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HIV Stops with Me: Treatment Changes Everything

5/19/2017

HIV STOPS WITH ME is a multifaceted, national social-marketing campaign aimed at preventing the spread of HIV and reducing stigma associated with the disease. The campaign features real HIV positive people talking about real issues.

The campaign focuses on the personal strengths of people living with HIV and affirms their ability to display these qualities in their everyday lives to tear down the stigma associated with HIV. Each spokesmodel is committed to stopping the spread of HIV while also promoting the values of self-care and healthy living. As active members of their communities, the spokesmodels share their stories, engage in online dialogue about issues related to HIV, and make public appearances.

One of the spokesmodels for the program, Marcus May, also serves as Peer Housing Advocate here at the Albany Damien Center as the Peer Housing Advocate. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the people we serve at the Albany Damien Center. We are very proud of his work for us and within the community. You may see him on posters around New York State; we spied him at the corner store just down the street from us!

Learn more about HIV STOPS WITH ME. Meet Marcus and learn about his journey below.

Executive Director Perry Junjulas Honored with the Reverend Robert Lamar Humanitarian Award

5/8/2017

Executive Director Perry Junjulas was recently honored as the 2017 Recipient of The Reverend Robert Lamar Humanitarian Award, awarded by the Interfaith Alliance of New York State.

Perry's citation reads: "Perry has worked to ensure a better quality of life for those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS by providing advocacy, leadership, and programming that is preventing new HIV infections while helping individuals and families have unfettered access to high quality, life-extending care, free from stigma and discrimination. He has served as the Damien Center's Director since 1999, creating the Treasure Chest Thrift Store, Smart Meals, PAWS, Foundations for Living, and Mpower Albany programs."

The Robert Lamar Humanitarian Award was created to recognize outstanding individuals whose accomplishments are consistent with the mission and goals of the Interfaith Alliance to promote human rights, combat bigotry and prejudice against all groups and to secure justice, mercy and fair treatment of all people. This aware is given in honor of The Reverend Robert Lamar, whose leadership and example personifies those ideals.

Congratulations, Perry!

March 10th, 2017

3/10/2017

Trump Administration Considers $6 Billion Cuts to HUD Budget

The Albany Damien Center strongly opposes the consideration of cuts to HUD. In Albany County alone, our non-profit agencies, including the Damien Center, receive $5.1 million annually in HUD funding that directly provides housing and housing prevention assistance, as well as funding for our homeless shelters coordinated through the Albany County Coalition on Homelessness (ACCH). Losing any of this funding will have an immediate and devastating impact on the health of our local community.

The Albany Damien Center receives $254,000 per year in HUD funding to house persons with HIV/AIDS who are chronically homeless. Numerous studies have shown that housing IS healthcare for the most vulnerable of our community. In particular, housing has been shown to improve HIV medication adherence and the increase the ability of each person with HIV to not progress to and die from AIDS. Advocacy is needed at this time - contact the White House directly to oppose these cuts.

Perry Jujulas
Executive Director

March 02nd, 2017

3/2/2017

February Community Dinner

Members at the Albany Damien Center come together on the last Saturday of each month for a community dinner and dancing, with tunes spun by a member DJ. Lutheran Cluster Churches generously sponsored this month’s dinner: First Lutheran Church, Lutheran Church of the Good Shepard, Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit, St. John’s Lutheran Church, and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. Many thanks to them and members of Sigma Gamma Rho from the University at Albany, who volunteered their help with the evening, running the raffle and even doing some performing!

2/23/2017

7th Annual Bowling for PAWS!

What a great afternoon of bowling at the Albany Playdium on Sunday, February 19 for our 7th annual Bowling for PAWS! A mighty shout-out to all our bowlers, donors, sponsors, honorary committee, and raffle donors who raised nearly $17,000 to directly benefit people living with HIV/AIDS and their pets through Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS), a program of the Albany Damien Center. Even with postponing the event for a week due to the blizzard, we had 90 bowlers come together in support of this great program that assists with veterinary care, pet food and supplies, and help with pet home care, allowing pets to remain in their homes with the people who love and need them. The demand for this important program is so great that a part-time assistant was recently added, clearing the 25-person waiting list.

You can still make a donation in support of PAWS here. See more photos from the event here, plus news coverage from WTEN, Time Warner Cable News, and WRGB. Thanks to everyone who supported this event, and we look forward to seeing you all at our next Bowling for PAWS in February 2018!

