Care For the Homeless

Sahira's Story Sahira getting her heart rate checked by Joy. No more than 4 months ago, Sahira P. came to Care For the Homeless’ (CFH) Susan’s Place Health Center in the Bronx for a routine check-up. However, there was something else on her mind aside from taking her blood pressure and checking her resting heart rate. It turned out she had been struggling with a Percocet addiction. As is the case with many CFH patients, Sahira was (at first) apprehensive about telling her story, despite her intense desire to do so. “I was dying to tell somebody my story,” she commented. “But, I was afraid someone would judge me.” Judgement is just one of the many legitimate concerns CFH patients have when seeking medical services. Negative past experiences and financial insecurities lead patients to believe that they’ll also be, either turned away by providers or treated poorly by them. These complex concerns yield a litany of negative consequences. Perhaps the most severe ...

Empowering Patients, Forging Relationships Care For the Homeless Nurse Practitioner Joy Favuzza Care For the Homeless’ (CFH) Jackson Health Center sits comfortably in the eastern sector of the Bronx’s Mott Haven neighborhood. Amidst the vibrant activity on the streets and sidewalks, is the hustle and bustle of the Bruckner Expressway and the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, both of which are within viewing distance. Down below the pavement, the 6-train echoes loud and clear. To the building’s side is a colorful, lightly worn playground. Its many slides, bridges, and ladders provide the perfect setting for any kid’s imagination to run wild. But, on a morning as cold as March 13th, it was understandably empty. But, now as the weather begins to warm, it’s easy to envision those slides and ladders overrun, and teeming with laughter. The CFH Health Center is co-located in the Jackson Family Residence, a living space for homeless families. The site is operated by CFH site partner...

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month. Every year, more than 11,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with cervical cancer. With regular screenings and follow-up care though, the disease can often be prevented. However, while such a health measure is a priority for some, the same cannot always be said for women who are unstably housed or experiencing homelessness. When an individual is experiencing food and housing insecurity, those elements take precedence. So, as a thank you for participating in this essential preventative health exam, patients receiving pap smears can choose either a pocketbook or jewelry from the donations we collect. Care For the Homeless is currently accepting gently used to new pocketbooks and jewelry. Donations can be brought to our 33 rd Street offices or to Susan’s Place in the Bronx. January 23 rd is the final day to make your donation, so don’t wait! Join us in the support and promotion of cervical health! Please co...

Care for the Homeless Kicks Off NYC Fashion Week Billed as the only fashion show during NYC Fashion Week that changed the lives of homeless women--the event featured residents of Susan's Place, our 200-bed shelter for homeless women in the Bronx, as models. The sold-out crowd gave several standing ovations during the event, which raised more than $8,000 for Susan's Place.  One of the models, Lizette, talked about the struggles she's overcome in her own life, sharing: "A couple of years ago, I never would have had the self-confidence to do something like this." Since opening the shelter in 2008, over 900 women have moved out of Susan's Place and into permanent housing. Less than 8% become homeless again. Photos by Redens Desrosiers View photos from the September 4th Fashion Show in our online Photo Album here . Looking for more information about the incredible designers who generously sponsored the  Fashion Show ?  Follow the links below to ...

Fill a backpack, fill a need! Did you know there are over 80,000 homeless school children in New York City?  Thousands of homeless parents are worrying about not being able to afford the items on their children’s school supply list.  You can help ensure that homeless children are not left behind or forgotten by donating much needed school supplies this summer. This small gesture creates an encouraging environment for academic success by building confidence for the new academic year. When: July 17 - August 22 Where: Drop off supplies at 30 East 33rd Street, 5th Floor, NY, NY 10016              or Susan's Place 1911 Jerome Avenue, BX.  Questions? Email Rosanna at  rmontilla@cfhnyc.org  or call 212-366-4459 ext. 202.  Thank you to our committed sponsors, West Side Foods, 4 Kids in Need, Institute for Family Health and all of our generous donors for inspiring homeless children.  ...

Health Empowered Beauty Join us on September 4, 2014 for our annual Health Empowered Beauty Fashion Show Fundraiser to benefit Susan's Place.  A fashion show unlike any other, this inspiring event will feature Susan's Place homeless clients as models. Tickets start at $20! Click here to purchase tickets and get more information. Health Empowered Beauty Fashion Show Thursday September 4, 2014 at 6:30 PM @Subud Chelsea Center  230 West 29th Street ( Map )  Subway: 1 to 28th Street or B,D,F,M,N,Q,R  to 34th Street Herald Square  Learn more on our website. Will you be in the front row on the runway this year?

