How to help people experiencing homelessness this Christmas
It’s the most wonderful time of the year for a lot of us - but unfortunately for those experiencing homelessness, the festive period can be particularly difficult. There are fewer support services available, and the cold weather can be brutal for anyone living on the streets.
At SpareRoom we believe that everyone should have somewhere they can call home. Home is so important, not only for our physical and mental wellbeing, but also for our dignity and security. So, here are some ideas you can implement this Christmas to help:
Connect someone to help
To send an alert if you’ve seen someone sleeping rough who you’re concerned about (in NYC), and connect them with local help services. It’s really easy to use, just call 311 and ask for mobile outreach. The operator will contact Breaking Ground or one of their partners to get help there within an hour.
Have a chat
Sleeping rough is an isolating experience, made worse by the amount of people that ignore the homeless people they walk past each day. Taking a few moments out of your day to have a chat can make a real difference to someone. A smile can go a long way.
Connect someone to food resources
So much of Christmas centres around food, yet those experiencing homelessness often struggle to afford to eat. Every state will have their own organizations who provide free meals, but it can be harder for homeless people to find them - so why not connect someone to your local soup kitchen, food bank or organization? If you're in NYC, Food Bank for NYC has a map showing all their food banks around the city, making it easy to find your nearest spot.
Donate your unwanted clothes
Thinking of refreshing your wardrobe before the new year? Your old jumpers, jackets, socks, hats and gloves could be really valuable to someone who’s sleeping rough at this time of year.
The Salvation Army has drop off locations across the country, or schedule a free pick up. Find out more here
Enter Live Rent Free
Every month, we pay for somebody's monthly rent in our Live Rent Free sweepstake. We then match this sum and donate the same amount to Breaking Ground, to help them combat homelessness and give real, practical help to those who need it most. So far, we’ve donated $133,137.50! Just by entering Live Rent Free, you're helping - enter next month's competition here.
Volunteer or donate to Breaking Ground
Breaking Ground serves more than 10,000 vulnerable New Yorkers each year through street outreach, transitional housing, and permanent supportive and affordable housing. Donating as little as $25 can help change someone's life for the better, or you can offer to volunteer vmiller@breakingground.org individually or as a group.