HIV/AIDS
Mission: In March of 1987, ACT UP formed in New York City by a group of people as a diverse, nonpartisan group of individuals united in anger and committed to direct action to end the AIDS Crisis. We challenge anyone who, by their actions or inaction, hinders the fight against AIDS. We challenge anyone who doesn't work for adequate funding or leadership for AIDS research, health care, or housing for people with AIDS. We challenge anyone who blocks the dissemination of life-saving information about safer sex, clean needles, and other AIDS prevention. We challenge anyone who encourages discrimination against people who are living with AIDS.
Website: http://www.actupny.com/ENDAIDS/index.php/nyc-info
Email: info@actupny.com
Phone: 212-966-4873
What volunteers do:
attend Monday meetings at the LGBT Center in Manhattan
organize and participate in direct actions, protests, and demonstrations
meet with government and health officials
research and distribute the latest medical information about HIV/AIDS
FYI:
current campaigns include lower priced AIDS and Hepatitis C drugs, financial speculation tax, repeal of HIV criminalization, and enhanced HIV prevention
Mission: The Alliance for Positive Change (previously AIDS Service Center NYC) helps New Yorkers make lasting positive changes towards health, housing, recovery and self-sufficiency. The Alliance is a multiservice community organization that carries out its mission of “helping many, one by one” by building community, connection and stability for New Yorkers living with and at risk for HIV/AIDS. The Alliance’s comprehensive programs include state-of-the-art peer education and training, harm reduction, specialized women’s services, HIV counseling and testing, mental health services, medical and holistic care, case management, support groups, and many other innovative programs that help New York City’s most vulnerable individuals and families to survive and thrive in the face of HIV/AIDS. The Alliance's programs promote positive change, self-respect, personal responsibility and connection to community. All services are free, confidential, offered in English, Spanish & French/Haitian Creole, and available at community centers across New York City.
Website: http://ascnyc.org/eng/volunteer/
Volunteer form: http://goo.gl/forms/j0AkdxA10b
Email: Kristin Lysko kristin@alliance.nyc
Phone: 212-645-0875
What volunteers do:
work in the garden
wrap gifts
prepare for events
compile safer sex kits
administrative help
data entry
plan events
teach yoga
lead support groups
teach job readiness classes
IT
Mission: Black & Pink is an open family of LGBTQ prisoners, prisoners living with HIV/AIDS and “free world” allies who support each other. Our work toward the abolition of the prison industrial complex is rooted in the experience of currently and formerly incarcerated people. We are outraged by the specific violence of the prison industrial complex against LGBTQ people and people living with HIV/AIDS, and respond through advocacy, education, direct service, and organizing. Our goal is liberation. We have a radical view of the fight for justice: We are feminist. We are anti-racist. We want queer liberation. And we are against capitalism. Prisons are part of the system that oppresses and divides us. Abolition is our goal, and our strategy for action. Any advocacy, services, organizing, and direct action we take will remove bricks from the system, not put up more walls. We want revolution. And we will work on reforms too, even if they are only small steps at ending the suffering caused by prisons. Our work is based in the experience of people who are or were in prison. We also raise up the voices of formerly incarcerated people as our “free world” members of the Leadership Circle. We know that those most hurt by the violence of the prison industrial complex have the knowledge of how to tear it down.
Website: http://www.blackandpink.org/chapters/new-york-city/
Email: nyc@blackandpink.org
Phone: N/A
What volunteers do:
become a pen-pal for an incarcerated LGBTQ prisoner
help match new penpals and answer questions
help out at regular mail-processing events
support advocacy for criminalized LGBTQ people and people living with HIV/AIDS in New York
educate the public about prison abolition
FYI:
extensive support and information for penpals available on website
Mission: BOOM!Health delivers a full range of prevention, syringe access, health coordination, behavioral health, housing, legal, advocacy and wellness services to over 8,000 of the hardest to reach communities in the Bronx, New York. BOOM!Health strengthens efforts to remove barriers to accessing medical care, with particular emphasis on HIV and viral hepatitis prevention and care services. BOOM!Health enables New Yorkers living with and at highest risk for illness, addiction, homelessness and poverty to realize their full potential by integrating services to create a seamless continuum of prevention and care.
