Bebashi

Specialties

Why We Exist: Bebashi — Transition to Hope was founded in 1985 as a full-​service HIV/​AIDS organization with special interest in serving low-​income people of color with HIV disease. As the second-​oldest AIDS service organization in the Philadelphia region, Bebashi — Transition to Hope was the first African-​American organization in the United States to address the AIDS crisis. It remains one of Philadelphia’s largest community-​based minority providers of HIV/​AIDS education and services for the urban community, and is a model for the provision of culturally specific education and services for other communities of color, serving more than 20,000 consumers annually.

History

Established in 1985.

Now in its 30^th year, BEBASHI has touched the lives of 600,000 people through a continuum of HIV/​AIDS prevention, advocacy and direct services including street outreach, prevention education workshops, counseling and testing for HIV, sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy, Case Management, Early Intervention, Care Outreach, Support Groups, Breast Cancer Awareness and an Emergency Food Cupboard.

Meet the Manager

Gary B.

Manager

Gary J. Bell was hired in February 1996 to fill the Executive Director position at Bebashi-​Transition to Hope.

Previously, he was employed for over 16 years at Episcopal Community Services (ECS), most recently as the Director of Adult Services where he managed a department of 75 employees while overseeing its homeless, older adult, AIDS and counseling services to 800 clients annually.

At ECS, Mr. Bell was largely responsible for building a home care program for the elderly from one homemaker and two social workers to over 40 home care staff. He was also integral in developing one of the largest AIDS programs in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that including homemaker service, visiting nurses, home delivered meals, case management, counseling, support groups, medical transportation, and an emergency food cupboard. One of his greatest accomplishments at ECS was the development of the STARR (Supportive Therapy for AIDS Affected Relatives) program. At the time, STARR was the only program