Bailey House Gives Home and Hope Where There May Be None

The Bailey House believes that a brighter future for HIV/AIDS patients starts with a good place to live. The non-profit organization’s advocacy stems from its conviction that housing is a human right and, thus, their work is indeed life-saving on so many levels.

In 1983, just two years after HIV/AIDS was first officially recognized in the United States, a group of compassionate people organized the country’s first response to homelessness among HIV/AIDS patients. The organization started as the AIDS Resource Center with a few apartments but soon the Bailey House was opened, a milestone in HIV/AIDS advocacy because the Bailey House was the first program to address the twin issues of poverty and homelessness among these patients.

Today, the Bailey House has served and continues to serve thousands of men, women and even children with HIV/AIDS in New York City. The organization addresses the issues of poverty, hunger and homelessness as well as substance abuse, mental illness, and physical care for patients in concrete yet compassionate ways. Indeed, the men and women behind Bailey House provide a home and hope where there may be none.

While access to safe, stable and affordable housing is the foundation for its programs, Bailey House also provides other equally life-saving services including supportive case management for both the patients and their families; innovative training programs for the promotion of self-sufficiency among recipients; and connections to medical care and treatment for patients. Of course, the housing-related programs have made the biggest impact where HIV/AIDS patients and their families are concerned.

Project FIRST provides services related to permanent housing, short-term rental assistance, and eviction prevention assistance for recipients. The Bailey-Holt House, the first of its kind in the nation, provides for supportive housing with its individual units fully equipped with private baths while the public areas include communal dining area, library, and community green space.

Lend your support now by making a donation, investing in Bailey House, and attending an event, among others.