Website: http://www.boomhealth.org/getinvolved
Email: volunteer@boomhealth.org
Phone: 718-292-7718 x222
What volunteers do:
pro-bono lawyers help advise and represent Bronx residents living with HIV/AIDS on civil matters (housing, domestic violence, family court, advance-care planning)
Borough: Bronx
Mission: BronxWorks helps individuals and families improve their economic and social well-being. From toddlers to seniors, we feed, shelter, teach, and support our neighbors to build a stronger community. In all aspects of our work, BronxWorks strives for the highest ethical and performance standards and is guided by the belief that people are to be treated with dignity and respect regardless of their present situation or past experiences.
Website: http://www.bronxworks.org/volunteer-opportunities
Email: Xavier Williams at xwilliams@bronxworks.org or L. Andrew Lin llin@bronxworks.org
Phone: 646-393-4000
What volunteers do:
Community Health Advocates volunteers conduct street outreach; attend afternoon and evening community meetings; and assist in planning informational sessions geared towards individuals and small businesses
volunteer attorneys and JD candidates assist low-income individuals prepare affirmative applications for immigration benefits
Positive Living volunteers serve lunch or dinner or help in food pantry for people living with HIV/AIDS
administrative work
teach ESOL (M-F, 9-5)
teach Civics (M-F, 9-5)
FYI:
for CHA, high school diploma, strong writing and computer experience, and ability to do public speaking required
other Positive Living opportunities available, based on interests
training provided for all positions
Borough: Bronx
Mission: GMHC is the world’s first and leading provider of HIV/AIDS prevention, care and advocacy. Building on decades of dedication and expertise, we understand the reality of HIV/AIDS and empower a healthy life for all. GMHC fights to end the AIDS epidemic and uplift the lives of all affected.
Website: http://gmhc.org/get-involved/volunteer-20
Email: SethR@gmhc.org
Phone: 212-367-1011
What volunteers do:
after orientation, serve as buddy (1-4 hours/week for one year minimum), providing emotional support to a GMHC client, working as a liaison to services at GMHC or other social service agencies, as needed, assisting client with light errands and socialization through various activities, reporting back to the agency on a regular basis
contribute specialized skills to Wellness Program (massage therapists, haircutters, fitness instructors, yoga teachers, chiropractors, reflexologists and acupuncturists)
based on professional training, teach workshops in art, music, dance, acting and creative writing
front-desk receptionist (greet clients and assist with intake, bilingual English/Spanish a plus)
field phone calls, respond to email, word processing, data entry, filing, direct mail, create presentations and spreadsheets
staff hotline to provide information and referral services regarding HIV and AIDS and our programs to the general public who contact the Hotline by phone and by email (in-depth training provided twice a year, 1-year commitment, bilingual English/Spanish a plus)
Support Corps on-call volunteers help with short-term projects (data entry, stuffing envelopes, space beautification, taking inventory, assisting with special events)
help with meal service (350 clients daily, lunch M-Th, Friday dinner)
FYI:
volunteers not currently needed at the HIV testing center, but openings may occur in the future
volunteer application on site
Borough: Manhattan
Mission: The mission of God's Love We Deliver is to improve the health and well-being of men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other serious illnesses by alleviating hunger and malnutrition. We prepare and deliver nutritious, high-quality meals to people who, because of their illness, are unable to provide or prepare meals for themselves. We also provide illness-specific nutrition education and counseling to our clients, families, care providers and other service organizations. All of our services are provided free of charge without regard to income.
