Words matter. I have seen firsthand how our guests at City Relief can often be described with language that would dehumanize and demoralize any of us. Let’s face it, the words we use to talk about people inevitably end up impacting the way we engage with people.

In a major city like NYC, it’s surprisingly easy to feel lonely. These days, it seems like connecting with others is difficult everywhere. In fact, studies show that 60% of Americans experience loneliness and isolation, and the problem is only getting worse. A 2018 study found that loneliness levels have been increasing over the past few decades.

Did you know that May is Mental Health Awareness Month? I don't know of anyone who hasn't been directly impacted by mental health challenges at some point in their lives. Whether it is you yourself, or someone you love, the reality is that at least one in five adults in the United States struggles with some form of mental illness.

A few weeks ago I was made painfully aware on Instagram of just how many people still don’t know that many people experiencing homelessness are already employed. We posted a video, and the comment section lit up with people sharing many common myths about homelessness.

There is a common misconception that drug addiction and alcohol abuse lead to homelessness. However, studies have found that in many cases, it is actually the other way around. Homelessness often precedes addiction, and substance abuse can be a powerful coping mechanism. It is crucial to understand the complexities of addiction and homelessness to help individuals overcome these challenges and find a new life on the other side.

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.

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.

This month’s Street Story comes from on of our Follow Up Care Coordinators, Zach Winterowd. July was actually Zach’s last month with us as he and his wife Shayna move onto the next phase of their lives back in Texas. His time with us was spent talking with guests to make individualized next steps, or a plan that they can realistically achieve, and then walk alongside them for as long as they need. It might look like helping someone get an ID card to helping a couple get married. (true story!) Zach talks about one need he has seen in almost every person he’s spoken with: the need for human connection.

I was nervous about serving with City Relief. Ten years ago, I spent my first week with this organization and fell in love with the neighborhoods of New York City and New Jersey, the ministry, and with the friends we had made on the streets. Every year I would countdown the weeks before I could return... but this year was different.

This month’s Street Story comes from our Director of Outreach, Lauren Lee. Lauren just celebrated her 5 year anniversary of working with City Relief on our outreach team. Her story is about assumptions and misconceptions that we often bring with us, and how people are always more than they appear.

This month’s Street Story comes from our Director of Follow Up Care, Tricia Philbert. Tricia and her team stay in contact with our guests after our outreaches end. They walk alongside each person that that is looking to make positive changes in their lives. Tricia’s story is about Mary and her family who were evicted when they couldn’t pay for their apartment during the pandemic.

One of the questions I get a lot when I do workshops or trainings around the topic of homelessness is, "How do I explain homelessness to my kids?" Usually this question comes from parents who live and work in areas where homelessness is self-evident. Occasionally it comes from parents who are planning a family trip into the city and they want to get out ahead of the inevitable questions that will come up as they walk from point A to point B.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here are five things I’ve learned over the last seven years about how to best love my neighbors experiencing homelessness.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard Christians justify doing nothing for the poor and the homeless by quoting the words of Jesus found in Mark 14:7: “The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me.”

Now, besides the obvious irony of using the words of the same man who told the parables of the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son, the same man who highlighted the significance of the widow’s generosity, and the same man who constantly warned of the dangers of greed, in order to excuse not lifting a finger to help the poor, there is also another fundamental problem