Today, almost 40% of young homeless people identify as queer. Ali Forney Center gives them a place to stay. It also provides medical care, counseling, education programs, and employment assistance.

BronxWorks is a human resources service located in the Bronx that helps homeless individuals find housing, get medical and psychiatric help, and referrals to substance abuse treatment programs.

Coalition for the Homeless serves meals to the homeless, trains people on how they can find jobs, and has a crisis intervention center for at risk families.

Doe Fund assists homeless adults who were once incarcerated get back on their feet by helping them to find housing and gain the skills necessary to get a job by doing mock interviews.

Partnership for the Homeless is an organization that helps families get long-term housing and teaches them the skills necessary to maintain the new home. They also have a Positive Step program that offers support to men and women who are homeless and at risk for HIV.

Picture for the Homeless is organized by homeless people who live in the area. They fight for housing that is affordable and their civil rights. They donate their time to offer training for no cost on community activism and organization.

Women in Need has 10 shelters in the 5 boroughs. They provide housing to mothers and their children. They give counseling for domestic violence and referrals to drug and alcohol treatment programs.

If you have cleaned out your closet and have clothes that you are no longer wearing and would like to donate them, the Bowery Mission would gratefully accept clean and gently used clothing items. The following quote is an example of how simply donating an old sweater or pair of jeans can have: "After being out on the streets or in the subways, our guests feel a sense of restored dignity from a change of clothing.” Donations are accepted Monday – Saturday, 7am – 4pm at the front desk. Accepted donation items include: Jeans, casual clothing, professional clothing, and new underwear bras and socks.

Goodwill is an American nonprofit company whose mission is to help the less fortunate locate possible job opportunities, support their families, and overcome challenges. They are also very environmentally friendly! (Goodwill also has a map to help you find a location near you)

Clothes that are donated at the Salvation Army are sold to customers, and the proceeds go to funding for the adult rehabilitation centers where people with substance abuse issues can find help. You can donate clothing, furniture, vehicles, household goods, and applications.

Purple Heart is an organization that donates cars to veterans. All you need to do is fill out the online vehicle donation form and put in your address. Purple Heart will come and pick up your vehicle from your house and you will then receive an IRS tax deductible donation receipt.

Little Essentials is a charity whose goal is to offer the children (ages 0-5) of families in the cycle of poverty with urgently needed children’s essentials and educate the parents of these children in order to promote their safety and health. You can donate clothing, diapers, strollars, baby wipes, books, blankets directly to their location at 15 Warren Street.

Savers is a thrift store who purchases donations to nonprofit companies and then sells the clothing at their store. Last year alone, Savers kept 700,000,000 pounds of clothing out of landfills!

Accepted and Appreciated Donations: Canned and non-perishable, Prepared foods (fresh and sealed), Fresh fruits & vegetables, Fresh & frozen meats, Water Bottles, Pre-packaged snacks, Cooking oil, Sauces, salad dressing & condiments, Herbs & spices.

If you have extra canned foods or fresh fruits and vegetables that you need to get rid of or are simply just interested in donating food to shelters the Bowery mission would gratefully accept donations. Everyday through different programs within the Bowery mission they’re able to serve 1,800 meals. The Bowery mission will accept donations Monday – Saturday, 7am – 7pm at both the Bowery (227 Bowery) or Tribeca (90 Lafayette St) campuses.

Feeding America is the largest network of food banks in America. By donating money you are providing food to homeless families in the US. $1 could go as far as to provide 10 meals. There are locations throughout the United States and they provide meals to over 25 million Americans every year.

If you are interested in giving a monetary donation to help the homeless community please consider donating to any of the organizations referenced and linked throughout this website. Whether it is a soup kitchen, shelter or medical facility all of these organizations need money to operate and serve others. All monetary donations are greatly appreciated. If you are able to volunteer your time at any organization that supports the homeless, in addition to giving money it would be very appreciated as well. It doesn't take much to change the life of someone in need. Whatever you are able to give can potentially transform someone's life.

Housing Works is a community built to help homeless people who are living with HIV/AIDS through advocacy and services. You can donate any furniture as long as it is in good quality. Housing Works will come and pick up your furniture free of charge! You can also donate apparel, accessories, shoes, art, jewelry, housewares, lighting, rugs, books, and more.

Habitat for Humanity is a non profit organization that builds affordable housing for people in poverty all around the world. You can donate to their Habitat ReStores which are home improvement stores. You can donate new or slightly used furniture, housewares, building materials, appliances, etc. You can either donate in person or most locations offer pick up free of cost.

Today, there are tens of thousands of men, women, and children living on the streets of New York City. 20-40% of these people are LGBTQ youth and unfortunately, this number only appears to be growing. By donating your time, money, or resources you could be a part of ending this epidemic and helping someone to get back on their feet. Getting involved in your community through the act of donating goods, time or services not only helps those in need but can be a very rewarding, educational and fun experience for yourself. It has also been seen that volunteering can improve your health! Homelessness is a growing issue in New York City but if we have volunteers and people committed to being involved in preventative resources and aid to the homeless starting at early stages we can hopefully decrease the number of homeless individuals. Below is an article on all the great benefits of volunteering.

Grand Central Neighborhood Social Services Corporation provides shelter for midtown Manhattans’ homeless population. GCNSSC offers a variety of housing options. If you or your family are sleeping rough or are in need of housing services Grand Central social service staff helps all clients find the kind of shelter that best suits their needs.

