EDGE New Jersey Information

In 1990, a young man named Eric Johnson died from AIDS and a community was mobilized into action. In 1994, the Eric Johnson House, a transitional housing program for homeless men and women living with HIV/AIDS, was dedicated in his memory. While the spotlight on the AIDS pandemic faded over time, the demand for services increased, and in 2009 the organization moved our administrative offices and aftercare programs to a second location. We changed our agency name to New Jersey AIDS Services, Inc. (NJAS) to fully encompass the range of services we now provide. To date, over 220 people have resided in the Eric Johnson House and over 5,000 people have benefitted from the community based and educational programs of New Jersey AIDS Services. The mission of EDGE NJ/NJAS is to respond compassionately and responsibly to the HIV+ and LGBTQ+ communities by providing supportive services, housing opportunities, prevention strategies and education to enhance the community we serve. The vision of EDGE NJ/NJAS is to empower those we serve to achieve a healthy, safe and self-sufficient life, therefore gaining the resources to positively influence their community. Although our name has changed over the years, our underlying values and guiding principles remain consistent. We believe that every individual that comes through our doors should be treated with respect and dignity and that all people are capable of making lasting changes in their lives. It is these principles that make our program unique and improve the lives of every individual we serve.