 Harrison
House -- Not just a house, a home.
Located in Paramus, New
Jersey, nestled among trees and a slightly overgrown flower garden in the
summer, is Robert A. Harrison House.
Founded in 1992 by Buddies
of New Jersey, Inc., with the generosity and support of Bergen County,
Harrison House has served over the years as a safe and secure ‘home’
for over 70 people living with HIV/AIDS.
Originally the house served
as a place for many of our clients to live out their lives in dignity.
As the face of the disease has changed so have the needs.
Now the house frequently serves as a house of new beginnings for
those hit hard by the virus. Here they are able to rebuild and given a chance to restart.
To them Harrison House has now become a house of hope.
In addition to a house
manager, six people share the home. Almost
since it’s inception the house has been at full capacity, often with a
waiting list.
Local church groups,
organized by the Catholic AIDS Network of the Archdiocese of Newark (CANAN),
deliver dinner daily. CANAN
also makes Christmas extra special for those living at the home with a
host of gifts.
New Jersey Buddies, Inc.
strives to keep the house safe, secure and accessible for all who live
there. This included
installing a handicap chair lift for easy access to the second floor.
All the resident’s rooms were painted and re-carpeted this past
spring and we are now renovating the kitchen and installing a new shower
on the main floor. These renovations are being made possible through a
grant from the New Jersey Department of Health, Division of AIDS
Prevention and Control.
The regular housing needs
of the residents are subsidized through the County of Bergen and a HOPWA
(Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS) grant.
Applications
for residency to the house can be obtained through the Steve Scheuermann,
Executive Director, Buddies of New Jersey, Inc. |
Serving
the community since 1985.