Calcutta House

From the first visit to our neighborhood, two buildings stood out significantly in Group 11’s section of Ridge Avenue. They both have an interpretive design on the exterior that depicts ocean waves and the sun’s rays rising above. The metal signs read: “Calcutta House.”

(Left) 1601 W. Girard Ave.

(Right) 1221 N. 19th St.

Calcutta House’s locations are exclusive to our neighborhood, and with reason. Surrounded by the zip codes of Philadelphia that is most populated with people living with the virus, Calcutta serves as a facility for homeless people with full-blown AIDS.

For some history, the original Calcutta House opened 21 years ago in West Philadelphia. In July 1996, the facility was relocated to North Philadelphia. The number of adults living with AIDS has been on the rise, but this topic received the most attention in 1997 when studies became more popular, and shortly after Calcutta House changed locations. During this time, injected drug use was among the most common ways that people became infected with HIV. Drug use was also a major problem of our neighborhood, which is due to the reason for the chance in locations.

The original Calcutta House, 45th and Walnut

Being the only facility of its kind in this particular area, there is an ever-growing waiting list for those with AIDS to be admitted, resulting in recent plans for an expansion. There are currently two locations – one is at 1600 block of Girard Avenue, and the other is on the 1200 block of North 19th Street. Residents receive their own bedroom, nursing, nutritional and psychosocial support, as well as emotional guidance through programs for drug and alcohol use. With no active family of their own, the staff of nurses, social workers, directors and volunteers plays the role of a family.

Both buildings are full to capacity with 31 residents, but there is a waiting list right now of approximately 60 people.

So now, Calcutta House is preparing to expand in North Philadelphia. There is a board that is in the process of making two new facilities.

One of these will be a personal care home, similar to the current facilities. There will be individual bedrooms, a kitchen, game room and an outside area for the residents – all are structured with the goal to help them learn to live independently.

There are also plans to open another facility exclusively for women and children. There would be apartments available to keep families together, in situations where one or both parents have AIDS.

The board plans on making a decision in regards to these new locations by 2009.

-Group 11