A Community of Homelessness

By Matt Krivich, Assistant Director, The Bowery Mission

The Bowery Mission will celebrate its 135th anniversary on the Bowery in 2014, and we're not standing still. In fact, we are in an exciting season of change and expansion. We recently received a grant to renovate two floors of our men's residential program at 227 Bowery. The dormitories will be designed to create a deeper sense of community and belonging. Thankfully, we will be able to make these renovations without interrupting the compassionate care services we provide 24 hours a day ? serving an average of 600-800 meals a day, and offering clothing, showers, medical care, and emergency shelter to more than 150 men every night.

We're also in a neighborhood that is changing and expanding. It seems I get a call every other week from a new restaurant or business in the area, asking how they can help. Last week Whole Foods donated a tractor-trailer load of food ? on top of their regular daily donations. We have growing partnerships with neighbors like The New Museum and the General restaurant. Messi Gerami, owner of Heart of Tea, came in for a tour this year and ended up employing two of our graduates.

It takes a village ? it takes a city ? to really address this issue of homelessness, and we want to create more opportunities to work together in 2014. I hope our neighbors will make a New Year's resolution to stop by and introduce themselves so we can figure out ways to work together.