Bulletin Board

The place where you can stay up to date with the latest events, stories, news, and opportunities for our City Relief community.

The Overlooked Crisis of Period Poverty
Weekly Newsletters Elizabeth Fischetti Weekly Newsletters Elizabeth Fischetti

The Overlooked Crisis of Period Poverty

At outreach in New York City, it is not uncommon for women who are experiencing homelessness to approach me and ask if I can help them access menstrual products. These requests are often whispered, almost as if they're ashamed to ask. But there's nothing shameful about needing basic hygiene—it’s a human necessity.

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Women & Homelessness: Breaking the Cycle of “Stuckness”
Weekly Newsletters Elizabeth Fischetti Weekly Newsletters Elizabeth Fischetti

Women & Homelessness: Breaking the Cycle of “Stuckness”

One of the first women I met doing outreach in New York City was Tricia (not her real name). She was in her mid-forties, trying to escape a cycle of trauma, addiction, and violence. Taking methadone for opioid recovery, she also needed anxiety medication for PTSD, but the combination left her drowsy and vulnerable on the streets. Shelter rules forced her outside during the day, leaving her exposed to dangers she couldn't fend off. She couldn't work, couldn't stop treatment without unbearable withdrawal, and most of all—she couldn't find a way out. She was stuck.

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Why listening matters…
Weekly Newsletters Elizabeth Fischetti Weekly Newsletters Elizabeth Fischetti

Why listening matters…

As an advocate for homelessness, I wanted to share a powerful story that I recently came across in the New York Times. The article, written by Tracy Kidder, is about a doctor named Jim O'Connell, who has dedicated his life to caring for the homeless population in Boston. What makes his approach unique is his commitment to listening to the stories of the people he serves.

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Your Place in the Domino Effect
Weekly Newsletters Elizabeth Fischetti Weekly Newsletters Elizabeth Fischetti

Your Place in the Domino Effect

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia Fudge was recently interviewed by NPR. In her interview, Secretary Fudge noted that the issues causing homelessness - namely housing affordability and housing discrimination - were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and that the general public does not even realize the populations that are being hit the hardest.

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It’s a Miracle!
Weekly Newsletters Elizabeth Fischetti Weekly Newsletters Elizabeth Fischetti

It’s a Miracle!

I don’t know about you, but my definition of a “miracle” is quite lofty and nearly unattainable. There are only a few times I have truly experienced anything that I would slap a “miracle” sticker on with such a distinguished definition.

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