Who We Are

Health People: Our Mission

To empower and train residents of communities overwhelmed by chronic disease and AIDS to become leaders and educators in effectively preventing ill health, avoidable hospitalization and unnecessary deaths.

FOR A QUARTER OF A CENTURY

HEALTH PEOPLE HAS DELIVERED CRITICAL, COMPASSIONATE PEER-DRIVEN PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, TRANSFORMING LIVES OF PEOPLE IN NEED.

A community health agency based in the South Bronx, Health People uses groundbreaking peer-to-peer education, innovative program curricula, instructive workshops, and referral relationships with other service and health care providers to empower program participants to lead healthier, safer and more productive lives.

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A Pioneer in
Peer Education

1st community agency in the South Bronx to start a successful peer support program for women living with AIDS.

An Innovator in Community Health

1st to launch a community-wide initiative for the prevention and self-management of asthma.

A Leader at the Forefront of Change

1st to be approved by the CDC to offer the National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), in 2013.

Our Core Values:

  • Compassion
  • Integrity
  • Advocacy
  • Innovation
  • Community Building

What We Do

Health People began in a single room at Bronx Community College in 1990 as a womens’ AIDS prevention and support program, during the early days of the AIDS epidemic. Now in its 25th year, Health People has grown to become a multi-faceted health agency offering a range of HIV/AIDS services for men, women and families; prevention and support services for Hep C, STIs, mental illness and substance abuse; workplace wellness solutions for chronic illnesses such as diabetes; plus award-winning mentoring programs.

How We Help

Health People continues to successfully utilize, in all of its programs, its original model of training people most affected by disease to become peer educators to educate others and advocate for the community. Using this model, we have empowered residents by teaching them how to manage and/or prevent chronic illness through effective health management and self-care. In the process, we have inspired hope, created jobs, and improved the health of thousands of people in need. Many other organizations have studied and now use our model.

Our Impact

25

Years of Experience

500+

Peers Trained

20,000+

Lives Changed