Excerpt from Executive Director's letter in 2024 Annual Report:

Leo Buscaglia once said, “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear...”

In 2024, I was reminded daily of how these small acts of compassion define the Damien Center. Whether it’s a welcoming smile, a hot meal, or housing that feels like home, our community continues to show up with heart. Together—with our staff, board, volunteers, funders, and the people we serve—we are building a stronger, more resilient community where lives are truly being turned around.
Excerpt from Executive Director's letter in 2023 Annual Report:

Coretta Scott King once said, “The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.”

Indeed, in 2023, I had the privilege of witnessing our community's collective effort, which rallied to help the people we serve at the Damien Center. This unified support is the very essence of our shared successes in assisting those in our community impacted by HIV, homelessness, and mental health.

Excerpt from Executive Director's letter in 2022 Annual Report:

In 2022, the Albany Damien Center expanded efforts to support those facing mental health and substance use challenges worsened by COVID. We have long known the harm of loneliness and isolation, but last year truly showed how vital our Center is as a sanctuary for so many. Our Living Room remains a warm, trauma-informed space where love, connection, and healing thrive. Through our programs and statewide advocacy, we improved health outcomes and amplified the voices of those we serve.

Since opening in 1988, we have been a steady source of care and support. Your continued generosity powers our grassroots work and brings us closer to a future rooted in health equity and compassion.
Excerpt from Executive Director's letter in 2021 Annual Report

This past year challenged us in many ways, and I am so grateful to our Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, tenants, and members, who were amazing at being flexible and resilient as the Damien Center continued to serve our community in a safe and caring manner throughout the pandemic. While the year brought many challenges, we also experienced the wonderful generosity of our donors and supporters when we needed them most. Because of you, the Albany Damien Center has been able to continue to be a leader in HIV advocacy in New York State while providing a trauma-informed, comfortable, and loving environment for each person who needs us.
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Executive Director's letter in 2020 Annual Report

In 2020, the Albany Damien Center was clear in stating that we stand with the Black Lives Matter movement and the fight for justice and equality for all. We committed to leading by example and expressed zero tolerance for racism or any other form of discrimination. Our work is far from done. Poverty, HIV stigma, systemic racism, trauma, mental health issues, and substance use disorders continue to be formidable obstacles to each person receiving the love, care, and services they need to not just survive, but also to thrive.
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Excerpt from Executive Director's letter in 2019 Annual Report

Our ability to adapt to change is vital to our successfully fulfilling our mission. We continue to be strategic in recognizing emerging needs and evolving our program services to make the most impact.
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In 2019, we started the Employment Pathways Program designed to help people with HIV and AIDS return to work and school by offering individualized support with resume writing, job searches, benefits analysis, and job coaching.  We shifted direction in our MPower! program to focus on the health and human services needs of our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Gender Non-Binary (LGBT-TGNB) community regardless of HIV status.  Included was specific support to help our TGNB community gain access to employment.  We welcomed the Capital Region NAMES Project Chapter, the only chapter in New York State, as one of our newest programs and said a fond goodbye to the Treasure Chest Thrift Store after 20 years of operation in the community. These changes added value to our existing programs including Housing, PAWS, Smart Meals, and our drop-in Living Room. 
Excerpt from Executive Director's letter in 2018 Annual Report

2018 was our first full year in our new building where we witnessed the resiliency of a charitable organization that realized its dream of expanding services. Our new building, and thus our first year, exceeded our expectations thanks to our community’s fierce support!
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As we see our new building in use, we are so grateful to everyone who made this possible. People who did not sit idly by, but rose up to fight for each one of us who were battling the fight of our lives with AIDS. Our staff, board members, volunteers and the people we serve continue to give their all to help as we have adapted here to be creative, innovative, and fight for each person who needs us. 
Excerpt from Executive Director's letter in 2017 Annual Report

Phoenix Rising - 2017 for me was the realization of an ambitious vision set forth from the depths of despair.

The day after a fire in August 2013 destroyed our Damien Center home, we were faced with what felt like an insurmountable task of how to move forward. Stopping was not an option as we saw the needs of our local HIV community struggling with poverty, stigma, trauma, and other issues that continued to grow, despite all the medical advances in decreasing deaths from AIDS. Our journey from the fire to our new building in many ways reminds me of our community’s journey from the despair of the early days of AIDS to where we are today: full of hope now, but with the reality that there is much work to be done to End the Epidemic. 

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