After several months of planning and tireless hours of painting, volunteers unveiled a new mural at Susan's Place this past weekend. Covering 70 feet--spanning the length of the cafeteria at Susan's Place--this new mural, called "Moving Forward," was made possible through a partnership with Habitat for Humanity NYC's Brush with Kindness program. Are you interested in volunteering your creative talents for Care for the Homeless? Contact Angela Petriello at volunteerservices@cfhnyc.org or 212.366.4459 ext. 222 to learn more. Follow the mural's progress below: We thank all the volunteers who helped beautify this space. Susan's Place is a 200-bed residence for homeless women. Since opening in 2008, over 1 million meals have been served in this cafeteria.

The path out of homelessness often starts with one simple question: what happened—why are you homeless? For Ebony, a 22-year old college student and resident of Susan’s Place, our shelter for women in the Bronx, answering that question was both liberating and empowering. “I am homeless because when I moved back to NYC from California to take care of my Mom who is sick, I was under the assumption my Section 8 housing voucher was transferable.” Ebony is not alone. The 2013 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reports 10% of all homeless people in the United States were 18-24 years old.  Four months ago, Ebony moved in Susan’s Place, where she says: “I don’t feel like a number, I got my humanity back.” Working with a Care for the Homeless housing liaison, just this week, Ebony has gone on several housing interviews, and she received word that she will be moving into an apartment soon. Care for the Homele...

This March, Susan's Place turns six! Please join Care for the Homeless as we mark the anniversary of the opening of our 200-bed transitional shelter for mentally ill and medically frail homeless women in the Bronx. Services at Susan’s Place include transitional shelter for 6 to 9 months, meals, personalized case management, on-site medical and dental clinics, psychiatry, group and individual therapy, health education workshops and screenings, computer literacy, government benefits enrollment and advocacy, housing placement assistance, job counseling and self-efficacy programming. Six years. Over 438,000 nights of shelter provided. Over 1 million meals served. Since we opened, over 900 women have moved from Susan's Place into permanent housing. Less than 8 percent become homeless again. THANK YOU  for  supporting our mission  and funding critical programs and services like Susan's Place. Interested in volunteering? Please email us at...

From all of us at Care for the Homeless, we wish you a Happy and Healthy New Year. Thank you for your generous support and advocacy. You make our work possible  for over 8,000 homeless men, women and children in NYC every year. www.careforthehomeless.org

From all of us at Care for the Homeless: THANK YOU! In the last year, Care for the Homeless served 8,474 homeless men, women and children , providing 33,627 clinic visits at over 30 sites. With your support, we responded to a 44% increase in demand for mental health care . Focusing on the most vulnerable, our street medicine team is part of an outreach initiative that resulted in a 72% reduction in street homelessness in the Bronx over the last eight years . Since we opened the shelter in 2008, over 900 women have moved from Susan's Place into permanent housing. Less than 8% become homeless again. Thank you for helping us change the lives of homeless men, women and children in NYC.

Doors open at 6 p.m. - join us for the only Fashion Show during Fashion Week that's changing the lives of homeless women. 100% of the proceeds from tonight's Fashion Show Fundraiser benefit Susan's Place programming. Susan's Place is our 200-bed shelter for mentally ill and medically frail homeless women in The Bronx. Since 2008, over 800 women have moved from Susan's Place into permanent housing. Your support of the Fashion Show changes lives. Residents shop with dignity at Classic ReRuns, a non-cash boutique at Susan's Place. Have you reserved your seats, yet, for tonight's Health Empowered Beauty Fashion Show Fundraiser? Tickets start at $25 - reserve online or buy at the door at the Bronx Museum for the Arts. Health Empowered Beauty Fashion Show Fundraiser September 12, 2013 Doors open at 6 p.m. 1040 Grand Concourse - Bronx, NY Benefiting Care for the Homeless' Classic Re-Runs at Susan's Place. Care for the Home...

Meet Rosalind. A minister who fell on hard times and became temporarily homeless, she now lives at Susan’s Place . Two weeks ago, Rosalind organized a poetry workshop at the shelter, using poetry as therapy, reaching out to others in her situation. Rosalind volunteered to lead this one-hour workshop, called Suite Poetry , which teaches the art of poetry, incorporating styles from around the world. There wasn't a dry eye in the room as seven women read pieces aloud during the workshop. One woman wrote: I sat down one day to think How come I was born For since I’m black and known as a slave I’m worked till I’m tired and worn… This week attendance at the poetry workshop doubled. Susan’s Place is our 200-bed transitional shelter in the Bronx for mentally ill and medically frail homeless women. On average, women stay at Susan’s Place between six and nine months. Since the program opened in 2008, over 800 women have moved out of homelessness and into permanent hou...