Ceremony Marks Groundbreaking of New Center

10/14/2016

(L.to R): Damien Board President Jeff Hallenbeck, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, County Executive Dan McCoy, Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul, Damien Center Executive Director Perry Junjulas, Assembly Member Patrica Fahy, Pine Hills Neighborhood Association President Virigina Hammer, Councilperson Leah Golby, and Commissioner Samuel D. Roberts from the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.

Albany Damien Center officially broke ground today on our new building. Executive Director Perry Junjulas welcomed New York Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) Commissioner Samuel D. Roberts, Assembly Member Patricia Fahy, Albany County Executive Dan McCoy, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, Albany Common Councilperson for Ward 10 Leah Golby, the President of the Pine Hills Neighborhood Association Virginia Hammer, and Damien Center Board of Directors President Jeff Hallenbeck to the new site at 728 Madison Avenue. This $5 million project will dramatically increase the impact we will have in the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS by providing permanent supportive housing for 22 people. Lack of stable housing is a significant barrier to continuum of care, especially important to our members. As Perry noted at the groundbreaking, “housing is healthcare.” Supportive housing is a key element of Governor Cuomo’s End the AIDS Epidemic plan, and is the greatest unmet need of people at risk for or living with HIV. With construction underway, we expect to open the new center in summer of 2017.

We are thrilled that this project is officially underway and with the great interest it is generating in the local community. Governor Cuomo issued a statement on the groundbreaking, and the Albany Times Union featured us in today's edition. You can see local video news stories on the day's events at WRGB,WNYT, TWC, and WTEN, and watch the event in its entirety on our Facebook page.

The New Damien Center: Construction Begins

9/22/2016

Three years after the fire, the Damien Center is rising again as construction has begun at our new location at 728 Madison Avenue. Demolition & asbestos removal is finished on the existing building and new footings are being dug this week for the new addition. We’re on schedule to open in late summer 2017. The Damien Center’s new building, designed by Harris A. Sanders Architects, will house our Damien Center programs, and include 20 permanent supportive apartments for 22 persons with HIV who are chronically homeless. Check back for more photos and updates - and thank you for all of your support!

Ending the Epidemic Press Conference

3/22/2016

The following remarks were prepared by Perry Junjulas for the Ending the Epidemic press conference held on 3/22/2016 at the Legislative Office Building in Albany, NY

Ending the Epidemic Press Conference: March 22, 2016
By Perry Junjulas, Albany Damien Center Executive Director and Person with AIDS

As a person living with AIDS, I am alive today because of the past investments made by New York State to help people with AIDS. I firmly believe that I survived because I live in NYS and had access to life saving programs offered by the Department of Health, and services provided by community organizations like the Albany Damien Center. These life-saving programs were a result of investments made over 25 years ago by the NYS legislature and Governor, which proved to help keep many of us alive today.

We are truly at a watershed moment in the history of the AIDS epidemic in NYS. We have an opportunity to implement a blueprint, which will not only save lives, but put us on a direct highway to an AIDS Free generation. We have an opportunity to make an investment in the future health of all New Yorkers who are at risk for HIV infection, ultimately saving the state millions in dollars in saved costs down the line - and resulting in zero deaths from AIDS.
As the past co-chair of the Housing & Supportive Services subcommittee of the Ending the Epidemic Task Force, we found complete consensus that ensuring stable housing is a critical factor in Ending AIDS and reducing new infections in NYS.

FACTS

Both the research and 30 years of experience have proven that safe, appropriate housing is essential for retention in lifesaving HIV care and reduction of HIV transmission.
12,000 New Yorkers with HIV remain homeless or unstably housed, 4,000 (or 33%) of which are outside of New York City.
The highest impacted areas outside of NYC are: Albany, Erie, Monroe, Onondaga counties, the Hudson Valley, and Long Island.
There is no rental assistance program outside NYC, other than the limited number of vouchers available through the federally funded HOPWA program. Localities outside NYC are not able to generate sufficient funding to pay for the cost of a HASA-like program.

On behalf of persons with HIV and AIDS, like myself, I implore the Governor, Assembly, and Senate to completely fund our 70 million dollar request in this year’s budget.

Now is the time to make this investment in the future health of all New Yorkers.

Now is the time to end homelessness for people with HIV and AIDS statewide.

Now is the time to put our resources into Ending this AIDS Epidemic in NYS.

Now is the time.

How my Duchess helped PAWS

2/19/2016

by. Damien Center Executive Director, Perry Junjulas

My journey with The Damien Center’s program Pets Are Wonderful Support NY Capital Region (PAWS) started because of the love of my first dog, a Rottweiler named Duchess.

