GMHC facts for kids
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| Founded | June 30, 1982 |
|---|---|
| Founders | Nathan Fain, Larry Kramer, Lawrence D. Mass, Paul Popham, Paul Rapoport, Edmund White |
| Type | nonprofit organization |
| Legal status | 501(c)(3) |
| Purpose | To end the AIDS epidemic and uplift the lives of all affected. |
| Headquarters | New York, New York, U.S. |
| Jonathan Mallow | |
| Kishani Chinniah-Moreno (Interim) | |
| Subsidiaries | GMHC Health Services (501(c)(3)), Gay Men's Health Crisis Action (501(c)(4)) |
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Revenue (2018)
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$28,473,423 |
| Expenses (2018) | $33,153,120 |
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Employees (2018)
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301 |
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Volunteers (2018)
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1,500 |
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Formerly called
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Gay Men's Health Crisis |
The GMHC (formerly Gay Men's Health Crisis) is a New York City–based non-profit group. It is supported by volunteers and helps people affected by AIDS. Its main goal is to "end the AIDS epidemic and uplift the lives of all affected."
GMHC was started in 1982. It is often called the "world's oldest AIDS service organization." It is also known as the "nation's oldest HIV/AIDS service organization."
Contents
History of GMHC's Important Work
Starting the Fight Against AIDS in the 1980s
In early 1981, doctors in San Francisco and New York City noticed something strange. A rare type of cancer called Kaposi's sarcoma was appearing in young gay men. This was very worrying.
To talk about this problem, 80 men met in New York writer Larry Kramer's apartment. This meeting was on August 11, 1981. They wanted to raise money for research into this new illness.
In January 1982, a smaller group met again at Larry Kramer's home. These men were Nathan Fain, Lawrence D. Mass, Paul Popham, Paul Rapoport, and Edmund White. They officially founded Gay Men's Health Crisis. The group was named GMHC because the first men affected by AIDS in the early 1980s were gay.
Their first official meeting was held in the Church of St. Joseph in Greenwich Village. They became a formal non-profit group on June 30, 1982. At that time, GMHC was the largest volunteer AIDS organization in the world. Paul Popham was chosen as the first president.
Rodger McFarlane started a crisis hotline from his own home phone. This hotline became a very important way for GMHC to share information about AIDS. He became the director of GMHC in 1982. He helped create a more organized structure for the new group. At first, GMHC had no money or offices. They worked out of a few rooms in a building at 318 West 22nd Street in Chelsea, Manhattan.
Paul Popham worked hard to fight the AIDS crisis. He worked with people all over the world. He traveled to Vancouver, Canada, to share his knowledge with AIDS Vancouver. This led to the first AIDS Information Forum on March 12, 1983. His ideas from this forum were even recorded on film.
Larry Kramer later said that GMHC became what Rodger McFarlane started. It offered crisis counseling, legal help, and a "buddy system" for people with AIDS. GMHC now helps over 15,000 people affected by HIV and AIDS.
Kramer left GMHC in 1983 because he had many disagreements with the other founders. His play The Normal Heart is based on his time with the organization.
On April 30, 1983, GMHC held its first big fundraising event for AIDS. It was a special performance of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
By 1984, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asked GMHC for help. They wanted GMHC to plan public meetings about AIDS. That same year, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was discovered. Within two years, GMHC was helping many different people. This included women, hemophiliacs, and children.
From 1987 until 1989, Doctor Barry Gingell was the medical director for GMHC. He died from AIDS in 1989.
The 1987 book And the Band Played On by Randy Shilts talked a lot about GMHC. The book described how the pandemic spread. It said the government, especially the Reagan administration, did not respond well. But it praised GMHC for its important work. Randy Shilts was a gay man who later died of AIDS.
Expanding Services in the 1990s
GMHC and other groups boycotted the 1990 International AIDS Conference. It was held in San Francisco, California. They protested a rule that stopped people with HIV from entering the United States. GMHC representatives did not go to the official event. Instead, they joined a smaller meeting for groups that had boycotted.
