The Migrant Crisis in NYC: Two Years Later

By
Hope for New York
Migrant Crisis: Two Years Later

The Migrant Crisis began in April 2022 remains an ongoing concern for many New Yorkers. As of mid-March, the city estimates that more than more than 180,000 new immigrants have arrived, mostly by bus from the southern border, though some have also arrived by plane. More recently, a large number of migrants have also been coming from countries in Africa and some from China.

Concerns still remain on how our city will provide ongoing resources and shelter, with single adults limited to staying in NYC shelters for 30 days. Until recently, many asylum seekers (including families) have needed to reapply for shelter, which often leads to children being displaced and needing to change schools and/or add to their commutes. 

 

For the Past Two Years

For the past two years, Hope for New York has stayed in close contact with our affiliate partners to provide support through funding, volunteers, capacity building, and collaboration opportunities. His Toy Store, our annual Christmas outreach, was one of the direct ways that our affiliates provided for migrants through funding.

In fall 2023, we relaunched our Network Talks and focused on the topic of homelessness and the migrant crisis in NYC. Through different recorded conversations, various affiliate partners shared how they were continuing to care for asylum seekers. Here are more ways that our affiliates remain focused on serving new neighbors in need.

 

How HFNY Affiliates Are Still Serving 

 

The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is the official clothing provider for new immigrants at 34 migrant facilities overseen by NYC Emergency Management and NYC Health + Hospitals. Through partnerships with various city contractors, new immigrants receive vouchers that they can redeem at any Salvation Army Thrift Store in the region. Each voucher can be redeemed for up to $75 per person, with a maximum of $200 per family unit if the family consists of 3+ individuals. As of February 2024, vouchers have been distributed to 26,434 people at a total value of $1,471,100.

The Salvation Army has also started specific programming for the migrant population, such as Spanish-language church services and Spanish-language children’s programming, at their Times Square location. You can read more about these programs in a Gothamist article and also hear a WNYC audio clip of the children singing. 

 

The Bowery Mission

The Bowery Mission has primarily focused on recruiting more volunteers to support intake processes for its overnight shelter, with an effort to provide translation services for multiple languages. New efforts include having a speaker at the front doors to announce critical information in different languages as well.

Also, The Bowery Mission has partnered with local Spanish-speaking churches to offer vocational services on resume building and interview preparation. The Bowery Mission’s Children’s Program, Mont Lawn City Camp also hopes to pilot an ESL class for Spanish-speaking parents in the new year.

 

Beacon Christian Community Health Center

A medical clinic has been set up in close proximity to hotels providing shelter for more than 300 families. The majority of migrants without medical records have gone through initial screening and received more comprehensive care that includes vaccinations and immunizations for children so they can enroll in schools. Beacon also provides spiritual care and mental health support to address trauma, depression, grief, and pregnancy care.

 

Additional Affiliate Support
  • The Open Door: Offers free ESL training
  • Open Hands Legal Services: Provides basic legal support
  • Exodus Transitional: Provides families and individuals with food, clothing, and concrete services including support towards obtaining government assistance and connecting them with mental health/substance abuse treatment.
  • Chinese Christian Herald Crusades: Offers services through the "CCHC-Migrant Service Station" to address needs, especially to the increasing number of Chinese migrants (over 15,000) entering NYC.
  • All Angels’ Church: Within the past year, there has been a significant increase in migrant families who have been placed in temporary shelters on the Upper West Side. Similar to "regular” guests, the new migrant neighbors seek resources and community, connecting with other Spanish speakers and sharing life milestones such as weddings and new births. There has been a high participation in the Sunday night meal and clothing closet programs. On-site partners from Institute for Family Health have also provided medical resources.
  • Graffiti: Distributes weekly Free Lunch in the Park and Wednesday Night Meal, to provide food, winter clothing, social support, and connection to housing and jobs. Over the summer and fall, Graffiti also hosted a medical missionary and social work intern who provided health screenings and ESL classes. Many asylum seekers look for housing assignments at St. Brigid School, just half a block from Graffiti. 

 

His Toy Store: Providing Christmas Joy 

During the 2023 holiday season, several affiliates brought Christmas joy to migrant families through His Toy Store. Families across NYC were able to shop for new Christmas toys at no cost to them, ensuring that their children received a toy during Christmas.

  • Gifted Hands, working with Every Nation Church, served 95 families, many of whom were asylum seekers residing at three shelters in Midtown West. 
  • Urban Hope supported 1500 Staten Island families, many of whom were migrants. Families received toys in addition to diapers and other items.
  • The Bowery Mission connected with 30 migrant families through their His Toy Stores in East Harlem and the South Bronx.
  • The Father’s Heart focused on new migrant families. One family expressed that she had not experienced so much love, from each and every person, as she encountered at His Toy Store.
  • World Vision invited migrant families and families staying in shelter homes to shop at His Toy Store in the Bronx. Many shared that they did not have a Christmas tree or money for gifts. 
  • Avail, The Salvation Army, Exodus Transitional Community, and The Open Door distributed gifts to migrant families through their His Toy Store locations.
  • 9 Million Reasons gave out over 3,000 toys to mostly migrant families in Long Island City. Parents shared that, without the event, they could never have provided their children with Christmas presents.
  • Redemption Red Hook provided toys to over 500 families, many of whom were migrant families. One mother shared that she had only been in the states for three weeks and was filled with despair, but seeing how we cared for her family through His Toy Store and the food pantry gave her hope again.
 
How You Can Still Help

The best way to support our affiliate partners is to pray, serve, and give:

 

SERVE

 

GIVE

All Angels’ Church - 251 West 80th Street, NY NY 10024     

  • Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays (10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.) - Pick-up hours. To coordinate a different arrival time, please reach out to cm@allangelschurch.com.
  • Tuesdays and Thursdays (8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.) - Donation drop-off hours. Seasonal adult men's and women's clothing and shoes - lightly used and clean; only new undergarments and socks; no children's clothes accepted at this time.

The Salvation Army - 120 West 14th Street NY NY 10011

  • Mondays to Fridays (8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.) - Donation drop-off hours; no contact person necessary. Donate brand-new clothes and accessories (shirts, pants, coats, socks, hats, shoes, etc.).

World Vision - 310 Tiffany Street, Bronx NY

  • Mondays to Thursdays (8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.) - Donation drop-off hours. Only new clothing; need children's clothing but will accept adults. Contact: Sandra Aguilar at SAguilar@worldvision.org (914-356-2204) or Gilbert Diaz at gdiaz@worldvision.org (718-598-2752).

 

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