In the early 1990s, Grace House was founded out of a prevalent need for housing and healthcare for people living with HIV in Jackson, Mississippi. In response to the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS and gender or sexual identity, Grace House has always provided a safe place to live for those who had nowhere else to go and hospice care for those who were approaching the end of their lives.
Incorporated in 1993, Grace House had a humble beginning. Its first location was a two-story home in Midtown Jackson. Over the last 30 years, additional property was acquired and donated to meet the growing needs of the community. And in 2020, it added housing-stability support in response to the COVID-19 pandemic with emergency and rental-assisted housing. Today, its campus consists of four buildings which offer housing and supportive services to almost 650 residents each night.
Jackson, Mississippi is still battling HIV/AIDS.
But Grace House is still here. Forty residents of Grace House were memorialized on this panel to help keep their memories alive. Thanks to government funding through HUD and donations from local churches, businesses, foundations, and individuals, it can support the needs of Jackson residents for years to come.
It's time to Change the Pattern in the fight to end HIV and AIDS in the Southern United States. Be a part of this new initiative!