The Fox Broadcasting Company gave money from the 1992 The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert to GMHC. This concert was held in London's Wembley Stadium.
In 1994, GMHC started an HIV prevention campaign in the subway. It showed both gay and straight couples.
In 1994, a GMHC employee named James A. Fielding sued the organization. He said he was treated unfairly. He claimed he wasn't given a fair chance for a job. He believed this was because he had HIV.
A 1995 New York Times report said the FBI kept a small file on GMHC.
Broadway star Bernadette Peters performed a concert at Carnegie Hall. It was a fundraiser for GMHC.
In 1997, GMHC started offering HIV testing and counseling. This was at their David Geffen Center for HIV Prevention and Health Education. This was possible because of a $2.5 million gift from the David Geffen Foundation.
Also in 1997, GMHC moved its main offices. They moved to the nine-story Tisch Building at 119 West 24 Street in Chelsea. The building was renovated for $12.5 million. It was named after Preston Robert Tisch and Joan Tisch. They gave $3.5 million for the project. Joan Tisch was also on the GMHC board.
Weill Cornell Medical Center opened the Chelsea Center for Special Studies in GMHC's building in 1997. This was a big partnership between a major New York City hospital and an AIDS service group. The center offered medical care to people with HIV. Many of them were sent by GMHC.
Donna Summer performed a fundraiser at Carnegie Hall in 1998. It raised $400,000 for GMHC.
GMHC supported a New York state bill called SB4422-B. This bill aimed to track new HIV infections in the state. GMHC said it supported using the "same practice used for infectious diseases like tuberculosis." They later clarified that they supported a code-based system, not using people's names.
New Leadership and Challenges in the 2000s
In 2000, Ana Oliveira became the first woman to be GMHC's executive director. She had worked there since 1996 and started the organization's women's program. Everyone agreed to appoint her to the position.
The Museum of the City of New York opened an exhibit in April 2001. It was called "Gay Men's Health Crisis: 20 Years Fighting for People with HIV/AIDS." This exhibit was a team effort between the museum and GMHC.
To mark 20 years of AIDS in America, the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt was displayed. It hung in the GMHC lobby during World AIDS Day in 2001.
Ana Oliveira announced she would leave GMHC in December 2005. Dr. Marjorie Hill was named the temporary executive director in February 2006.
Due to less funding, GMHC stopped its "buddy program" in 2005.
Before the 2008 United States presidential election, GMHC released a report. It showed what John McCain, Sarah Palin, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden thought about HIV/AIDS issues. After Barack Obama was elected, GMHC shared a policy brief. It listed federal goals for HIV. These included a national HIV/AIDS plan and ending the HIV travel ban.
GMHC has received many grants from the Carnegie Corporation. This organization has supported over 550 New York City arts and social service groups since 2002. This was made possible by a donation from New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Growth and New Directions in the 2010s
Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) moved to a new, larger home. It had 110,000 square feet of redesigned space at 446 West 33rd Street in Manhattan. When this move was announced, co-founder Larry Kramer was disappointed.
GMHC expanded its services for over 100,000 New Yorkers. These services help people affected by HIV/AIDS. They include health and nutrition education, legal help, housing support, and mental health support. They also offer vocational training and case management. With a new kitchen and dining room, more free hot meals can be served. The Keith Haring Food Pantry Program can now give grocery bags and nutrition advice to more people.
During GMHC's move, they faced problems finding a new building. Many landlords did not understand what GMHC did. They did not know how GMHC helped the community and people with HIV/AIDS. Even when GMHC found a place, the landlord set rules. A big rule was that GMHC could not do any medical procedures there. This meant GMHC's clinic could not move with the rest of the organization.
The new location allowed GMHC to offer more services. This helped meet the growing needs of people with HIV/AIDS. HIV continued to spread, especially among women, African Americans, and Latinos.
