Heart to Hand is a 501 (c)(3), community-based public health organization located in Largo, Maryland. We provide support services to those living with HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections. Heart to Hand is the leading provider of free services to those living with sexually-transmitted infections.
VISION STATEMENT
Our Vision is to empower the disenfranchised by building self-esteem, self-worth and promoting responsible and healthy lifestyle choices, ultimately creating self-reliance.
MISSION STATEMENT
Our Mission is to provide support, education and resources that promote healthy lifestyles, decrease health disparities and increase access to quality health care.
VALUES STATEMENT
Heart to Hand was founded on the basic value of giving a “touch of love” to those in need. We believe in meeting people where they are and to provide basic kindness while reducing barriers to maintaining health and wellness. We strive to maintain these principles through the following values:
- Advocacy – We constantly plead, support, and fight for the cause of the disenfranchised people living in our community.
- Integrity – We treat our clients and partners with honesty, moral uprightness, and a strong sense of transparency.
- Humanity – We strive to establish the highest standards of compassion, kindness, consideration, and sympathy for everyone we serve.
- Leadership – We have established a vision of social influence and motivation to help our clients achieve the highest level of sustained health improvement.
- Collaboration – We work with our clients, physicians, contract pharmacies, and partners to maximize access to health care services.
- Mentoring – We strive to be the most powerful and recognized personal development and empowerment organization in the state of Maryland.
Our Story
Things were different back then. When Heart to Hand was founded over 20 years ago, HIV was in a state of crisis here and around the globe. In the early 90’s, Dedra Spears Johnson and Sally Joseph were health professionals working in communities throughout Prince George’s County. As the HIV crisis worsened in the DC metropolitan area, they noticed how African Americans, especially women, were under served and neglected by standard efforts to combat HIV. Community after community, they saw the same thing and it troubled them.
Something was missing. Dedra and Sally saw the need for sexual health care infused with culture and love. They came up with a plan to address what they saw as a critical need in the care of people, primarily African Americans and women, facing and living with HIV. Together at their kitchen table in Capitol Heights, Dedra and Sally created Heart to Hand to combat the rapid rise of HIV among African-American women. It was founded as a grassroots, sexual health nonprofit to serve residents of Prince George’s County and later the DMV.
Since 1999, Heart to Hand, Inc. has been Prince George’s leading provider for free and low-cost sexual health services such as Rapid HIV testing, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and sexual health education. We pride ourselves on our ability to meet people where they are in life in order to provide individualized, sexual health care. For we believe everyone deserves and benefits from sexual health and wellness.
In Memoriam
Sally Holloway Joseph (1956-2009) was the co-founder of Heart to Hand, Inc., which was established in 1999 to “make a difference by encouraging people to never give up and invest in themselves in order to have a better quality life.” Sally’s Mission was to serve the disenfranchised, underserved, and underinsured. Sally wanted to ensure that Heart to Hand, Inc. would continue to provide HIV/AIDS, Outreach, Tobacco, and other intervention/prevention programs.
For your inquiries or concerns, you can reach us at 301-772-0103.