Abigail Franklin

Harlem United

Harlem United has been advancing health equality since 1988. Activists founded Harlem United in a church basement in 1988. At a time of extreme stigma, they created a compassionate community for loved ones dying of AIDS. Today, we provide world-class HIV care. And over the years, we've expanded to provide services for many other healthcare needs. We've advocated for social justice and remained rooted in our community. We'll keep at it until we achieve health equality. Harlem United's social services span four programmatic areas (Health Services, Housing, Harm Reduction, and Supportive Services) to offer vulnerable populations the following: medical, behavioral, dental, and specialty healthcare; permanent supportive, transitional, and shelter housing models; infectious disease prevention and testing; substance use and harm reduction services; intensive case management and care coordination; linkage to benefits and entitlements; an AIDS Adult Day Health Care; food and nutrition services; vocational education; and more. Each year, Harlem United provides supportive housing for more than 600 formerly homeless people, conducts almost 21,000 medical visits in its community health centers, and provides more than 18,000 hot meals and pantry supplies. Our clients deal with social and institutional barriers making it much harder for them to get the help they need. Established providers refused to provide our clients the care they desperately need, like housing, primary care, mental health, testing, health education and more. We founded Harlem United out of necessity. Specifically serving people living with HIV/AIDS who are homeless and/or suffer from mental illness, substance use, or social stigma related to their sexuality, gender or HIV status, Harlem United is the last resort for medically-under served communities of color in Harlem.