In May 2010, GMHC celebrated the 25th anniversary of its yearly fundraiser, AIDS Walk New York. GMHC hoped to raise $5.3 million and actually raised $5.7 million.
In 2011, GMHC joined other non-profit groups. They asked the FDA to approve Truvada. This medicine could be used to prevent HIV.
GMHC worked with GLAAD to speak out against a New York City health ad campaign. The campaign used strong images to warn people that an HIV diagnosis could lead to other health problems. Francisco Roque, a director at GMHC, said the ads made gay men look like "disease-ridden vessels." GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios called the ad "sensationalized."
The New York Public Library created an exhibit in 2011. It was called "Celebrating 100 Years." It showed the wide range of the library's collection.
Comedian Lisa Lampanelli appeared on The Celebrity Apprentice. She raised $130,000 for GMHC during the show.
In September 2013, GMHC announced that its CEO, Dr. Marjorie Hill, would leave her role. Later reports said the board of directors fired her. Some said she made clients and staff angry. After this news, AIDS activists wrote a letter supporting Dr. Hill. They said her service to GMHC was "unprecedented."
After Dr. Hill left, GMHC faced questions. Some activists felt there was a lack of leadership in fighting the AIDS crisis in New York City. Peter Staley from ACT UP wrote that many gay men felt GMHC was "no longer on the community's radar."
GMHC joined other LGBTQ+ groups in July 2013. They wrote an open letter asking for justice for Trayvon Martin.
During the 2013 New York City mayoral election, GMHC held a meeting. Candidates could talk about HIV/AIDS issues in the city. Bill de Blasio and Anthony Weiner attended. Other participants included John Liu, William C. Thompson Jr., Christine Quinn, Sal F. Albanese, and Adolfo Carrión, Jr..
A 2013 report claimed that donations to the annual AIDS Walk New York were spent on office costs, like rent. GMHC said the report was "grossly inaccurate." They later said that because of problems with landlords, they had few choices for moving in 2011. This led to their rent almost doubling.
The organization announced Kelsey Louie as the new CEO in April 2014.
After Truvada was approved in 2012 to prevent HIV, some groups spoke against it. But GMHC supported Truvada. In October 2014, they said they would push for its "widespread adoption." In 2016, GMHC started an ad campaign to spread awareness about this medicine. The ads were placed at 10 bus shelters in different parts of New York City.
GMHC helped bring back the drag festival Wigstock in 2018.
HIV prevention and testing programs grew at the new GMHC Center for HIV Prevention. This center also has a new program to help young leaders. In 2019, GMHC's Testing Center moved to 307 West 38th Street. To help during the COVID-19 pandemic, GMHC started offering HIV testing at home. They also created a new location for testing. Test results can take 2–20 minutes. GMHC cannot give out HIV medicines like PrEP or PEP. However, they can help people find cheaper options once they have a prescription.
In 2015, Larry Kramer reconnected with GMHC. This was almost 30 years after he left the organization. Even though Kramer had criticized GMHC for years, Kelsey Louie from GMHC reached out to him. After several meetings, they made peace. Kramer was invited to GMHC's gala as a special guest. He received their first lifetime achievement award. Kramer was happy to be invited back. He continued to attend GMHC events and spoke at staff meetings before he passed away in May 2020.
Recent Efforts in the 2020s
To mark 40 years of AIDS in the United States, GMHC launched a video series. It featured important people from the HIV/AIDS community. These included GMHC co-founder Larry Mass and activist Mark S. King. They shared their ideas on how to end the epidemic.
GMHC helped respond to the 2022–2023 mpox outbreak in New York City. The organization created a section on its website with information about the virus. They also handed out information at their annual Latex Ball fundraiser.
GMHC in Movies and Shows
- The early work of GMHC is featured in the podcast Fiasco.
- Larry Kramer's 1985 play The Normal Heart tells about his role in starting GMHC.
- Comedian Lisa Lampanelli raised money for GMHC on The Celebrity Apprentice.
- In the 1989 movie Longtime Companion, a character calls Gay Men's Health Crisis.
