What's next after Don't Walk By 2016?

During the month of February, over 1,000 volunteers surveyed the streets of Manhattan to welcome homeless men and women back to an anchor church where they were served a warm meal and offered resources for long term care.

We are so thankful to everyone who gave up their Saturdays to partner with us, The Bowery Mission, NYC Rescue Mission, and NYC Relief to care for our homeless neighbors.  Over 650 homeless men and women were engaged by our volunteers and over 500 men and women were welcomed at anchor churches and other resources for long term care through the outreach.

One of the greatest outcomes of this outreach is the impact it has on our volunteers. Through Don't Walk By, volunteers are equipped on how to engage homeless men and women year long. Our hope is that by educating more New Yorkers on this issue, more homeless men and women will be pointed in the direction of organizations that are available and equipped to care for them holistically.  Here is what some DWB volunteers had to say about their experience: 

"I really appreciated the opportunity to seek out and help those that are in need. I often pass them on my commute to work and don't know what to do, or don't feel I have time to address them, but through this experience I learned that it doesn't take much for someone to feel human, and just having a quick conversation and prayer with someone can go a long way." - Kate

"When we were going home, we ran into a guy asking for money outside of the PATH that we've walked by before, but this time we gave him a card and talked to him about the services he could get, and it was really great not to ignore him this time! My favorite part about DWB is that we're empowered to talk to people all year now that we know more about the services that are available." - Karis

"I only closely interacted with one person on the streets, but the experience allowed me to realize a lot... After listening to him speak and explaining what DWB had to offer, I asked him if there was anything we could pray for him about... After our 'amen', he said he felt humbled and grateful for us. I felt the same - humbled and touched that a man who seems to have been brought to the bottom of society would still have the faith and openness of heart to be so incredibly open towards us." - Christine

What's next? We don't want the outreach to stop at Don't Walk By. There is work to be done all year long. We have individual and group volunteer opportunities at The Bowery Mission, NYC Rescue Mission, NYC Relief, and Open Hands Legal Services. With the largest homeless population that we've seen since the Great Depression, it is imperative that we contribute to organizations that are ceaselessly serving the poor and marginalized by offering physical resources, job training, spiritual nourishment and counseling.  You can learn about more ways to engage your homeless neighbors HERE. 

Photos by Corey Hayes/NYC Relief