Alliance for Positive Change
New York City community organization providing HIV-related care, harm reduction, housing, health navigation, and support services for people living with chronic illnesses.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Alliance for Positive Change is a New York City community organization formerly known as AIDS Service Center NYC, or ASCNYC. Established in 1990 by Sharen Duke, the organization was created to support New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS and has developed into a broader provider of services for people affected by chronic illness, substance use, housing instability, and related social and health needs. The organization formally adopted the name The Alliance for Positive Change in 2017, reflecting an expansion beyond an HIV-specific service identity while retaining HIV prevention, treatment navigation, and community support as central parts of its work. Alliance combines direct assistance, peer education, harm reduction, advocacy, and community outreach. Its service model is designed to address the practical conditions that influence health outcomes, including housing, food security, mental health, substance-use treatment, access to medical care, translation, childcare, public benefits, and emergency needs. Care coordination and case management are delivered through partnerships with New York hospitals, including Mount Sinai Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. The organization is also affiliated with the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies. The organization operates multiple New York City sites and programs. These have included the Keith Haring ASC Harlem Center, opened in partnership with the Keith Haring Foundation; CASA Washington Heights; Pelham Grand Supportive Housing in the Bronx; and the Luis & Lillian Outreach Center on the Lower East Side. The Lower East Side Harm Reduction Center joined the Alliance in 2016, strengthening its capacity to provide syringe services, overdose-prevention education, and other harm-reduction support. Alliance's programs include a Peer Training Institute for people affected by HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, and substance use; comprehensive care coordination; specialized services for women; reentry assistance for formerly incarcerated people; support groups and educational programming; basic-needs assistance; and mobile testing and prevention. In 2021, the organization reported coordinating care for 3,983 people living with chronic conditions and providing specialized support or navigation to 1,582 women. Its Lower East Side harm-reduction program served more than 1,500 people and distributed nearly 203,000 sterile syringes during that year. The organization also reported providing more than 30,000 meals annually, together with clothing, hygiene supplies, food-pantry items, and emergency assistance. Alliance has combined service delivery with public education and fundraising. Its activities have included participation in Dining Out For Life, an annual restaurant-based fundraising initiative supporting HIV/AIDS organizations. In 2009, John Legend permitted the organization to remix his song "If You're Out There" for an HIV/AIDS awareness and testing video launched at the annual Safer Sex in the City fundraiser. In 2019, Alliance introduced Manhattan HOPE, a diversion initiative developed with the New York Police Department and the New York County District Attorney's Office, and launched Alliance on the Move, a mobile van offering HIV testing, prevention, health-care access, and harm-reduction services in communities across New York City.
History
AIDS Service Center NYC was established in 1990 by Sharen Duke to serve New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS. Its early identity was closely associated with HIV support, prevention, and assistance for people facing the medical, social, and economic consequences of the epidemic. Over time, the organization developed a broader community-service model that linked HIV care with housing, food access, mental-health support, substance-use treatment, benefits advocacy, and other determinants of health. A significant expansion of the organization's physical presence came in 2010, when it partnered with the Keith Haring Foundation to open the Keith Haring ASC Harlem Center. The center extended services into Harlem while also connecting the organization to Haring's legacy of AIDS activism and public education. In 2011, the organization opened CASA Washington Heights to serve residents of Washington Heights. These locations complemented its Midtown base and helped establish a multi-site service network in Manhattan and the wider city. The organization also pursued public awareness and fundraising initiatives. In 2009, musician John Legend authorized a remix of his song "If You're Out There" for an HIV/AIDS awareness and testing video. The video debuted at the organization's Safer Sex in the City fundraiser, linking cultural outreach with HIV prevention. Alliance has additionally participated in Dining Out For Life, an annual campaign in which restaurants and diners raise funds for HIV/AIDS-focused organizations. In 2016, the Lower East Side Harm Reduction Center joined Alliance. This development strengthened