Peer Bridger/Mentor-Respite Care Lenox

For 34 years, Comunilife (started in 1989) has been committed to improving the quality of life and creating a healthier tomorrow for New Yorkers with special needs in the Hispanic and broader communities, by providing culturally competent health and human services and a continuum of affordable and supportive housing. In 2020, Comunilife met the needs of more than 2,600 low-income and vulnerable New Yorkers. Roughly 90% of our clients have incomes below the federal poverty line; 90% are African-American or Latino; and 50% have Spanish as their primary (or sole) language. All struggle with profound challenges, i.e. chronic homelessness; HIV/AIDS and other major medical issues; serious mental illnesses and substance abuse. Comunilife’s affordable and supportive housing programs address the need for safe, affordable, service enriched housing for a low-income population that has difficulty maintaining stable housing. A majority of our housing clients have a history of homelessness and/or long-term hospitalizations. Many are living with mental illness, HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses. Comunilife has 2684 apartments/units in 12 supportive residences, 6 low-income apartment buildings and 1044 scatter site apartments in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan. Our Medical Respite program provides short-term supportive housing and case management services to multiply-challenged patients leaving hospital care without a viable home in which to recuperate. Comunilife is a leader in the field of Latina adolescent suicide prevention. Our Life is Precious™ Program, which opened in 2008, provides non-clinical services to girls’ ages 12 to 17 in the Bronx (2008), Brooklyn (2009), Queens (2015), and Manhattan (2019). Activities include academic support, creative arts therapies, music lessons, wellness activities and concrete family services, are designed to reduce the risk factors associated with Latina adolescent suicide.