Archives and Special Collections
92 Snell Library
360 Huntington Ave.
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 373-2351
Archives and Special Collections Finding Aids

Printable Finding Aid. Back to Browsing Version.

Collection Overview
Title:Fenway Community Health Center records
Date:n.d., 1972-2007
Location Code:56/4, 55/1, 55/2, FF5/D8, RS11/52
Reference Code:M172
Extent:12.50 cubic ft. (14 boxes; 2 rolls)
Scope and Content Abstract:The collection documents the work and expansion of the Fenway Community Health Center in serving the lesbian and gay, elderly, and low-income population of the Fenway and of Boston in general. Topics documented include HIV testing and clinical trials, anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender violence in the Boston area, artificial insemination, recreational drug use in the Boston LGBT community, and outreach to LGBT youth. Records include minutes, memoranda, correspondence, annual reports, event programs and invitations, newsletters, newspaper clippings, banners, posters, VHS tapes, photographs, negatives, contact sheets, and a T-shirt and baseball cap.
Historical Abstract:The Fenway Community Health Center was founded in 1971 by David Scondras, Linda Beane, and nursing students from Northeastern University to serve the elderly, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities of the Fenway area of Boston. The aim of the Center since its founding has been to provide health care as a right rather than as a privilege. The Center started on a part-time basis, with women's health, gay health, and elder health groups operating the clinic at different times. Fees were instituted after 1973 and deliberately kept low. During the 1980s, the Center expanded its services and began a formal research program, largely in response to the rise of HIV infection. Center staff regularly presented their research work at national and international HIV, AIDS, and gay health conferences, and the Center was responsible for the first official diagnosis of AIDS in New England in 1981. In 1983, the AIDS Action Committee was formed as a discussion group at the Center and later became an independent organization. During the 1990s, the Center began formal fundraising and community outreach efforts, hosting the first Women's Dinner Party event in 1992 and founding the Color Me Healthy initiative to provide HIV and safe sex education to gay men of color in Boston. The Center became more involved in area events, including the Boston to New York AIDS Ride, Boston Pride, and AIDSWalk Boston. In the early 2000s, the Center started a capital campaign to fund construction of a new building and, in 2009, the Center moved to Boylston Street, bringing together all its services in one building and changing its name to Fenway Health.
Language and Scripts:The collection is mainly in English; some material is in Spanish.
System of Arrangement:Arranged in 4 series: 1. Administration; 2. Events and Outreach; 3. Research Programs and Services; and 4. Audio-Visual and Memorabilia.
Subjects and Contributors:
  • Fenway Community Health Center
  • Fenway Health

  • Fenway Community Health Center
  • Fenway Community Health Center -- Victim Recovery Program
  • Fenway Health
  • Fenway Institute

  • Clinical studies
  • Community health clinics
  • Fundraising
  • Healthcare
  • HIV / AIDS Awareness
  • LGBTQ people
Conditions Governing Access:The collection is unrestricted.
Immediate Source of Acquisition:The material was donated to the Archives by Fenway Community Health Center in 2009.
Finding Aids:http://www.lib.neu.edu/archives/collect/findaids/m61find.htm.
Related Archival Materials:

AIDS Action Committee (M61).

The Archives and Special Collections Department capture the website content of the Fenway Community Health Center, which is accessible at: http://wayback.archive-it.org/1747/*/http://www.fenwayhealth.org
Processor:Finding aid prepared by Hanna Clutterbuck, June 2010

Historical Note

The Fenway Community Health Center was founded in 1971 by David Scondras, Linda Beane, and several nursing students from Northeastern University to fill a gap in local, free community health care for the elderly and gay community. Fenway's mission was described in its first slogan: ?We believe health care is a right, not a privilege.? In its early years, the Center operated out of space rented from the Christian Science Church. After clashes with the Church over the Center's medical policy and its interest in serving the lesbian and gay community of the Fenway, the Center moved into its own offices in 1973, renting rooms at 16 Haviland Street.

