What Happens to Children Born in NYC Homeless Shelters?

 

Children Born in NYC Homeless Shelters
Photo Credit: Cincinart - stock.adobe.com

As you may have gleaned from previous blog posts, once a family enters the New York City homeless shelter system, it is extremely difficult for them to get out. However, we have not yet discussed the impact for those who have been born into this system. This blog post will discuss what happens to children born in NYC homeless shelters, including the impact on their future health, educational and other opportunities. 

How Many Children Are Born In NYC Homeless Shelters? 

As of April 16, 2025, 18,206 families resided in New York City’s homeless shelter system, including 31,583 children. [1] Extrapolating data provided by the Comptroller’s Office, there could be as many as or more than 51,000 individuals of child-bearing age in city shelters. In Fiscal Year 2021, 1,121 babies were born to parents living in DHS shelters. [2] The final tally has not been verified yet, but given all those statistics and the knowledge that New York’s homelessness crisis has only worsened, estimates for the number of children born into homeless shelters in the last year are closer to 2,000. 

What Disadvantages Do Children Born in NYC Homeless Shelters Have? 

As we have noted in these blog posts many times before, children and youths experiencing homelessness face profound challenges to all aspects of their health, their educational prospects, future economic opportunities and much else besides. For children born into this system, their difficulties are magnified. According to a report published in Health Affairs, homeless infants were more likely to visit emergency departments or be hospitalized due to the following:

  • Low birth weights
  • Upper respiratory disease
  • Allergic reactions
  • Asthma
  • Developmental disorders
  • Fevers of unknown origin
  • Injuries from external causes
  • Nutritional deficiencies

How Does Being Born in a Homeless Shelter Affect A Child’s Academic Development?

Among many other academic challenges, being born into a homeless shelter can lead to developmental delays, lower educational attainment, behavioral problems, chronic absenteeism and failure to graduate, all of which will severely limit their future potential and increase their likelihood of being homeless as adults. 

How Do You Help Children Born in Homeless Shelters? 

Ideally, support should start before the child is even born. If you or someone you know is pregnant and homeless, you may avail yourself of these free resources:

That said, the risks don’t decrease just because the child has survived infancy. You can find a wide range of free or low-cost pediatric services by calling 311 or clicking this link. 

And of course, Mentor A Promise and its network of partner organizations can help fill in gaps and/or supplement schooling. So, please don’t hesitate to reach out. 

Contact Mentor A Promise Today 

Our organization recognizes the immense potential within each individual and seeks to provide them with the educational resources and opportunities they need to thrive. To that end, we have built a strong network of family shelters, educational institutions and community organizations to support homeless children, youths and their families. Click these links to learn more about what we offer or to get involved. Together, we can break the cycle of homelessness. 


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