Website: https://www.glwd.org
Volunteer signup: https://www.glwd.org/volunteers/overview.jsp;jsessionid=C4B520EF49CAC016CFE9F07165D3078F
Phone: 212-294-8158
Email: volunteer@glwd.org
What volunteers do:
work in the kitchen
deliver and package meals
work in the office
help with special events
Mission: Housing Works is a healing community of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Our mission is to end the dual crises of homelessness and AIDS through relentless advocacy, the provision of lifesaving services, and entrepreneurial businesses that sustain our efforts. Housing Works fights for funding and legislation to ensure that all people living with HIV/AIDS have access to quality housing, healthcare, HIV prevention information and other life-sustaining services, as well as legal protections from stigma and discrimination. Housing Works is a grassroots organization committed to the use of non-violent civil disobedience in order to further our mission to end AIDS and homelessness. Since 1990, we have provided a comprehensive array of services to more than 20,000 homeless and low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS. We believe that providing stable housing is healthcare and is the first step toward living a long and healthy life. Supportive services include but are not limited to housing, healthcare, meals and nutritional counseling, mental health and substance use treatment, job training, and legal assistance.
Website: http://www.housingworks.org/volunteer/
Phone: 347-473-7400, x 1
Email: Christina Liew, volunteer@housingworks.org or Josephine Akhigbe, hrintern@housingworks.org or Ida Kutechko, volunteer@housingworksbookstore.org
What volunteers do:
staff bookstore
staff thrift shop
staff fashion and design fundraising events
administrative support (receptionist, assist with events, development, donations)
Borough: Manhattan, Brooklyn
Mission: The mission of Project Hospitality is to reach out to community members who are hungry, homeless or otherwise in need in order to work with them to achieve their self-sufficiency — thereby enhancing the quality of life for our community. Project Hospitality seeks to realize its mission both by advocating for those in need and by establishing a comprehensive continuum of care that begins with the provision of food, clothing and shelter and extends to other services which include health care, mental health, alcohol and substance abuse treatment, HIV care, education, vocational training, legal assistance, and transitional and permanent housing. This continuum of care includes clinical care and a variety of housing models — emergency, transitional, and permanent supportive — to meet the needs of multiply diagnosed homeless persons. The multidisciplinary and integrated service delivery continuum of HIV support services provides a safety net for many clients with multiple needs in addition to living with AIDS. It provides our clients the support of a larger recovery community, where living with HIV is one factor among other disabilities and life stories.
Mission: Twenty-six years ago, the Momentum Project began as an all-volunteer organization dedicated to feeding disenfranchised New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS. Today, Momentum has grown into one of New York City’s largest HIV/AIDS organizations providing hot meals, pantry bags, and a wide array of life saving support services. Now part of an alliance with BOOM!Health, The Momentum Project promotes health and wellness through the provision of nutritious communal meals and supportive services to low income New Yorkers, especially those living with HIV/AIDS or other chronic illnesses. What continues to be unique about the Momentum model is that our congregate meal and pantry service attracts the hardest-to-reach individuals with HIV/AIDS, and that we provide all our services in a non-judgmental and supportive environment in our clients’ own neighborhoods. Our comprehensive team of nurses, nutritionists, social workers, chaplains and other specialists engage more than 3,000 low-income individuals with HIV/AIDS every year during meals, and educate, counsel, and link them to primary healthcare, mental health and substance abuse treatment, housing, and other essential services. Momentum works because of the pooling of public and private sector resources, our dedicated staff, committed Board of Directors, caring volunteers, and the trust of thousands of HIV/AIDS clients and their families.
