Homelessness

Sophia Miller grew up in St. James, Jamaica and came to New York a few years ago. It wasn’t long after moving here, though, that she and her two daughters ended up homeless. Sophia struggled to find work and started to lose hope all together. Then she met Dustee, the founder of Gifted Hands, our affiliate that provides educational art programs to build self-esteem and teach new skills. Here, Sophia shares her story of hope.

Detra is a preacher’s daughter who moved from Arkansas to NYC to escape an abusive husband and then became homeless. She shares the story of how God used the New York City Rescue Mission to show her she can be real with her pain and walk in the freedom of who God created her to be.

This month, learn step-by-step about what it's like to be homeless in NYC, hear from Bryan Stevenson about the problems with mass incarceration in America, gain perspective on the history of the Rikers Island jail complex, and more.

I've worked with men and women living on the streets for seven years now. In that time, I've talked with countless people struggling with homelessness and addiction—and I've come to know God more fully as a result of those relationships. Here are five things I've learned in the past seven years.

Over the past year, God has reminded me through Ephesians 2:6 that I am seated with Christ. The work is done! I have a seat at his table…along with those he placed in my life to love. It is no longer a burden to serve on Sundays—it is a part of our family life that has brought us closer together.

More than 60,000 New Yorkers sleep in city shelters each night, and thousands more sleep on the streets, subways, and public spaces. Here are five ways you can pray for the Don't Walk By outreaches happening next month—and for our neighbors who are experiencing homelessness.

Wolfie Bright spent his life following other people, which led him to drugs, homelessness, and time in a nursing home. But God used Dustee, founder of Gifted Hands, to restore him to the Mr. Bright he was meant to be.

We believe we serve our neighbors best when we’re informed about the needs in our city and encouraged in our call to pursue justice. So, we read articles, listen to podcasts, watch videos—and we want to share that with you in our Mercy & Justice Round-Up. We hope you'll read, learn and grow with us.

Homelessness in NYC has reached the highest levels since the Great Depression. More than 60,000 New Yorkers sleep in the shelter system each night, and thousands more sleep on the streets. Let's lift up these neighbors to our God who intimately identifies with our homeless brothers and sisters.

It can be intimidating, walking up to someone you don’t know in a city of 8.5 million people. Especially someone whose current situation feels so far removed from anything you've experienced. We asked three people who spend their lives engaging with our homeless neighbors for tips on how they do what they do.