Care For the Homeless

Care for the Homeless graduated its first class of “Certified Care for the Homeless Advocates” yesterday (September 26, 2013) following a nine-class training course on policy issues, speaker training and advocacy techniques. This first class of Certified Advocates, comprised entirely of client leaders from the organization, included ten graduates, each of whom has experienced homelessness in New York City. The graduating Certified Advocates told their personal stories at the event and connected their own story to a particular policy issue for which they are personally advocating. This diverse group of Members of the Graduating Class graduates includes blacks and whites, men and women, straight and gay, those currently experiencing homelessness and some who are formerly homeless. The personal stories included: a Ph.D. former college teacher who lost his eyesight, then his job and finally his home, a man who was sentenced to death at the age of 16 but had his senten...

With record numbers of people experiencing homelessness in New York City, Care for the Homeless is needed now more than ever. We are humbled by your continued support. Click here to read how your contributions save lives and change lives in our latest Impact Report.  Highlights include: licensing five new clinics, increasing mental health services for adults and children, rebuilding a new clinic damaged by Hurricane Sandy, advocating for public policy to end homelessness and much more. Click here to download the 2012 Impact Report.  Thank you for your generous and continued support of our mission.    

March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom (l-1963, r-2013) Jeff Foreman, Director of Policy America’s celebrating the 50 th Anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, and the iconic Martin Luther King “I Have a Dream” speech. Care for the Homeless was able to take 10 of our client leaders to the anniversary celebration on the Mall in Washington, D.C. It was an uplifting experience. Now those participants in that historic anniversary are using their reactions to talk about that “Dream” and their dream for America. Two Care for the Homeless client leaders were present for both the 1963 March and the March last month. One of them, David Broxton, said “it might seem we’re still marching for the same things, like good jobs, affordable housing and voting rights, but that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been progress.” Bill Bryant, the other client leader who attended both events, was in the military and stationed near Washington in August of 1963. A New York...

Bobby Watts, Executive Director  Shortly before heading to D.C. for the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, I  engaged in an email exchange with the NYC Independent Budget Office. I was sure that a figure in their recently-recently released report was incorrect. But it wasn't a typo - the annualized cost of an inmate in NYC jails is $167,731 per year. 

  Jeff Foreman, Director of Policy One week after the much heralded 2013 New York City primary election and New Yorkers are still waiting for the “final” results. Did Bill deBlasio, who clearly got more votes than any other candidate on the Democratic ballot, garner enough votes to avoid an October 1 st run off election? Here are two facts we do know for sure: 1.       Only about 20% of the eligible registered voters cast a ballot. 2.       There is an October 1 run-off regardless of whether or not there’s one for Mayor. Fewer than half those eligible to vote have registered. If only 1 in 5 of the registered actually voted, that means only 10% of the people in New York City who could have participated cast a vote.  The run off already determined is for Public Advocate – ironically the position deBlasio now holds – and it’s between City Councilwoman Letitia James and State Senator Daniel Squadron on the Demo...