The Albany Damien Center began in 1988 and was incorporated in 1990 as a Ministry of the Capital District Episcopal Churches & their friends in response to the 1988 Episcopal Church's call to meet the crisis of the AIDS Epidemic. The Damien Center is not a faith-based organization, yet invites persons from all religious and spiritual organizations to participate in helping with Center services. The Damien Center was one of the first AIDS drop-in centers in the nation. The Damien Center was named after Fr. Damien, who was a Catholic Priest in the late 1800’s who ministered to terminally ill lepers on the island of Molokai, Hawaii.
From November 1990 to September 1998, the Damien Center was located at Grace & Holy Innocents Church on the corner of Robin and Clinton Avenue in Albany. Due to the increasing need in the Capital Region, the Damien Center opened a branch in Schenectady in 1991 and a branch in Troy in 1992. Due to funding challenges in 1994, the Troy Damien Center was taken over by Troy Area United Ministries (TAUM) and the Schenectady Damien Center was taken over by Schenectady Inner City Ministry (SICM). The Albany Damien Center continued to operate on its own, governed by a caring, skilled, and diverse group of volunteers organized as the board of directors.
In September 1998, the Albany Damien Center purchased the property at 12 South Lake Avenue, Albany, NY 12203 which served as the agency headquarters and program site until a fire destroyed the building and its contents on August 29, 2013. We relocated to the First Lutheran Church at 181 Western Avenue, Albany, NY, where we have continued to offer our full range of services without interruption. The congregation welcomed us after the fire and is allowing us to stay indefinitely. The Albany Damien Center moved to 728 Madison Avenue where a new 26,000 square foot building serves as agency headquarters, programs, and a community residence for 22 people living with HIV/AIDS who are unstably housed.
Our program areas include:
From November 1990 to September 1998, the Damien Center was located at Grace & Holy Innocents Church on the corner of Robin and Clinton Avenue in Albany. Due to the increasing need in the Capital Region, the Damien Center opened a branch in Schenectady in 1991 and a branch in Troy in 1992. Due to funding challenges in 1994, the Troy Damien Center was taken over by Troy Area United Ministries (TAUM) and the Schenectady Damien Center was taken over by Schenectady Inner City Ministry (SICM). The Albany Damien Center continued to operate on its own, governed by a caring, skilled, and diverse group of volunteers organized as the board of directors.
In September 1998, the Albany Damien Center purchased the property at 12 South Lake Avenue, Albany, NY 12203 which served as the agency headquarters and program site until a fire destroyed the building and its contents on August 29, 2013. We relocated to the First Lutheran Church at 181 Western Avenue, Albany, NY, where we have continued to offer our full range of services without interruption. The congregation welcomed us after the fire and is allowing us to stay indefinitely. The Albany Damien Center moved to 728 Madison Avenue where a new 26,000 square foot building serves as agency headquarters, programs, and a community residence for 22 people living with HIV/AIDS who are unstably housed.
Our program areas include:
- AIDS Community Center (est. 1990)
- MPower! (2015)
- Treasure Chest Thrift Shop (1999)
- Smart Meals (2001)
- PAWS (2003)
WHERE WE SERVE...
The Albany Damien Center serves the upstate New York region in communities located in Albany, Clinton, Columbia, Delaware, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Green, Hamilton, Montgomery, Otsego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren, and Washington Counties.
OUR HISTORY, CONTINUED...
The Albany Damien Center employs 37 staff members and utilizes over 200 volunteers each year to deliver services in a caring, grassroots approach. Since 1997, Perry Junjulas, Executive Director and person living with AIDS, has led the organization and has encouraged active participation by people living with HIV/AIDS in all areas of program service delivery.
The Albany Damien Center is a unique resource in our Northeastern New York community for people living with and at risk for HIV/STI/hepatitis. We provide programs in a comfortable and supportive HIV+ peer-led environment using a health and wellness education model. Our client-centered approach addresses the physical, psychological, and environmental impacts on an individual’s overall health. Staff understand the barriers and issues faced by people living with HIV/AIDS and deliver programs utilizing a culturally sensitive, client focused, harm reduction approach. We work to ensure each person has unfettered access to the life enriching treatment and support they deserve, ensuring HIV prevention in the process.
In 2012, the Albany Damien Center expanded services to assist people with Hepatitis C and sexually transmitted infections, targeting young men of color who have sex with men.
In 2016, the Albany Damien Center serves approximately 400 individuals living with HIV/AIDS and over 1,000 affected members of their support system who are not accessing HIV medical treatment and supportive care services and have limited social supports. Our members typically are living in poverty, have co-morbid health conditions (mental health, substance abuse, diabetes, renal disease, hepatitis C, cancer, cardiovascular disease, sexually transmitted diseases, et.al), and inadequate or nonexistent psycho-social supports. They do not have medical nutritional therapy, have food insecurity, and possess little knowledge of food safety or nutrition.
The Albany Damien Center is a unique resource in our Northeastern New York community for people living with and at risk for HIV/STI/hepatitis. We provide programs in a comfortable and supportive HIV+ peer-led environment using a health and wellness education model. Our client-centered approach addresses the physical, psychological, and environmental impacts on an individual’s overall health. Staff understand the barriers and issues faced by people living with HIV/AIDS and deliver programs utilizing a culturally sensitive, client focused, harm reduction approach. We work to ensure each person has unfettered access to the life enriching treatment and support they deserve, ensuring HIV prevention in the process.
In 2012, the Albany Damien Center expanded services to assist people with Hepatitis C and sexually transmitted infections, targeting young men of color who have sex with men.
In 2016, the Albany Damien Center serves approximately 400 individuals living with HIV/AIDS and over 1,000 affected members of their support system who are not accessing HIV medical treatment and supportive care services and have limited social supports. Our members typically are living in poverty, have co-morbid health conditions (mental health, substance abuse, diabetes, renal disease, hepatitis C, cancer, cardiovascular disease, sexually transmitted diseases, et.al), and inadequate or nonexistent psycho-social supports. They do not have medical nutritional therapy, have food insecurity, and possess little knowledge of food safety or nutrition.