How? Join us on September 12, 2013 for a Fashion Show Fundraiser to benefit  Susan's Place . This fun, splashy event will combine awesome runway fashions from new designers, homeless women showcasing their talents as models, a passionate audience & doing good. Help take a stand against homelessness and promote health empowered beauty.  In partnership with the Bronx Museum for the Arts, the Fashion Show starts at 6 p.m. on Thursday, September 12, 2013. The evening includes light refreshments, music, contests and more. Health Empowered Beauty Thursday, September 12, 2013 6:00 p.m. @ the Bronx Museum for the Arts Benefiting Care for the Homeless'  Classic Re-Runs  at Susan's Place CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TICKETS!

United Talent Agency and CFH Volunteer Services hosted the first of many Game Festivals last Friday, July 26th at Susan's Place, our transitional residents for homeless women. The event was called Lunch n' Games, and the group of 12 volunteers seeking some team building through service, spent the afternoon serving lunch and playing board games with the woman of Susan's Place.  The volunteers discovered, amongst the many boardgamers; chess geniuses, Spades masters, scrabble wizzes and more.  At the end of the day UTA presented Bingo complete with prizes and a donation of board games for future game festivals at Susan's Place. The June Toiletry drive was a success, pulling in thousands of toiletry supplies!  Wednesday, The TRIO youth group of The College of Mount Saint Vincent visited Susan's Place to assemble over 700 toiletry kits, to be delivered to our sites across New York City. While at Susan’s Place the CMSV student volunteers served lunch to the women and...

In April, Care for the Homeless introduced the new Volunteer Services, where New Yorkers who are housed are connected to those who are homeless in an incredible service learning experience. Within only three months, volunteer services has welcomed John Jay: College of Criminal Justice, The College of Mount Saint Vincent, New York University, United Talent Agency, Children of Promise NYC and several other New York City groups and organizations to serve at our sites and join our cause to end homelessness.   Volunteers have been involved in almost every facet of our mission such as  walking with us in advocacy during the 2013 AIDS Walk, staffing our health fairs, hosting clothing and toiletry drives and assembly dates, staffing our wellness barbecues and leading our recreational events such as game day at Susan’s Place. Volunteer individuals have joined the team for long term recurring volunteer positions.  Classic Re-runs, our boutique at Susan’s Place for res...

Clients Linda, Darvena, Crystal, Jovita, Genevieve & Dawn join volunteers, Health Educators and HAC members in the Summer Extravaganza. The Health Education Department celebrated National HIV Testing Day with a fun filled carnival. Complete with balloons, popcorn, raffles, giveaways and interactive booths, the carnival was designed to educate clients on the nature, transmission, prevention, and current knowledge and treatment of HIV and AIDS. To coordinate and execute the event, titled “A Summer Extravaganza”, the Health Education team was joined by members of CFH HIV Advisory Council and the Consumer Advisory Board, as well as the CFH Volunteer Core.  The Extravaganza took place at Susan’s Place on June 27 th and at Franklin earlier in the week. Free HIV testing was offered throughout the day and altogether, more than 100 women were in attendance and nearly 40 women tested. For more info on HIV testing and care at CFH, click HERE . 

Care for the Homeless Executive Director Bobby Watts has been chosen to give the annual “Susan L. Neibacher Address”, which is the keynote speech of a breakfast plenary session of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council’s national conference on Thursday, March 14, at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill hotel in Washington, D.C. He will speak to several hundred health care administrators, clinicians and homeless advocates from across America about “Homelessness as a Public Health Epidemic." The speech is a particularly meaningful one for Watts because it is named for Susan L. Neibacher who was the founding Executive Director of Care for the Homeless in 1985. Not only was Neibacher an effective and inspirational organizer and administrator, she was also a mentor to Bobby Watts. In addition to being one of New York City’s oldest and largest providers of health care and human services to people experiencing homelessness, Care for the Homeless also operates a 200-bed s...

Guanita is one of the 46,000 homeless people, more than 19,000 of them children, who sleep in the city’s shelter system every night – 30% more than only five years ago. But now, Care for the Homeless is helping Guanita find shelter…and hope. After a series of medical setbacks, including multiple surgeries on her foot, Guanita’s medical expenses became too great and she was unable to pay her rent.    She ended up seeking shelter through public assistance, moving from shelter to shelter in New York. After a heart attack forced her into an extended hospital stay and ultimately to Susan’s Place, the 200-bed shelter for medically frail and mentally ill women that Care for the Homeless operates in the Bronx. Guanita was in need of a medically capable facility and the clinic at Susan’s Place was a perfect solution.  “I feel more confident,” Guanita said about being at Susan’s Place. “It’s better having a clinic here. Since I’ve come here, I haven’t had as many ...