Programs for Men, Women and At-Risk Youth

The Bowery Mission has served the poor, homeless and hungry New Yorkers since 1879, in an area that came to define the term “skid row.” Our programs for men provide meals, emergency shelter, and residential recovery programs.  As women became the new face of homelessness during the 1990’s, we adapted our experience in restoring the lives of homeless men to develop programs for women that offer hope and opportunity for a transformed life.

Our children’s programs which serve at-risk youth, called Mont Lawn Camp and Mont Lawn City Camp, began in 1894 by giving the children of recent immigrants the chance to escape the tenements in the summer.  Today, our children programs are changing the life direction of at-risk youth in New York City.

Homelessness is both the problem and the symptom of other problems that can range from financial instability to chronic substance abuse, from unemployment to family trauma, and more.  The Bowery Mission addresses homelessness as both the problem and the symptom by meeting basic needs through our compassionate care programs, and operating residential recovery programs that help the homeless to regain sobriety, reconnect with family and faith, pursue educational goals, and prepare for work and independent living.

Compassionate Care Programs

Meals

The famous red doors of The Bowery Mission at 227 Bowery offer hope for thousands of poor and homeless in New York City.  Each day, our combined programs serve more than 1,000 meals to homeless men and women who have nowhere else to turn.  During 2014, we served over 392,000 meals.  Each meal served represents an opportunity to connect with a person to understand his or her needs and provide them with healing and hope.

Shelter

Every day, The Bowery Mission provides safe shelter for over 260 men, women, and children who would otherwise be on the streets. When temperatures fall below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, The Bowery Mission opens its doors to provide warm, emergency shelter for 150 men. 

Medical Care

Being homeless makes people more vulnerable to everything from the common cold to chronic illnesses. Each Wednesday evening, a team of volunteer doctors and medical professionals offer medical services for men and women at The Mission.  Once per month, depending on the optometrists’ availability, we provide optical clinic services.

Life Transformation Programs

The Bowery Mission meals program, shelter, medical care and other compassionate care services are all an invitation to our residential recovery programs for men and women, where lives are transformed from hopelessness to hope. 

Programs for men

The average homeless man is in his 40’s and has been homeless for six months to a year. Many have been homeless for long periods of time, sometimes decades.  The majority of homeless men are burdened by alcoholism, drug addictions or mental illness.

We provide each meal, each night of shelter, each shower, each piece of clothing, and each free doctor’s appointment as an invitation for a homeless man to participate in our men's residential recovery programs. 

The Bowery Mission Life Transformation Program is a faith-based residential recovery program that provides shelter to 140 men who live together in a community of recovery. 

The Bowery Mission Transitional Center is operated in partnership with, and fully funded by, the City of New York since 1994.  The Transitional Center houses 77 men at a time, and has consistently ranked highly among the city’s substance abuse and recovery programs.

Programs for Women

As with men, homelessness among women is both a problem and a symptom of other problems, which may include acute health problems, chronic substance abuse, financial exploitation, sexual victimization, past trauma or abuse.

At The Bowery Mission, we start with the basics – food for the body and soul.  Healthy and nutritious meals are offered three times a day.  Before each meal, women may choose to attend a chapel service and have their spiritual needs met. 

Our ultimate goal is to provide homeless women with an opportunity to join with other women at The Bowery Mission Women's Center at Heartsease Home, the only faith-based residential recovery program for homeless women in Manhattan.  We are committed to each woman’s spiritual, emotional and physical restoration.

New Life Direction for At-Risk Youth

Today in New York City, there are tens of thousands of at-risk youth.  High percentages of these youth are in single parent families that live below the poverty line and face life-long challenges resulting from inferior educational opportunities, dangerous neighborhoods and other circumstances.

The Bowery Mission’s programs for children are designed to provide the right supports to a youth's development, at the right time, from age 6 to age 18. These supports cultivate in each youth a realization of their own intrinsic worth and purpose to God; opportunities to discover and employ their unique talents and gifts; and the right challenges to forge a strong character that can overcome adversity.

Your gift will make a difference

The life changing work of The Bowery Mission’s programs for men, programs for women and programs for children is made possible through caring, generous donors and volunteers.  Every gift, large and small, makes a difference to our homeless neighbors and at-risk youth who have nowhere else to turn. Your online gift today will be used to provide meals, shelter, medical care and long-term recovery.  You can also donate by mail or phone, donate food or other goods, or learn how to volunteer.