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Hope Lives Here | CHPA Volunteers at the New York City Rescue Mission

October 27, 2016

The Corporate Housing Providers Association (CHPA) is one of the strongest supporters of the Move For Hunger program. In addition to encouraging members to ask their residents to donate their food when they move, CHPA has also made it a priority to coordinate volunteer opportunities in the cities where they host events. Last week, CHPA held its East Regional Conference in New York City and attendees were asked to spend a couple of hours helping out at the New York City Rescue Mission.

The NYC Rescue Mission is the oldest homeless shelter in the United States. Since 1870, the Mission has been providing the city's residents with something to eat and a place to sleep. Today, its services also include a recovery program, a career & learning center, and a medical clinic.

CHPANYC2016MeetingVolunteerPhotos (5).JPGServing 600 meals per day and offering shelter for over 200 guests is a lot of work, so representatives from CHPA, Furnished Quarters, AZUMA, and Move For Hunger came together to lend a hand. Half of the team helped with meal prep for that night's dinner - chopping vegetables, peeling potatoes, etc. - while the rest of the crew did a little housekeeping in the Mission's living areas.

Unfortunately, the Mission is in need of the help now more than ever. In recent months, it has faced "an unprecedented surge in the volume of hurting and homeless neighbors" passing through its doors. According to the Coalition for the Homeless, the homelessness population in New York City has reached the highest levels since the Great Depression. The number of people sleeping in the city's shelter system recently topped 60,000 for the first time ever; that's an 86% increase from a decade ago.  Over three-quarters of the people currently living in the shelters are families. One in 10 New York City schoolchildren were homeless at some point during the 2015-16 academic year. And while there is no accurate measurement of just how many unsheltered homeless people are living on the streets, the Coalition for Homelessness estimates that number to be in the thousands.

New York's shelters have been stretched to their limits. The problem has become so dire that the city has resorted to renting hotel rooms for people unable to find refuge; approximately 6,000 people are being housed in hotels throughout the city, a practice that has been met with protests from some communities.

A lack of affordable housing is the primary reason for the soaring rates of homelessness. Rent in the city continues to rise, while wages for low-income families are declining. In 2016, a typical household in New York City will spend 65% of their annual income on rent. When average families are spending so much just to put a roof over their heads, it's easy to see how losing a job or an unexpected medical expense could quickly force them out onto the streets.

Shelters like the NYC Rescue Mission are where people turn during these hours of desperation. With the increased demand and limited amount of space, however, the Mission has been forced to turn some folks away. Staff members expect the problem the get even worse as the temperature drops during the winter months.

When faced with such an a enormous problem, it's natural to wonder if volunteering or donating food will really make any difference.

CHPANYC2016MeetingVolunteerPhotos (2).JPGThe answer, of course, is: yes, it does.

Food banks, soup kitchens, and homeless shelters rely on the help they receive from volunteers. They could not serve nearly as many meals as they do if it were not for the generosity of their donors.

More than 610,000 people experience homelessness in the United States on any given night. Nearly 50 million Americans face hunger each day. Volunteering helps us see beyond the statistics, puts faces to the numbers, and fosters a greater appreciation for the work that goes into making sure people who are going through hard times aren't left out in the cold. The experience often inspires volunteers to become advocates who fight for the policies that will alleviate the widespread poverty that leads to hunger and homelessness.

Thank you to CHPA for recognizing the need to take further action, for providing your members with opportunities to do so, and for your continued support of Move For Hunger.

Learn how you join the fight to end hunger and homelessness.

Support the NYC Rescue Mission and the services it provides to New York's most vulnerable citizens.