WHCP- Saving Lives One Needle Exchange At a Time

November 2, 2016– Clara Cardelle initially visited the drop-in center at the Washington Heights CORNER Project (WHCP) to take advantage of its variety of services including overdose prevention and free healthcare. The organization was founded in 2005 by a local activist to reduce the spread of blood-borne diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, among drug users in the Washington Heights homeless community.

“After my brother died of an overdose and my mother began fading away from cirrhosis of the liver—I thought my life was over. I lived in the dark for 20 years, injecting heroin frequently, until a peer pointed me to the CORNER Project in 2013,” said Clara Cardelle.

What she found in addition to help and support for her dire circumstances was the opportunity to help others in similar situations by serving as a peer educator in the Peer Delivered Syringe Exchange (PDSE) program. One of WHCP’s most successful programs, peer educators provide much needed on-the-ground outreach and educational resources to areas with an increase in drug use and isolated individuals outside of office hours. As the CORNER project is the only harm reduction program in Northern Manhattan, the PDSE outreach program provides critical support to a community of individuals at risk for HIV/AIDS. DIFFA’s support of the program and staff allowed WHCP’s Peer Educators to distribute 19,499 syringes in 2015, provide 71 referrals and enroll 50 new participants in the program.

“We are extremely grateful for DIFFA’s support of our innovative peer education program that has allowed us to reach 1,842 injection drug users in Northern Manhattan at high risk of HIV. Outreach staff is trained and adept at connecting to marginalized community members, ‘meeting people where they are’ and offering non-judgmental support and life-saving services. They are the first responders for the organization, providing escort services and empowering participants to navigate a complex health system to access treatment,” said Estee Lavitt, Communications and Evaluation Associate.

The PDSE program is valuable both for the organization and the peer educators by allowing WHCP to access hard to reach areas and populations and for community members, like Clara, to improve their situation while receiving life-saving education and support. Six months into serving as a peer educator, Clara began to see improvements in her own life, and within a year was promoted twice—to senior peer educator and then to full-time outreach worker, a position she still holds.

“There is no greater satisfaction than helping someone that needs it but is afraid to ask. Serving as a peer educator allowed me to help people that are in the same situation I used to be in, while also learning a lot in the process,” Clara shared. “CORNER project gave me my life back, and for that I will be forever grateful.”

In addition to its peer educator program, Washington Heights CORNER Project offers several other life-saving services including long-term case management services, access to sterile syringes, free health services and condom distribution. Its mission is to engage individuals on a very basic human level and bridge the gap between medical providers and disadvantaged members of society.

“A segment of our target population is marginalized, often incarcerated or unstably housed—living in parks or on the street. They are stigmatized or discriminated against in health centers, leaving them fearful of traditional service providers—which keeps them from seeking the care they need,” explained Liz Evans, Executive Director.

WHCP connects directly with each individual and engages them in other services such as harm reduction, HIV prevention, syringe access and housing support that can change lives. Last year, WHCP began conducting formal hepatitis C testing onsite through a partnership with New York-Presbyterian Hospital.  It continues to expand its reach by operating in high-risk areas such as Yonkers and The Bronx. In the future, the organization will use a mobile unit to increase outreach, serve larger numbers and cover more ground.

For over 30 years, DIFFA has funded programs to directly help individuals living with HIV/AIDS including cutting edge education and prevention programs, distributing over $42 million nationwide. Washington Heights CORNER Project is one of hundreds of organizations DIFFA and its chapters grants funds to across the country. Click here to learn more about DIFFA’s grant making efforts.

Join DIFFA at the Current at Chelsea Piers on November 15 for the 2016 Grant Reception!