The Center originally operated on a part-time basis with individual health groups using the space at different times. The Elder Health Collective, the Gay Health Collective, and the Women's Health Collective worked separately to serve the local elder, gay, and lesbian populations of the Fenway. Original services included testing for sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancies, basic obstetric and gynecological services, and mental health counseling; pediatrics, podiatry, and primary care, were added as local need dictated. To provide more coverage for the services offered, volunteers were trained by professional staff members.

Because the medical services were free, the Center struggled with staffing and financial issues through the 1970s. The largely volunteer board of directors and staff worked to resolve the contradictions in wanting to offer the best free care to locals and LGBT residents while needing to keep the Center solvent and appropriately compensate staff for their time and skills. There were intense debates among board members about the imposition of the Center's first fees in the mid-1970s; the decision was eventually made to request, if the patient could afford the cost, a fee of 50 cents per visit.

In 1980, the board hired the Center's first executive director, Sally Deane, who immediately faced financial and staffing problems, including owing back taxes and fines to the IRS. Deane worked with the board to grant herself more independence and oversight of the Center's financial activity, to improve the Center's billing system, and to work with insurance providers to provide better coverage policies. She also oversaw the hiring of medical director Natalie Mariano and mental health practitioner Rhonda Linde to expand and professionalize medical and mental health services.

At the same time, the Center was seeing its first patients with HIV / AIDS-related infections. Medical staff was starting to realize the seriousness of the disease and position themselves to research the HIV / AIDS disease and its secondary ailments, and to assist patients with medical and psychological care. In 1981, the Center was responsible for making the first official diagnosis of AIDS in New England. Ken Mayer, a long-time volunteer and later Research Director, worked on the first research project related to HIV infection in 1983, studying T-helper cell populations in people with AIDS.

In 1982, Rhonda Linde worked with colleague Jim Fishman to organize AIDS Forums to discuss the medical and psychological issues surrounding AIDS and HIV infection. Attendees from the Forums began to meet regularly to continue the discussions, and in early 1983 this group became the AIDS Action Committee. Due to concerns over the Center's long-term financial stability and the Committee's desire to focus more closely on AIDS-related issues, the Committee split off from the Center and became an independent entity in 1986. .

In 1982, the Center developed the Alternative Insemination Program for single women and lesbians. The program operated under a veil of secrecy due to fears that the Center might be physically or verbally attacked by those opposed to the idea of gay couples having children. It thrived largely via word of mouth.

The Center continued its work on HIV and AIDS-related projects, partnering with other community organizations working on the same issues, sponsoring clinical drug trials, and providing data to national medical organizations. In 1986, the Center also actively collected data on anti-LGBT violence in Boston, eventually codifying this work as the Victim Recovery Program which worked with the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs to submit data to the national report and publish its own annual statistics on Boston-area hate crime. In the 1990s, the Program changed its name to the Violence Recovery Program.

In 1987, the Center accepted a donation from real estate developer Harold Brown for the construction of a new building on the 7 Haviland Street lot, across from the Center's original, now out-dated, building. In 1991, the Center moved into the new building.

During the 1990s, the Center worked to expand and publicize the Alternative Insemination Program as lesbian and gay parenting became more widely accepted. The Center began to present its research regularly at national and international HIV and AIDS conferences, keeping its place at the forefront of research into the disease. The Center also strengthened its alliances with local hospitals, including the Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital.

The Center increased fundraising efforts, throwing its first major fundraiser, the Women's Dinner Party, in 1992. The aim of the fundraiser was to publicize the work of the Center and acknowledge staff and community members who had been of particular assistance. The Color Me Healthy program began the same year with the aim of providing HIV education to Boston men of color. In 1995, riders from Boston and the Center joined in the first Boston to New York AIDSRide, one of the most successful AIDS fundraisers in the country.