Website: https://www.boomhealth.org/solutions/food-and-nutrition
Email: Yizel Santana ysantana@boomhealth.org
Phone: 212-691-8100 or 718-292-7718 x499
What volunteers do:
kitchen work (food prep, wash dishes, package food, clean kitchen)
meal service (prepare dining tables, set up buffet tables, serve clients, clean tables and serving areas)
pantry service (sort bulk items and produce, assemble pantry bags, stock fridge, distribute pantry bags, clean up)
security guard (meet/greet clients; check Momentum ID; identify walk-ins; be vigilant about/report disruptions, theft, vandalism; check bathrooms and hallways; seek assistance in event of an emergency)
registration (prep the registration table; prep meal and pantry tickets; assist clients with meal and pantry tickets; make sure menu, site calendar, and site rules are displayed; assist with distribution of pantry bags)
office assistant (answer general phone line and take messages; schedule intakes for enrollment; assist with filing of documents and charts; make copies; assist in organizing office space and forms; print and laminate ID cards; assist with data entry)
warehouse assistant (document/log items at warehouse; file documents and receipts; assist with organize warehouse space; assist with receiving deliveries, storage, and labeling; clean warehouse space)
van driver assistants (load/unload food items and supplies to sites; review items to be transported to make sure nothing is omitted; securely pack van and keep it attended)
FYI:
kitchen/meal/pantry volunteers needed Mondays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Lower East Side; Tuesdays 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Midtown East; Wednesday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., South Bronx; and Friday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Williamsburg
security guards needed Tuesday/Wednesday 11 am - 7 pm & Friday 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
office volunteers needed Monday, Wednesday & Fridays 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. in Bronx office
warehouse assistants needed Monday – Friday 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.
van driver assistants needed Monday – Friday 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Borough: Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan
Mission: The mission of Project Hospitality is to reach out to community members who are hungry, homeless or otherwise in need in order to work with them to achieve their self-sufficiency — thereby enhancing the quality of life for our community. Project Hospitality seeks to realize its mission both by advocating for those in need and by establishing a comprehensive continuum of care that begins with the provision of food, clothing and shelter and extends to other services which include health care, mental health, alcohol and substance abuse treatment, HIV care, education, vocational training, legal assistance, and transitional and permanent housing. This continuum of care includes clinical care and a variety of housing models — emergency, transitional, and permanent supportive — to meet the needs of multiply diagnosed homeless persons. The multidisciplinary and integrated service delivery continuum of HIV support services provides a safety net for many clients with multiple needs in addition to living with AIDS. It provides our clients the support of a larger recovery community, where living with HIV is one factor among other disabilities and life stories.
Website: http://www.projecthospitality.org/how-you-can-help/volunteer/
Volunteer application: https://www.projecthospitality.org/volunteer-application/
Email: info@projecthospitality.org
Phone: 718-448-1544
What volunteers do:
assist with meal preparation, service, and clean up in the soup kitchen
take clients shopping in the food pantry
tutor, assist with recreational activities, and take care of children in the homeless family shelter
help with meal and clothing pantry services in homeless Drop-In Center
serve Wednesday evening Positive Living Dinner for Staten Island’s HIV+ community
assist with planning and implementing community and fundraising events
provide clerical help to programs and administrative office
create an activity to conduct (e.g., leading a writing or art group or teaching ESL)
FYI:
volunteer positions are mostly weekdays between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
for soup kitchen, food pantry, and Drop-In Center, minimum commitment of 2 hours per month
for volunteer opportunities in homeless family shelter, 1-1/2 hours minimum commitment one day a week
Borough: Staten Island
Mission: Voices Of Community Activists & Leaders (VOCAL-NY) is a statewide grassroots membership organization building power among low-income people affected by HIV/AIDS, the drug war and mass incarceration, along with the organizations that serve us, to create healthy and just communities. We accomplish this through community organizing, leadership development, public education, participatory research and direct action.
Website: http://www.vocal-ny.org/members/become-an-ally/
Phone: 718-802-9540 or Jeremy Saunders at 917-676-8041
Email: info@vocal-ny.org or Jeremy@vocal-ny.org
What volunteers do:
support public-health harm-reduction project (needle exchange)
advocacy and community organizing (phone banking, outreach, rallies and events)
Borough: Brooklyn