don't walk by

Don't Walk By (now in its 18th year!) connected with many of our neighbors living on the street! In total, there were 298 street engagements, 287 guest intakes on site, 231 backpacks (aka. CITYPAKS) distributed, and 650 meals served. 

Our annual homelessness outreach was a success this year in reaching many unhoused neighbors! For one Saturday, over 240 volunteers gathered at The Salvation Army on West 14th to serve in various roles, including street outreach and on-site hospitality. 

Dave Park is a Hope for New York volunteer who has been serving with our affiliates for years!

This year, Don't Walk By focused on one Saturday outreach and served lower Manhattan between 46th Street and Battery Park. 

Our friends at Redeemer Lincoln Square recently prayed for men and women experiencing homelessness in our city. 

Now in its fourteenth year, Don't Walk By continues to serve our most marginalized neighbors living on the streets. This year, with rising concerns around the Omicron variant, more changes were made to Don't Walk By.

Together with Rescue Alliance, we host Don’t Walk By every year in February, the coldest winter month. In 2022, we will still continue our annual winter outreach, but with three significant changes.

For over 12 years, the Rescue Alliance has been able to positively impact the lives of our friends on the street and provide them opportunities for change. In February 2020, we saw our most successful outreach in history, but this year, our annual winter outreach changed to Pandemic Don't Walk By.

HFNY focuses on mercy, justice, generosity, poverty and brokenness. I find those five words challenging. In the context of each of our lives they mean so many different things, but one thing does connect them all—and it’s that they impact each of us every day.

While I could tell you all about the logistics of Don't Walk By or the amazing stories of changed lives to tug on the heartstrings, I’m going to share instead why you should sign up to serve again or even for the first time.