What can teens do to help New Yorkers in Need

Homelessness is a serious problem that New Yorkers can't ignore.  Every night, over 63,000 New Yorkers sleep in shelters.  Fewer than 1 in 4 of homeless children will graduate high school.  Families make up three-quarters of the homeless shelter population.  Currently, 23,000 children are in shelters.  Sometimes it's hard looking at numbers especially when they seem to  keep growing and think what difference can I make?  Everyone -- even teens -- can do a great deal to help.  Big and small.  The Helping Homeless Women Committee (HHWC) has made lists of organizations that want your help and ways that you can make a difference to end homelessness in New York City.
                                    


Here are some easy ways teens can help the homeless.


1.  Treat the homeless with respect. They are people, just like you. You don't have to have a full-on conversation, but it is nice to show that you care by wishing someone happy holidays.

An organization you can go to in order to interact with the homeless and hand out gift bags in NYC is JoyJ.  To find a chapter and see the upcoming events, visit their website. 

joyj.org

2.  Contribute to donation boxes at school, community center, or make your own.  If you want to organize a donation at your school, talk to your parent coordinator about getting the word out. Many organizations say they want donations of money on their websites and don't specify the other goods they need right now. If you are going to start a donation box, don't assume what you should collect.  Email the organization to see if there is anything they need. Some great organizations in New York City are:

https://winnyc.org

https://www.robinhood.org

www.coalitionforthehomeless.org

3.  If you see a homeless person struggling during a freezing or snowy day, you can ask them if they are okay. If they are not okay, you can call 311, a service of people who provide resources for shelter. The website is: 

www.coalitionforthehomeless.org

4.  Volunteer at organizations that help the homeless and families in need of assistance. like food pantries or any other public charity events. You can volunteer at the New York Common Pantry or any other local pantry.  The New York Common Pantry link is below.

nycommonpantry.org

5.  Spread the word that New Yorkers need your help. You can tell friends about ways to help end homelessness.  You can also sign petitions to help homeless people. The petition below is trying to get Mayor De Blasio to build more homes for homeless New Yorkers.

Coalition for the homeless

Some organizations would rather receive donations of money rather than goods. Money can be used any time of year to buy anything they need.

Here are some ways you can raise money:

• Create or contribute to coin drives.
• Do a Bake Sale
• If you are a Scout, you can raise money with your troop by selling treats.