In 2001, the Center launched The Fenway Institute, a center for research and support in building skilled, LGBT-friendly health care on a national level. In 2006, the Center broke ground on a new building in the West Fens, near Fenway Park, and in 2009 moved to the building at 1340 Boylston Street. The same year, the Center changed its name to Fenway Health.
Chronology
1971Center founded by David Scondras, Linda Beane, and Northeastern University students.
1973Moves to 16 Haviland Street; Board of Directors imposes first fee.
1980Hires first Executive Director, Sally Deane.
1981Makes first official diagnosis of AIDS in New England.
1982Begins its Alternative Insemination program.
1983Begins its first HIV study.
1986Founds Victim Recovery Program, later renamed the Violence Recovery Program.
1987Accepts donation of new building from developer Harold Brown.
1991Moves to new building at 7 Haviland Street.
1992Holds first Women's Dinner Party fundraiser; Color Me Healthy program begins.
1995First Boston to New York AIDSRide.
2001Launches The Fenway Institute.
2009Moves to new building at 1340 Boylston Street; changes name to Fenway Health.
Bibliography

M172, Box 1, Folders 8-11, "Board of Directors."

M172, Box 2, Folder 13, "History and Fact Sheets."

M172, Box 5, Folder 7-39, "Publications."

M172, Box 7, Folder 40, "The Fenway Institute."

Fenway Health Website, http://www.fenwayhealth.org/site/PageServer (accessed April 2010).
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Series:
1. Administration, n.d., 1972-2007
Volume:5.5 cubic ft.
Arrangement:

Alphabetical
Summary:

This series documents the founding and administrative activities of the Fenway Community Health Center, including the design of the building on Boylston Street. The series contains publicity materials for the Center's services and outreach programs, including the Color Me Healthy initiative, substance abuse counseling, support groups, women's health clinics, and youth outreach. Records from Center committees, comprising files from the Nominating, Diversity, Mental Health, and Men's Event committees, are in this series. Also included are Center newsletters, publications distributed to patients and community members, including a recipe book for people living with HIV infection, and reprints of articles authored or co-authored by staff members at the Center, some of which describe Center research projects. Topics documented include the Center's expansion plans, fundraising, strategic planning, and patient and staff satisfaction. Records include annual reports, reprints, financial reports, committee minutes and memoranda, correspondence, fliers, invitations, publicity postcards, pamphlets, newsletters, and brochures.
BoxTitleDate
1Generaln.d., 1997-2005
11340 Boylston Building (4 folders)2000s
1Affirmative Action Planningn.d., 1987-1990s
1Articles of Incorporation 1972
1Board of Directors (4 folders)n.d., 1970s, 1996-2005
1Board of Visitors2007
1Boston HIV Health Services Planning Council2002-2004
1Bylaws1990s-2000s
1Collaborative AIDS Ride Effort (2 folders)n.d., 1998-2000
1Committees (4 folders)n.d., 1989-2006
1Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Department of Public Health (4 folders)1997
1Correspondence (3 folders)n.d., 1988-2004
1Disaster Plansn.d.
1Employee Insurancen.d., 1992
1Fenway Quality Counciln.d., 1998
Financial
1-2Budget and Finances (8 folders)n.d., 1989-2000
2Capital Campaign 1989-1999
2Fundraising (3 folders)1990s-2000s
2Many Hands, One Community Campaignn.d.
2Ryan White CARE Act Fundingn.d.
2History and Fact Sheetsn.d.
2Human Resourcesn.d.
2Management Team (2 folders)1992-2004
2Marketingn.d.
2Mission Statementn.d.
2-5, 14Newspaper Clippings (52 folders)1980s-2000s
5Organizational Chartn.d.
5Organizational Overviewca. 2000
5Patient Statistics1990-2001
5Position Descriptionsn.d., 2004
Publications
5General: Planning and Newsgatheringn.d.
5Advertisement Cards, Fliers, and Pamphlets (4 folders)1990s-2000s
5Annual Reports1986-2006
5Eating to Live: Recipe Bookn.d.
5Healthcare Resource Guide for the Gay and Lesbian Communityn.d.
5Mind / Body Workshop Book for HIV / AIDS Patients2005
Newsletters
5Fenway Connections2002-2003
5Fenway Frontlines1993-1995
5Fenway Research1988-1990
5FYI1999
14Healthy Outlookn.d., 1995-1997
5The Inside Scoop 1994-1999
5Living Well1990s
5Outlook1998-2001
5Research Update1993
5Opening New Doors...1991
5Patient Guiden.d.
5Press Releasesn.d., 1997-2003
Reports
58 in 101991
5Understanding the Health Care Needs of Lesbians and Gay Men1995
5Reprints (2 folders)1997-2007
5Staff Directories2002
5Training Manuals and Handbooks (2 folders)1985-2002
5Viewbookn.d.
5Research and Evaluation Department Publication Bibliographyn.d.
5Service Quality Planning1995
5Services for Area Students1997-2001
5Staff Educationn.d.
5Staff Statisticsn.d.
6Strategic Planning (11 folders)1995-2002
Surveys
6Patient1997-2003
6Work Culture2001-2003
6United States Department of Health and Human Services Site Review2007
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Series:
2. Events and Outreach, n.d., 1973-2007
Volume:1.00 cubic ft.
Arrangement:

Alphabetical
Summary:

This series documents the Center's involvement in community events, such as AIDSWalk Boston and the Boston - New York AIDS Ride. The series also documents the Center's community outreach projects, including the youth telephone helpline. For several of the events, including the AIDS Ride, Boston Pride, and the Hot Cajun Holiday Evening, there are photographs, negatives, and slides of the events in Series 4: Audio-Visual and Memorabilia. The Events and Outreach series also reflects the Center's organizing of and participation in professional conferences on HIV / AIDS research or healthcare for the LGBT community. Topics documented in this series include HIV / AIDS fundraising, fundraising for the Center, Congressional lobbying, and outreach to LGBT youth. Records include programs, invitations, fliers, conference reports, registration materials, and correspondence.
BoxTitleDate
Events
625th Anniversary1996
6AIDS Pledge Walk1996-1999
6AIDSWalk Boston1999
6Boston -> New York AIDS Ride (3 folders)1996-2001
6Boston Pride1997
Conferences
6Association of Nurses in AIDS Care1993
6The Challenges of Difference1993
6Clinical Services ? Caring for Men's Reproductive and Sexual Health Needs2006
6Fenway Forum Seminar Seriesn.d.
6Gay and Lesbian Health Policy Roundtable2000
6HIV / AIDS Bureau Program Development Meeting2005-2006
6HIV Managed Care1998
6Integrated CTR Program Development Meeting2007
6Lesbian and Bisexual Women's Health Research Forum (3 folders)1998-2002
6Lesbian and Gay Health Care1995
6Lesbian Health Research Forum1998
6LGBT Health ? Findings and Concerns2000
6Providing Healthcare to GLBT Individuals2002
6Psychotherapy of Lesbians and Gay Men1995
6Scientific Workshop on Lesbian Health2000
6STD Update2005
6Training Health Care Providers on GLBT Health Care Access Issues1999
6The Dinner Party 1994-2001
6Essence of a Womann.d.
6Hot Cajun Holiday1994
6Its Elementary Film Premiere1996
7Leadership Dinner 2001
7Lesbian Health Month1991
7Men's Event2002
7National AIDS Marathon1999
7Our Names Wall Unveiling1992
7Provincetown Swim for Life1995-1996
Community Outreach
7Color Me Healthy Initiativen.d.
7Children's Outreach Project (2 folders)1973-1978
7Helpline1998-2001
7Lesbian Health1993-1996
7Living Well Series2002
7Ryan White CARE Act Lobbying2000
7Youth Outreach2000
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Series:
3. Research Programs and Services, n.d., 1983-2009
Volume:1.25 cubic ft.
Arrangement:

