What We Do

Home.

Thousands of families exit the New York City shelter system each year, and are faced with the daunting task of maintaining a stable residence. As the cost of living in New York City has increased, many families have had to stretch their finances to cover rising rent costs and basic necessities such as food, clothing, transportation and other living expenses. This is particularly challenging for families transitioning out of homelessness who typically have more constrained resources.

Turning an empty apartment or house into a warm and inviting home requires a large expenditure of funds that formerly homeless or at-risk families do not have. As a result, furniture items such as beds, adequate seating (e.g. sofas, chairs, and dining furniture), and other household items (e.g. plates, utensils, bedding, and toiletries) are lacking. Adequately furnished homes create positive living environments that have significant impacts on emotional and physical health. It is now well established that an individual’s environment is intricately tied to their general well-being, a finding that is especially true for a growing child.

Community.

HCS believes that creating furnished, inviting living spaces for the formerly homeless and for families at risk of homelessness, inspires families to have hope for the future, and can break down barriers to getting additional services that help families maintain stability. The HCS design and home furnishing process does not end with the creation of a fully furnished living space. It is the start of helping clients access and build a ‘wraparound’ system of services and supports such as career and financial planning, mental and physical health care, and academic and social enrichment activities. Poverty can often be isolating, creating a heavy veil of shame for families who feel that their living spaces are inadequate. A warm, inviting living space buffers against isolation, increasing the likelihood that families will invite other members of their surrounding community into their space to bond and fellowship. A furnished ‘home’ can become a ‘hub’ for intentional community—a space in which communities can be built and strengthened.

Spirit.

A furnished home enables families to start to envision their lives beyond survival mode. By alleviating the costly burden of furnishing a home, HCS can help to mitigate the toxic levels of stress associated with poverty, and its harmful effects on physical and emotional health. The simple, cost-effective act of furnishing a barren living space with gently used, donated items, and connecting to community-based supports can help families start to heal from the trauma that often accompanies homelessness and living in poverty.

Home+Community+Spirit’s primary goal is to reduce family entry or reentry into the NYC shelter system through the creation of home environments that buffer against poverty-related toxic stress and promote healing and stability.