Care for the Homeless founded Susan’s Place, which is a transitional homeless shelter that includes a Care for the Homeless medical and dental center for women. If you or someone you know is a women experiencing homelessness Susan’s Place welcomes you. In addition to providing housing to women Susans’s Place offers women to clean clothes, healthy food and social services.

Urban Pathway provides temporary housing to adults who have an immediate need for housing in five boroughs of New York and at Newark International Airport. If you are homeless and looking for extended supportive housing Urban Pathway provides extended-stay and permanent supportive housing through their scattered site apartment programs and at eleven residences in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Queens.

Coalition for the Homeless is an organization that provides a wide variety of housing options. Whether you are currently a single adult or family currently not in a home, or a family that is struggling to find affordable housing and in need of temporary assistance Coalition for the Homeless has resources to assist you.

Prospect Place Transitional Housing Community is a welcoming environment that has a holistic approach to help homeless women with mental illnesses. Here you can receive psychiatric and general mental and emotional care so you can live your ideal life. If you are a homeless women in NYC and would like access to this care you may visit 198 East 121st Street, New York, NY or call (212) 801-3300.

If you are a victim of domestic violence or a disabeled individual and need a safe place to stay, the Freedom House is open to you. You may stay here for up to 180 days and there are a variety of different housing setups to accommodate to single individuals and families. Freedom shelter also works with counseling agencies and can direct you to other resources you may need. You may call Freedom House Shelter at 212 400-6470.

If you are a single woman with a mental illness or victim of violence who is experiencing homelessness, or would otherwise be homeless if they did not leave unsafe conditions, then you may stay at one of the single women only shelters listed below. If you are a woman with children or a pregnant woman struggling with a mental illness or domestic violence then you are eligible to stay at the DHS PATH shelter.

Grand Central coalition for the homeless provides over 1,000 nutritious meals everyday to those in need in the Manhattan and Bronx area. If you are in need of a hot meal Coalition’s Grand Central Food Program (GCFP) begins each night from 5-7pm by providing meals at St. Bartholomew’s Church (“St. Bart’s”) on 51st Street between Park and Lexington Avenue. If you are unable to get to this location you can still access food from GCFP’s mobile food delivery vans. Below is an approximate schedule for where and when the vans stop to deliver meals.

Every Saturday St.Joe’s in Greenwich Village provides a meal to the public. If you are homeless or hungry you may come to 371 6th Ave New York, NY 10014, meals are served in Casserly Hall between 1pm-3:30pm. Meals are served to the public and no questions are asked to individuals wanting a meal. Around different holidays St.Joe serves seasonal meals if you are hungry, but especially around the holidays, you are welcome to eat at St.Joe’s soup Kitchen. If you are in need of a change of clothes clothing distribution takes place during meal time. If you are in need of health services or flu vaccines St.Joe’s soup kitchen partners with Project Renewal and Duane Reade pharmacies to provide all services for free.

Grand Central Neighborhood Social Services Corporation (GCNSSC) strives to create a safe environment where homeless people can access necessary medical care. Grand Central Neighborhood Services partners with many organizations around New York to provide mental health care, substance addiction and physical and dental care. GCNSSC also has connections with organizations that can provide emergency/crisis health care. If you need access to this care you can go to 120 East 32nd Street, New York, NY 10016 or during weekdays you can look for a GCNSSC representative wearing an orange shirt in Grand Central Terminal.

Care for the Homeless has medical centers throughout the city of New York that can provide 24/7 care to everyone. Care for the Homeless medical centers accept walk ins and tries its best to meet with patients as soon as possible. If you or someone you know need to make a same day appointment or would like to communicate with a Care for the Homeless employee at anytime please call (718) 943-1341. The above link will lead you to Care for the Homeless website where you can find the medical center closest to you.

The Center for Urban Community Services (CUCS) in New York City is dedicated to improving the physical and mental health of vulnerable New Yorkers. CUCS practitioners are known for there flexibility in care. Whether you are on a park bench, shelter or a housing resident CUCS will provide personal care tailored to your needs. Whether it be relating to physical or mental illnesses CUCS is available to help you. If you would like to communicate with the Center for Urban Community Services you may call (212) 801-3300 or (212) 635-2191 or visit 198 East 121st Street New York, NY 10035.

If you are homeless and need a shower, clean clothes or personal care items visit any of the above shelters that are applicable to you and they can provide you the resources you need or direct you to where you can find them.

For more than 35 years, the Coalition’s Crisis Intervention Program has been a singular refuge, where anyone in New York who is homeless, on the brink of homelessness or struggling to survive can receive immediate help from our experienced and dedicated frontline staff. Coalition also provides emergency care for homeless families with children. Case workers at the Coalition for the Homeless use their specialized expertise to aid those in greatest need. The Crisis Intervention Program operates Monday – Friday on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please arrive at the coalition office (129 Fulton Street New York, NY 10038) no later than 8:00 a.m. if you would like to see a case manager. You may also call 212-776-2000

Use the links to read stories or watch videos about individuals who with hard work, resilience and the willingness to receive help were able to overcome homelessness.

Here is information regarding a variety of resources that can be helpful to someone you know who is homeless or if you are homeless yourself. Links to specific organization's sites have been included in order to learn further information on their services. If you have any further questions about resources you can receive individual organizations and shelters will be able to further direct you. If you are homeless or close to homeless and looking to change your life or improve your living conditions remember that these resources are available to you and that you have the potential to change your life if you desire.