Alphabetical
Summary:

This series reflects the research conducted by Center staff and the services the Center offered to the general public, including files from the Center's Alternative Insemination program. Of particular interest are the Center's research project files, including the HIV Early Intervention Project, designed to catch HIV infection in the early stages through quick testing; the GLBT Health Access Project to educate healthcare professionals about the needs of the LGBT community and to provide access to healthcare for LGBT individuals; and clinical HIV drug trials. This series also includes files from the Center's Violence Recovery Program which gathers data on LGBT-related hate crime. Topics documented include acupuncture detoxification, alternative insemination services, alternative parenting, HIV / AIDS drug trials, LGBT health care issues, substance abuse counseling, lesbian women's health, and LGBT hate crimes. Records include correspondence, reports, handbooks, newsletters, and press releases.
BoxTitleDate
7Access to Care & Treatment Now: Early Intervention Program2002-2004
7Acupuncture Detoxification Programn.d.
7Adult Alcohol and Drug Surveyn.d.
Alternative Insemination Program
7Generaln.d., 1993-2009
7Alternative Insemination Task Force 1983-1984
7Conceptions Newsletter (3 folders)1990-1998
7Lesbian / Gay Parenting Servicesn.d.
7Joan Taylor Mielke, ?Mothers and Other Mothers? : Thesis1990
7Program Overview for Clients1992
7Program Proposal1983
7Amicus Curiae Brief2001
7Anti-Retroviral Drug Resistance Testingn.d., 2005-2006
7Anti-Retroviral Testing Project 2003
7Assisted Living Project1997-2006
7Boston AIDS Consortium1997-1999
7The BRIDGES Project: Asian & Pacific Islander HIV Integrated Service Delivery Model1998
7Cities Advocating Emergency AIDS Relief Coalition2000
7Clinical HIV Drug Trials1998
7Community Research Initiative1998
7Core Data Collection Projectn.d.
7Dental Clinic1991-1992
7Elder Needs Assessment Projectn.d.
7Fact Sheets and Chartsn.d.
7The Fenway Institute2000s
7GLBT Health Access Project (2 folders)n.d., 1998-1999
7Healthy People 20102000s
7Hepatitis A / B / C (2 folders)n.d.
7HIV / AIDS Primary Care Services Program Access Project1991
7HIV Case Management Services1997-2003
7HIV Early Intervention Project1995
7HIV Net1996
7HIV Prevention Trials1999-2000
7HIV Primary Care1990
7HIV Project with Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Health (2 folders)1996-2000s
7-8HIV Vaccine Trials Network (4 folders)2001
8Mammography Vanca. 1995
8The Medical Foundation of Boston1997
8Men of Color Against AIDSn.d., 1997-1999
8Mental Health Servicesn.d.
8Metropolitan Area HIV Servicesn.d., 1991
8Multicultural AIDS Coalition2000-2003
8National LGBT Tobacco Control Network2001
8National Helpline Proposal2000-2001
8New England AIDS Education and Training Center2002-2003
8Nutrition Program1994
8Office on Women's Health Heart Truth Campaign2006
8Positive Directions2001
8Project ABLE2003-2004
8Research and Study Program Lists1990s-2000s
8Same Sex Domestic Violenceca. 1998
8Sexual Behavior Disorders Programn.d.
8Sisters Acquiring Safer Sex Information Education Projectn.d.
8Specialized Mental Health Initiative1998
8Substance Abuse Counseling Program1993-1995
8Support Groupsn.d.
8Transgender Health Issuesn.d.
8Understanding the Health Care Needs of Lesbians and Gay Men Focus Group1995
Violence Recovery Program
8General (3 folders)n.d., 1991-1997
8Boston Police Department Same Sex Domestic Violence Coalition1994-1998
8Brian J. Short, ?Provision of Services to Gay Male Victims of Domestic Violence? : Thesis1996
8Correspondencen.d., 2001
8Domestic Violence Client Protocoln.d.
8Press Conference2005
Reports
8Commonwealth of Massachusetts Governor's Task Force on Hate Crimes1992-1993
8National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (2 folders)1997-2004
8National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute1993
8Violence Recovery Program (2 folders)1994-2004
8Victim Advocate Training Manual1990
8Women's Health Advisory Groupn.d., 1999
8Women's Health Caren.d., 1991-1996
8Women's Health Information Study2000
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Series:
4. Audio-Visual Material and Memorabilia, n.d., 1988-2004
Volume:4.50 cubic ft.
Arrangement:

