Organization Details:

Harlem Independent Living Center (HILC) is a not for profit organization committed to ending discrimination against people with all disabilities by fighting to eliminate the barriers which would prevent them from enjoying full equality in American society.

Description and/or History:
The Harlem Independent Living Center promotes independence according to the tenets of the Independent Living Philosophy. The Center provides services to all individuals who have a physical or mental disability, regardless of age, race and religious affiliation on an as-needed basis. Services are also provided to the family and friends of people with disabilities.

While the majority of the Center's clients come from the Harlem community, consumers from other boroughs also utilize the Center's services periodically.

Consumer control and a peer approach to providing services are the underlying concepts basic to any understanding of independent living services, where consumers are encouraged to determine their own destinies and set their criteria for goals and success. Our staff are staunch disability advocates, operating on behalf of all disabled persons demanding equality, accessibility and accommodations. Independent Living services the Center provides are as Advocacy: Housing and Benefit Advisement & Application Assistance, Assistive Device Training, Peer Counseling Support Groups, Deafness Services, Outreach,Information & Referral and Community, Advocacy for Systemic Change.

Prior to May 1990, Harlem's disabled individuals were denied easy access to Independent Living services provided elsewhere in New York City. Based on a commitment to provide access, availability and to expand the system of independent living services to these un-served/ underserved individuals, the Harlem Independent Living Center was incorporated on May 30, 1990. The Center was initially organized under the guidance of individuals from the Harlem Hospital Center, the Building Bridges Rehabilitation Task Force, The New York State Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities- commonly known as VESID- and others, and established pursuant to an U.S. Rehabilitation Services Administration Title VII Part B Grant. Among the best known of the many programs we have participated in are AmeriCorps, and Project Liberty.
Over the years, we have conducted workshops and groups on a variety of issues including housing, employment, cross disability populations and voter rights for people with disabilities. In recent years, there has been a major increase of consumers with mental illness seeking services at the center. Our interaction with this population indicates to us there is a lack of understanding mental illness due to the paucity of services available to them. More importantly, the center's consistent advocacy and representation in the community has made us a recognizable entity, often contacted for support, outreach, and education. As a result, the center feels compelled to promote mental health awareness due to the statistics, current events, and every-day occurrences in the community of Harlem.

Contact people:

Christina Curry, Executive Director, (212) 222-7197 TTY, (email) Yonette Douglas, Associate Director, (212) 222-7122, (email) Marisol Rivera, Office Coordinator, (212) 222-7122, (email)

Address:

289 St. Nicholas Avenue- Suite 21, Lower Level NY, NY 10027 (See a map)

Directions:

HILC can be reached by traveling Up/ Downtown trains: A, B, C, D trains to 125th St.and walking along St. Nicholas between 124th and 125th streets, or by the following buses: BX15, M60, M100, M101 stopping along 125th St. until. . . (more)   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: A,B,C,D @ 125th Street,   Walk distance (in minutes): -1   Nearest Bus Stop: BX15, M60, M100, M101, 3-5 mins. minute walk