Photo Courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office
The Street Homeless Advocacy Project will be led by Norman Siegel (pictured) and Robert Hayes.
By Forum Staff
Mayor Eric Adams, veteran civil rights advocate and former executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union Norman Siegel, and Community Healthcare Network president and Coalition for the Homeless founder Robert Hayes on Tuesday announced the launch of the Street Homeless Advocacy Project (SHAP), a volunteer outreach initiative to provide direct support to those experiencing homelessness. Led by Norman Siegel and Robert Hayes in conjunction with the Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing, The New York Legal Assistance Group, and the Doe Fund, the new initiative will help train New Yorkers to become volunteer advocates for those experiencing homelessness.
“The Street Homeless Advocacy Project is another step in the right direction when it comes to helping our brothers and sisters experiencing homelessness,” said Adams. “Since we started this work, we’ve made great strides, and I know we can do better. It won’t be easy, but we can no longer just walk by and pretend this is someone else’s problem. We have a moral duty to try to break this cycle of neglect and despair. With New Yorkers helping New Yorkers, I know we can build trust with homeless New Yorkers and provide them with the resources they need to come off of the streets or out of the subways and find shelter.”
SHAP will train volunteers to engage and build trust with those experiencing homelessness, and offer services ranging from independent housing options, safe haven beds, as well as mental health and substance use programs.
Diverse teams of volunteers (made up of individuals with direct experience of homelessness, social workers, clergy and faith leaders, and community leaders) will be assigned to specific areas, in coordination with existing street homeless outreach programs, where they will engage with and offer services to individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness.
Volunteer advocates will go through a comprehensive application and vetting process before they start. When teams go out, they will be equipped with specific and direct links to the array of residential alternatives to the streets available to homeless individuals, as well as other support services like soup kitchens and medical services.
“There is no dignity in living on the streets — and here at the Department of Social Services, we are committed to providing high quality services to our unsheltered brothers and sisters so they can have a safe place to sleep and get the support they deserve,” said New York City Department of Social Services Commissioner Gary P. Jenkins. “Our low-barrier shelters — which just received a historic 171 million dollar investment — are specifically tailored to meet the unique needs of the unsheltered community. With wraparound services, medical and mental health support, and case workers on hand, our low barrier shelters are ready to serve our city’s most vulnerable. We are thrilled to work alongside the Street Homeless Advocacy Project to help countless New Yorkers get back on their feet as part of this new initiative.”
In addition to the Street Homeless Advocacy Project, any New Yorker who sees someone in need of assistance can call 311 or file a report through the 311 app.
