10 Stories of Beauty and Brokenness
Every year, our affiliate partners share stories of how they meet the specific needs of New Yorkers in need of hope. As part of our 2023 Fall Benefit, we highlighted 10 stories of beauty and brokenness. These stories show the ways your ongoing support provides resources for programs that can help someone in dire circumstances.
All names and details changed and stories shortened for privacy reasons.
Avail
Brokenness: Story of Struggle
Kayla and Jack are a young unmarried couple struggling with what to do about their second pregnancy. During their first pregnancy, they had an abortion, which was a negative experience for them. They feel inadequate as parents because Jack grew up in the foster care system and Kayla came from a broken family. With this unexpected news, both Kayla and Jack feel overwhelmed and fearful. They are considering another abortion but feel uncertain about this choice.
Beauty: Story of Hope
Kayla and Jack’s story is based on a couple served by Avail, which supports women and men making decisions about unexpected pregnancies or seeking support after a past abortion experience. Kayla and Jack began meeting with Avail’s client advocates to process feelings from their past abortion for the first time. As the couple built a relationship with their Avail advocates, they decided to carry the pregnancy to term and enrolled in several Avail programs on parenting education and healthy relationships. After their daughter’s birth, Kayla and Jack continued to receive support from their client advocates. The couple sees Avail as family.
Graffiti 2
Brokenness: Story of Struggle
Omar left the Middle East in his mid-twenties because of religious violence. Over two years, he had a nomadic life traveling through three different countries before finally arriving in New York City, speaking very little English and uncertain where to go next. A friend connects him with a Middle Eastern pastor living in the midwest, but Omar isn’t convinced someone who lives hundreds of miles away can help him.
Beauty: Story of Hope
Omar’s story is based on a man served by Graffiti 2, which primarily serves the Mott Haven community in The Bronx. The pastor called an organization serving refugees, and a contact there connected with Graffiti 2. The Graffiti 2 staff picked Omar up right away and drove him to a men’s shelter, all while using Google Translate to communicate. Over several months, Graffiti 2 provided Omar with basic needs, resources to ESL and legal services, connections to other Arab Christians, and assistance for seeking asylum. Omar shared that he was impressed by how Graffiti 2 lives out the words of Jesus.
New Life CDC
Brokenness: Story of Struggle
Ana is a single mother and undocumented immigrant who made the long and difficult journey from South America to New York City with her young son. She left everything she knew to have a better life in the U.S., but as each day goes by, she is feeling more hopeless. With no legal papers, Ana can’t secure a permanent home and/or a steady source of income to sustain herself and her son.
Beauty: Story of Hope
Ana’s story is based on a woman served by New Life CDC, which primarily serves the Elmhurst and Corona communities in Queens. Ana joined a Success Group that empowers working families to overcome economic hardship. In her first year, Ana received an IDNYC, her first official form of identification. A few years later, Ana obtained her learner’s permit to drive, secured steady and safe employment with flexibility for child care, and moved into an apartment in a school district where both her and her son are thriving.
The Father’s Heart
Brokenness: Story of Struggle
Ping is an elderly man who lives alone. Because of a significant language barrier, Ping struggles to interact with government agencies and financial institutions. Recently, Ping learned that he will start losing his monthly social security income, but he doesn’t understand why. He begins to feel more isolated and more helpless.
Beauty: Story of Hope
Ping’s story is based on a man served by The Father’s Heart, which primarily serves the East Village community. Ping showed up to their Social Services Desk in tears. Through a translator, he explained his situation and asked for help. A few volunteers offered support by looking into his situation and working to find a solution. Now, Ping's situation is resolved and he has regained his monthly social security income.
Youth for Christ
Brokenness: Story of Struggle
Eli is a teenage boy living in the Bronx who cares deeply about his family. But his life took an unexpected turn when he was arrested for committing a crime and then sent to a nearby juvenile detention center. Eli’s worried that he won’t finish high school, which will derail his future. He’s feeling deeply ashamed and hopeless.
Beauty: Story of Hope
Eli’s story is based on a teen served by Youth For Christ, which mentors youth in the Bronx and Brooklyn juvenile detention centers. When Eli was first referred to Youth For Christ, he was resistant to mentoring and anything related to church. Youth For Christ still met Eli consistently each week at the detention center. Over time, Eli believed in Jesus and got baptized. Youth For Christ watched him graduate high school, and he will be released on probation soon.
