New York City,” says Sharen Duke, Executive Director and CEO of Alliance. “The van will improve access to care for New Yorkers.”
Representatives from one of Alliance’s hospital partners, NewYork-Presbyterian, joined the nonprofit at the ribbon-cutting. Dr. Peter Gordon, Clinical Director of NewYork-Presbyterian’s Comprehensive HIV Program, and Dr. Matthew Scherer, Attending Infectious Diseases Physician, participated in the launch event.
Mobile outreach services will feature free HIV and hepatitis C counseling and testing, STI screenings and assessments, linkage-to-care referral services, and distribution of condoms. In conjunction with the organization’s LES Harm Reduction Center, the van also will support those impacted by the opioid epidemic through syringe exchange and naloxone training initiatives.
By targeting hard-to-engage individuals and meeting New Yorkers where they are, Alliance will improve access to HIV and hepatitis C screening; identify people who are infected but unaware of their status; connect people to quality medical care; increase knowledge of risk-reduction strategies and resources; decrease isolation through connection to support services; and improve health outcomes.
Each year, Alliance administers over 1,200 free HIV tests and provides services to more than 6,000 people at its six locations in Manhattan and the Bronx. The organization also reaches 15,000 New Yorkers through its peer education and community outreach initiatives each year. The mobile van will allow the nonprofit to expand its reach to more neighborhoods across the city—bringing its services to people in need.
In conjunction with the launch, Alliance this month kicked off its Summer of Testing campaign, which is seeking to raise $5,000 for HIV testing. Testing is the gateway to prevention services and education, or for people living with HIV, a way to access the services they need. The organization’s goal is for all New Yorkers to be armed with the information they need to live healthy and productive lives.
Alliance was founded at the peak of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in 1990 to help New Yorkers affected by the crisis through connection to care, support, and resources. For the past 29 years, Alliance has continued to serve those with HIV/AIDS and expanded its successful approach to help people with chronic health conditions.
Alliance on the Move will primarily serve high-need neighborhoods in Manhattan, including Washington Heights, East and Central Harlem, the Lower East Side, Greenwich Village, and Hell’s Kitchen. For more information about Alliance on the Move and to request its services, please contact Phillip Bermudez at 646-880-7436 or phillip2@alliance.nyc
About The Alliance for Positive Change
The Alliance for Positive Change transforms lives of New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses. We help people access medical care, manage addiction, escape homelessness, get back to work, and find community. By addressing the underlying issues that contribute to poor health, Alliance’s individualized, full-service approach and harm reduction philosophy help New Yorkers lead healthier, more self-sufficient lives. At Alliance, we believe everyone deserves the chance to feel better, live better, and do better. Learn more at www.alliance.nyc.
Dining Out For Life 2019!
Thank you to everyone who supported Dining Out For Life NYC. Every year on the last Thursday in April, diners in NYC gather at their favorite participating restaurant to share a meal—and a percentage of their bill is donated to Alliance. This event helped us accomplish our mission of raising awareness for Alliance and continuing to provide resources for people living with HIV/AIDS.
The event was a hit with volunteer spokespeople including Ted Allen (host of Food Network’s Chopped) and actor Mondo Guerra (Fashion Designer and HIV/AIDS Advocate). Check out coverage for this event:
Dining Out For Life Returns to New York City on April 25 (Metrosource)
New York City’s Dining Out For Life Gives Back to HIV (Plus Magazine)
Food and fundraising for a good cause (Queens Chronicle)
Don’t worry if you missed it! You can still support Alliance in other ways:
Visit www.alliance.nyc/donate to make a contribution towards helping New Yorkers affected by HIV/AIDS!
See us in action! Join us at our Open House – the last Wednesday of the month. Contact Ebony Ross for more information (ebony@alliance.nyc).
Check out photos here, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Remembering Humberto Cruz
Photo: David Nager/Alliance
Alliance is deeply saddened at the passing of a friend, an ally, and a leader in our community, Humberto Cruz.
Our organization honored Humberto at our 20th anniversary event, acknowledging his longstanding commitment to serving those with HIV and AIDS and to ending the epidemic.
Many of you likely crossed paths with him, in his positions in New York State government (such as the Department of Health’s AIDS Institute), in community-based organizations, or on boards such as the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS.
Throughout his life, he was committed to our community. His insight, persistence and dedication to shepherding lifesaving measures – in policy and in practice – will continue to inspire positive change that many of us strive to achieve in our work.
I feel truly blessed to have known Humberto, and am heartened knowing that so many people that we encounter every day are healthier and leading longer, richer lives in large part due to him. We are all part of his legacy, and I applaud Humberto for never backing down, and for his endless contributions to our community.
- Sharen I. Duke, Executive Director/CEO