NEW YORK, NY (March 27, 2025) — HELP USA has received a $598,726 grant from the Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts (FORE) to launch a new harm reduction initiative for individuals experiencing homelessness and living with opioid use disorder (OUD). The funding will support a counselor- and peer-led support model within HELP USA’s transitional housing programs, with an emphasis on person-centered care, trauma-informed engagement, and recovery through community.
Building on HELP USA’s commitment to harm reduction, the initiative will launch at our Wards Island Transitional Housing sites serving single adult men. The program model is rooted in a in a structured peer mentorship model: residents with lived experience of substance use and recovery will be trained as recovery peer mentors, providing one-on-one support and group workshops to fellow residents. In tandem, frontline staff will receive expanded training in harm reduction approaches to better meet client needs with dignity, safety, and consistency. The objective of the program will be to facilitate recoveries, enhance client well-being, and continue the acceleration of overdose reductions.
The initiative will be delivered in partnership with Exponents, a long-standing NYC-based organization known for its client-centered, harm-reduction-focused work with individuals impacted by substance use, HIV/AIDS, and behavioral health challenges.
“This funding allows us to deepen our commitment to a model of care rooted in trust, dignity, and the power of community,” said Danny Farrell, HELP USA’s Chief Operating Officer. “We’re not just treating symptoms—we’re creating space for individuals to heal, support each other, and reclaim their futures.”
The grant will allow HELP USA to formalize and scale its harm reduction practices, integrating recovery support into daily operations while reinforcing the critical role of lived experience in driving sustainable outcomes. Peer mentors will receive stipends for their work, reinforcing their value within the recovery ecosystem and creating leadership opportunities inside the shelter environment.
“We’re building a model where clients feel seen, supported, and empowered,” said Iesha Moore, Assistant Vice President of Single Adult Services at HELP USA. “By training both peer mentors and staff in harm reduction and recovery-informed care, we’re creating a shelter culture that puts health and human connection at the center of everything we do.”
The initiative is part of FORE’s national Innovation Challenge, which funds forward-thinking solutions to address opioid use and overdose. This round of funding awarded $2.1 million
to four organizations advancing peer-driven recovery models, culturally grounded care, and behavioral health workforce development.
HELP USA’s pilot program will launch in Summer 2025, with built-in evaluation metrics and long-term goals for replication across its full network of transitional housing.
About HELP
USA HELP USA works to ensure that everyone has a place to call home. We provide shelter for people in crisis, ongoing support for individuals and families in need, and work to strengthen vulnerable communities. Every day, we address the root causes of homelessness at over 40 transitional and permanent housing sites and through more than a dozen prevention and support programs. For more information, visit www.helpusa.org.