the organization's capacity to provide syringe services and other harm-reduction interventions for people who use drugs. Harm reduction became an important complement to the organization's HIV-focused work, addressing infectious-disease prevention and engagement with people who may face barriers to conventional health-care systems. In 2017, AIDS Service Center NYC formally changed its name to The Alliance for Positive Change. The rebrand reflected the organization's expanded scope. In addition to HIV/AIDS, its programs increasingly addressed substance use, mental-health needs, hepatitis, diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses. The new name positioned the organization as a broader community-health and social-support provider rather than an institution defined solely by one disease area. The organization subsequently added or maintained services and sites including Pelham Grand Supportive Housing in the Bronx and the Luis & Lillian Outreach Center on the Lower East Side. Alliance also developed partnerships with hospitals such as Mount Sinai Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital to coordinate care and case management for patients living with HIV/AIDS. Its institutional relationships include membership in the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies. In 2019, Alliance launched Manhattan HOPE in partnership with the New York Police Department and the New York County District Attorney's Office. The initiative created a diversion route for people arrested for possessing controlled substances, allowing eligible participants to avoid prosecution by completing limited requirements through a free program. That same year, Alliance introduced Alliance on the Move, a mobile van intended to reach communities throughout New York City with HIV testing, prevention, health-care access, and harm-reduction services. Alliance's current service model combines direct care navigation with peer-led education and practical assistance. Its Peer Training Institute trains people affected by HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, and substance use to serve as prevention and harm-reduction peer interns. Other programs provide case management, housing assistance, translation, mental-health and substance-use referrals, childcare assistance, entitlements advocacy, reentry support, meals, clothing, hygiene supplies, food-pantry goods, emergency aid, support groups, workshops, and recreational activities. Reported 2021 activity illustrates the scale of this work: Alliance coordinated care for 3,983 people living with chronic conditions, served more than 1,500 people through its Lower East Side harm-reduction program, distributed nearly 203,000 sterile syringes, supported more than 214 people through reentry services, and provided specialized support or navigation for 1,582 women. The organization also reported offering 25 weekly support groups, educational workshops, and recreational activities. Its development from an HIV service center into the Alliance for Positive Change reflects the broader integration of medical navigation, prevention, harm reduction, housing, and social support in community health work.
- 2021
Expanded program activity is reported
[1]Alliance reported substantial care-coordination, harm-reduction, reentry, women's support, and basic-needs activity during 2021.
- 2019
Manhattan HOPE and Alliance on the Move launch
[1]Alliance began a criminal-justice diversion partnership and launched a mobile van for citywide testing, prevention, health-care, and harm-reduction outreach.
- 2017
Organization becomes Alliance for Positive Change
[1]AIDS Service Center NYC formally adopted the Alliance for Positive Change name to reflect a wider chronic-illness and social-support mission.
- 2016
Lower East Side Harm Reduction Center joins
[1]The harm-reduction center became part of the organization.
- 2011
CASA Washington Heights opens
[1]A new site was opened to serve the Washington Heights community.
- 2010
Keith Haring ASC Harlem Center opens
[1]The organization opened a Harlem center in partnership with the Keith Haring Foundation.
- 2009
HIV awareness music video is released
[1]With permission from John Legend, the organization created a remix-based HIV/AIDS awareness and testing video and premiered it at its Safer Sex in the City fundraiser.
- 1990
AIDS Service Center NYC is founded
[1]Sharen Duke founded the organization to support New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS.
Products and positioning
A community-centered, peer-informed nonprofit providing integrated HIV, chronic-illness, harm-reduction, housing, and social-support services to New Yorkers.
Health and social services
Comprehensive care coordination
Case management and navigation for people living with HIV and other chronic conditions. Services can connect participants with medical care, housing, substance-use treatment, mental-health support, translation, public benefits, childcare assistance, and other practical resources.
Peer education
Peer Training Institute
A training program for people affected by HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, and substance use. Participants are prepared for peer-intern roles supporting prevention, education, engagement, and harm-reduction activities.
