Christian ministries take to New York’s streets amid homeless crisis

NEW YORK—New York City’s homeless population has rocketed to a record 60,000, and this month Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed greatly expanding the city’s troubled shelter system. De Blasio wants to build 90 new neighborhood shelters, but residents around the proposed new sites are not happy.

Christian homeless ministries are addressing the crisis by canvassing the streets, finding high numbers of people in need. During the month of February, a coalition of city homeless ministries organized more than 1,100 volunteers to walk the entire island of Manhattan, an outreach called Don’t Walk By. This year, they talked to 809 people, the highest number in years, according to the organizing group, Rescue Alliance.

The Rescue Alliance—which includes groups like New York City Relief, The Bowery Mission, Hope for New York, and New York City Rescue Mission—trains volunteers to meet people on the streets and in subways and invite them to a nearby church for a hot meal, clothes, medical care, and an opportunity to enroll in a variety of programs.

Of the 809 people the volunteers talked to this year, 600 visited local churches and 71 entered emergency shelters at one of the ministries, according to Rescue Alliance. About 122 people got basic medical care, 50 saw an optometrist, 45 got new reading glasses, 21 received foot care, and nine took tests for HIV or STDs.

Other ministries, like New York City Relief, regularly serve those living on the street using two school buses converted into mobile outreach vehicles. One of the buses parks twice a week in Chelsea.

The non-denominational Christian organization offers food, socks, sanitary kits, and prayer to homeless people living all over New York City.

“The Relief Bus is unique because we don’t only give them basic needs like food, but we also cater to their holistic needs, such as their spiritual life,” said outreach leader Scott Hansen. The bus attracts about 200 homeless people each time it’s out.

The bus is divided into three sections. The front houses the office. The second houses the “kitchen,” where staffers serve hot soup, bread, hot chocolate, and water through a food truck-style window. In the back of the bus, staffers give out socks and hygiene kits containing items like shaving cream and hand sanitizer. Staff members meet one-on-one with clients and offer to pray with them. Through that interaction, organizers hope people will decide to sign up for long-term help.

The bus connects homeless people to organizations such as the NYC Rescue Mission, job training centers, and legal services. But not everyone comes to the bus for the food and job training. John (the only name he uses) is an almost 70-year-old, Santa-looking man who lives sporadically in a city shelter. A regular at the bus, he is allergic to the canned soup, but he likes meeting new people.

“I come to talk to normal people with normal problems to advise them,” he said.

Community service trucks have over time gravitated to the Relief Bus. Mobile health clinics from nonprofits and the city parked in front of the Relief Bus on this particular Friday. According to Corey Hayes, spokesman for New York City Relief, other trucks have only recently started to park by the bus on a regular basis.

“It is no coincidence, when they saw that we pull a crowd, many homeless people that they too want to reach, they figured it would be a hot spot for them,” Hayes said. “The church ahead of us is probably another reason why they park here.”

During the last three years, the 7,000 New York City Relief volunteers, referred to as missionaries, have built relationships with their visitors. One staff member held her wedding ceremony on the street because of her strong attachment and friendship with many of those she served. Once every few weeks, the relief buses hold a street party during which they preach a message of hope: “God has not forgotten you. You are not alone. Tomorrow can be better than today.”