Alphabetical
Summary:

This series contains photographs, contact sheets, negatives, and video from a variety of events in which the Center was involved including Boston Pride, the Boston - New York AIDS Ride, and AIDSWalk Boston. Also included are photographs from Center fundraisers, such as the Men's Event, the Women's Dinner Party, and the Hot Cajun Holiday Evening. Video material consists of recordings of Men's Event and Dinner Party evenings, mock-documentary with a drag queen interviewing residents of Somerville, and a fundraising video for board of directors members. Memorabilia includes a baseball cap with the Center's logo, posters for Center events and programs, and banners advertising the Center.
BoxTitleDate
Audio-Visual
Photographs
8General1989-1996
86th Annual Halloween Balln.d.
8Agouron Pharmaceuticals2001
8AIDS Action Committee Walk1996
8AIDS Quiltn.d.
8AIDS Walk Water Stopca. 1997
9Boston -> New York AIDS Ride (3 folders)n.d., 1995-2001
9Boston Pride (5 folders)n.d., 1995?-2001
9Breast Cancer Rally1992-1996
9Building Modeln.d.
9Chorusn.d.
9Color Me Healthy1997
9Constructionn.d.
9Cooking Event1995
9Costume Eventn.d.
9The Dinner Party (8 folders)n.d., 1993-1998
9The Dinner Party and Co-Chairs Reunion2001
9Donation Ceremoniesn.d., 1988-2000
9Fenway Publicity Boothn.d.
9Halloween Party2001
9Haviland Street Buildings1989-1991
9Holiday Partyn.d.
9Hot Cajun Holiday (3 folders)1994
9Judy Shepardn.d.
9Latino Boat Cruisen.d.
9Leadership Council Dinner1996
9Lesbian Health Conference2001
9Men's Event (6 folders) (1 CD)n.d., 1995-2001
10Northeastern University Eventn.d.
10Our Names Wall Unveilingn.d.
10Paradesn.d.
10Peer Listening Linen.d.
10Picnicn.d.
10Press Conference1989
10PrideFest Street Fair (6 folders)1993-1996
10Project CARE Grantsca. 1999
10Revere Bowl Eventn.d.
10Ribbon Cuttingn.d.
10Rita Mae Brown Eventn.d.
10Senator Edward Kennedy Event1980s
10Signing of Declaration of Commitment against AIDSn.d.
10Staff Ice Cream Social2001
10Staff and Servicesn.d.
10Tutu Much Funn.d.
10Unidentified (4 folders)1970s-2000s
10Unidentified Events (3 folders)n.d.
10-11Unidentified Portraits (4 folders)n.d.
11Viewbook Imagesn.d.
11Violence Recovery Programn.d.
Video Material
12Boozical: The Unorganized Biography of Doreen Collinsn.d.
12The Dinner Party (1 VHS; 1 Beta)n.d., 2005
11, 12Fenway Men's Event 2004 (1 VHS; 2 Betas)2004-2005
12The Joan Tapen.d.
12Raising More Moneyn.d.
12Wave Babes Spoofn.d.
Memorabilia
RollBannersn.d.
13Condom Kitn.d
13Hatn.d.
13Magnetsn.d.
14, FF5/D8Postersn.d.
13Pinsn.d., 1998
13Stickern.d.
13T-Shirtn.d.
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