Duchess was an incredible source of comfort to me when I found out I had HIV and subsequently had many illnesses and hospitalizations. She was a gentle soul, who could sense when I was ill, sitting at the end of the bed, keeping guard over me, and providing me with that unconditional love without judgement that I so desperately needed at that time.

After Duchess passed (she lived to 13 – longer than expected for Rottweilers), I was devastated. Shortly after, I was invited to a meeting at Albany Medical Center organized by our current PAWS Advisory Chair, Dr. Douglas Cohn, who was looking to start a program to help people with AIDS and their pets. A study had been done, showing the overwhelming need in our area, which existed in other cities, but not here.

I went to the meeting, solely thinking that it would be nice to help walk someone’s dog as I was missing my Duchess so much. I also saw too many of our members struggling with AIDS at the Damien Center, who had to give away their pets when they were ill, which was devastating for both the pet, who ended up at the overburdened shelters, and their owner, who now were truly alone.

Low and behold, I came out of that meeting in the Fall of 2002, after group consensus, agreeing to have the Damien Center take on this new program with the help of a strong advisory committee that still exists today. In the 14 years since, PAWS has helped countless people living with AIDS keep their pets – and continues today because of the generosity of our community.

We have a waiting list now, which bothers me. People struggling with AIDS who cannot get on our program due to the overwhelming need in our community and lack of funding. Pets who are still being surrendered to shelters.
I pledge to keep this program going, but need your help. I ask that you consider making PAWS your charity of choice – gifts both small and big all help. Please make your one-time or recurring gift to PAWS at http://2016damienfund.causevox.com/

Duchess is smiling from the Rainbow Bridge today – I can just feel it!

Times Union Op-ed: N.Y. Poised to End HIV Epidemic

1/18/2016

The following op-ed by Damien Center Executive Director, Perry Junjulas, was published in the January 15, 2016 edition of the Times Union under the title, "N.Y. Poised to End HIV Epidemic"

The year 2016 could go down in history as the pivotal year in New York’s fight against HIV/AIDS. Nearly thirty-five years after The New York Times reported the first cases of what would later be recognized as AIDS, New York State is poised to become the first jurisdiction in the world to end its HIV epidemic, even without a cure, by dramatically reducing new infections and ending deaths from AIDS.
Thanks to Governor Andrew Cuomo and our Legislative partners, New York has developed a viable plan that, if implemented, will end our AIDS epidemic by the year 2020. As a New Yorker, a person with AIDS, and resident of our state capital in Albany, I have never been prouder.

Now the real work begins. For the plan to succeed, every New York community, including our upstate Capital Region, must match Cuomo’s commitment with renewed energy, support, and action.
Cuomo launched New York’s Ending the Epidemic initiative in 2014 by announcing a three-point plan to expand HIV testing, treatment, and prevention to decrease new HIV infections from 3,000 a year in 2013 to under 750 by 2020. He pointed out that we have the tools: Current antiretroviral medications can keep HIV-positive persons healthy and stop ongoing transmission of the virus to others, and when taken as prevention, they can protect those at highest risk of HIV infection. We now must work to remove barriers to HIV treatment and prevention so all New Yorkers can benefit equally from these advances.

In April 2015, Cuomo endorsed the Ending the Epidemic Blueprint, created by a task force of experts, consisting of 30 recommendations. As co-chair of the Housing & Supportive Services Committee of the task force, I fully recognize that housing, food, and other support services are a critical key component to reaching our goal.

Last month, the governor made history again by pledging to include $200 million in the budget to implement the Blueprint. This commitment could go a long way to support our efforts to end HIV/AIDS in the Capital Region, allowing for expanded housing, food, transportation, and other critical services for New Yorkers with HIV, as well as treatment and prevention strategies targeted to reach those most in need. The Albany & Schenectady Damien Centers serve people with HIV every day and with stable housing, nutrition, support, and affordable care, our community members can live long and full lives. We also know that better access to new prevention tools—including PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), a daily pill that protects against HIV transmission—is highly effective for those at greatest risk, including young persons, who are becoming infected at alarming rates locally in the Capital Region.

It is crucial to ensure that Cuomo’s $200 million allocation to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic in New York is fully supported in the final budget. This wise public investment will improve HIV health outcomes and prevent thousands of new infections, saving both lives and billions in avoided health care costs.
With the governor’s budget commitment, we in the Capital Region will have the tools, a Blueprint, and the resources needed to end our AIDS epidemic. The rest is up to us. There is much work to be done in 2016, but together we can achieve an AIDS-free New York by 2020.

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"The Damien Center’s mission is to enhance the lives of people affected by HIV/AIDS in an affirming environment and to reduce new infections in the communities we serve."

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