Center for All Abilities
Brokenness: Story of Struggle
Diane is the mother of a young boy who is neurodivergent. She deeply desires for her son to connect well with others and be part of fun activities. But engaging her son with his peers was often difficult because of his loud and disruptive behavior. Diane often became anxious and fearful that her son was bothering others, so she often backed out of plans for play dates.
Beauty: Story of Hope
Diane’s story is based on a woman served by Center for All Abilities, which primarily serves neurodivergent youth in Chinatown and Flushing, Queens. Center for All Abilities encouraged Diane to try a playgroup program that would better fit her son’s needs and allowed him to remain free and active. Diane was able to witness her son connecting with his peers and see how his high energy was well-received by the community.
Restore NYC
Brokenness: Story of Struggle
Sophia is a young mother who is pregnant with her second child. She recently found the courage to leave her abusive partner, who exploited her sexually. Her partner was arrested, but he made false allegations against her that caused the court to rule in his favor. Even before giving birth, she loses custody of her two children. Sophia feels she has nowhere to turn and no one to rely on for help.
Beauty: Story of Hope
Sophia’s story is a composite story of many women served by Restore NYC, which provides safety and support for survivors of human trafficking. After leaving her abuser, Sophia was connected to Restore’s Client Services team and began to process the trauma of being trafficked and losing her children. Restore connected Sophia with a legal team to help her regain custody, and she later secured housing and a job. She is now preparing for a new court hearing to be reunited with her children and live a life free of violence.
The Bowery Mission
Brokenness: Story of Struggle
Lydia has struggled with clinical depression for most of her life. After giving birth to her first child, Lydia experienced debilitating postpartum depression. To cope, she developed an addiction to prescription medication. Her finances soon decrease, she loses her apartment, and she becomes homeless. Her clinical depression returned and she began having suicidal thoughts before being hospitalized for a month. She’s unsure of what her future holds.
Beauty: Story of Hope
Lydia’s story is based on a woman served by The Bowery Mission, which provides food, housing, addiction recovery support, and much more to unhoused men and women. After being hospitalized, Lydia found refuge at The Bowery Mission’s Residential Program for women and felt an immediate sense of belonging. She also received mental healthcare, saved money for an apartment, reconnected with her family, and deepened her relationship with God. She is now a weekly volunteer who encourages other people in similar situations.
Urban Hope NYC
Brokenness: Story of Struggle
Miguel is a bright boy in elementary school who’s struggling to keep up with his classmates in reading. His school does not have enough resources to provide 1:1 learning time. His parents are too busy with multiple jobs and his other siblings to pay attention to his needs. Miguel is falling behind in school and feels stuck and sad.
Beauty: Story of Hope
Miguel’s story is based on a young boy served by Urban Hope NYC, which serves vulnerable neighborhoods and schools on the North Shore of Staten Island. Urban Hope’s Literacy Program volunteers visited Miguel’s school during lunchtime to help with reading. Before the program, Miguel barely knew the alphabet, but he’s now advanced seven reading levels that surpasses most of his classmates. Miguel’s feelings of self-worth and confidence have been restored!
The Salvation Army - Greater NY Division
Brokenness: Story of Struggle
Derek is a middle-aged man diagnosed with serious health conditions: HIV, diabetes, and kidney disease. He’s experienced homelessness but recently enrolled in a new program that provides case management and medical care. Soon after enrolling, he lost health insurance and other benefits, but the new program was unable to assist him in regaining Medicaid or receiving food assistance. Derek’s health is now at risk, and he’s left afraid and feeling hopeless.
Beauty: Story of Hope
Derek’s story is based on a man served by The Salvation Army/Greater NY Division, which provides a variety of resources to underserved neighborhoods in the New York region. When Derek lost his Medicaid, The Salvation Army immediately worked to have his benefits reinstated retroactively. They also coordinated with a pharmacy to get medication, submitted a claim for pharmacy reimbursement, and provided emergency food resources. Derek expressed that he would have been lost without The Salvation Army’s support.
Your generous support of Hope for New York make a difference in helping affiliates turn broken moments into beautiful ones.