Harm reduction · 2016
Lower East Side Harm Reduction Center
A Lower East Side program providing harm-reduction services, including access to sterile syringes and engagement for people who use drugs. The center joined Alliance in 2016 and forms part of its HIV and infectious-disease prevention work.
Mobile community health · 2019
Alliance on the Move
A mobile outreach van designed to bring free HIV testing, prevention information, health-care access, and harm-reduction services directly to communities across New York City.
Diversion and reentry support · 2019
Manhattan HOPE
A free diversion initiative developed with the NYPD and the New York County District Attorney's Office. Eligible people arrested for controlled-substance possession can avoid prosecution by completing limited program requirements.
Housing and social support
Supportive housing and basic-needs services
Alliance's practical-support programs include supportive housing, meals, clothing, hygiene supplies, food-pantry assistance, emergency aid, and help with benefits and other essential needs for individuals and families.
Marketing campaigns
- 2009If You're Out There HIV Awareness Video
United States
Alliance used a permitted remix of John Legend's song "If You're Out There" in a video promoting HIV/AIDS awareness and testing.
Outcome. The video was launched at the organization's Safer Sex in the City fundraiser.
- Dining Out For Life
New York City
Alliance regularly participates in the annual restaurant fundraising campaign, which mobilizes diners and restaurants to support HIV/AIDS-focused organizations.
Brand decisions
2019
Launch Manhattan HOPE diversion programStrategyBackground
People arrested for controlled-substance possession can face prosecution alongside health, substance-use, and social-service needs.
Action taken
Alliance partnered with the NYPD and the New York County District Attorney's Office to offer a free diversion route with limited participation requirements.
Aftermath
The initiative added a criminal-justice diversion component to Alliance's health and reentry-oriented services.
2019
Launch Alliance on the MoveProduct launchBackground
Fixed-site services may not reach every community in New York City, particularly people facing transportation, housing, or other access barriers.
Action taken
Alliance launched a mobile van providing HIV testing, prevention, health-care access, and harm-reduction services.
Aftermath
The organization gained a mobile platform for bringing preventive and supportive services directly into city neighborhoods.
2017
Adopt the Alliance for Positive Change nameStrategyBackground
The organization had expanded from an HIV/AIDS-focused service center into programs addressing substance use, mental health, hepatitis, diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses.
Action taken
AIDS Service Center NYC formally changed its name to The Alliance for Positive Change.
Aftermath
The new identity presented the organization as a broader community-health and social-support provider while retaining HIV services as a core program area.
2016
Integrate the Lower East Side Harm Reduction CenterM&ABackground
Alliance sought to strengthen services for people who use drugs and to connect harm reduction with HIV and chronic-illness support.
Action taken
The Lower East Side Harm Reduction Center joined Alliance.
Aftermath
The organization expanded its harm-reduction infrastructure and later reported distributing nearly 203,000 sterile syringes in 2021.
Recent events
- 2021
Alliance reports expanded chronic-care and harm-reduction services[1]
Other
The organization reported care coordination for 3,983 people with chronic conditions, specialized support for 1,582 women, and harm-reduction services for more than 1,500 people during 2021.
- 2019
Alliance launches Manhattan HOPE diversion program[1]
Other · Regulation
Alliance introduced Manhattan HOPE with the New York Police Department and the New York County District Attorney's Office. The program offered people arrested for controlled-substance possession a path to avoid prosecution through completion of requirements in a free diversion program.
- 2019
Alliance on the Move mobile service begins[1]
Product launch
Alliance launched a mobile van to bring free HIV testing, prevention, health-care access, and harm-reduction services to communities across New York City.
- 2017
Alliance for Positive Change adopts its new name[1]
Other
AIDS Service Center NYC formally changed its name to The Alliance for Positive Change as its programs expanded to include people affected by substance use, mental-health needs, hepatitis, diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions.
- 2016
Lower East Side Harm Reduction Center joins Alliance[1]
Other · M&A
The Lower East Side Harm Reduction Center became part of Alliance, broadening the organization's harm-reduction and syringe-service capacity.
Sources1 sources
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