Mentor A Promise

  Photo Credit: rangizzz - stock.adobe.com The official start of summer is only a few weeks away, but it’s already growing quite hot in the streets of New York City. Excessive heat, made worse by the effects of climate change, is not just uncomfortable, it can be deadly, especially for the most vulnerable members of our society. This blog post will discuss the dangers of heat on the homeless population of New York City as well as resources they may use to cool off.  Why Are Extreme Heat Events More Dangerous for Homeless New Yorkers?  Even for the healthiest New Yorkers, extreme heat events tax their physical, mental and emotional well-being. However, certain conditions place some groups in greater danger. Those experiencing homelessness are the most vulnerable, because they often experience multiple risk factors simultaneously. According to the National Integrated Heat Health Information System , these risk factors include, but are not limited to, the following:  In...

  Photo Credit: Puttachat - stock.adobe.com Wherever you first heard it, chances are that you have encountered some variation of the phrase, “He who saves a single life, saves the world entire.” This ages-old precept may sound cliché, but there is truth to it. And one of the easiest and most effective means of saving a life is by exhibiting basic humanity and compassion. This blog post will discuss the power of kindness and the effect it can have on New York City’s homeless population. What Does It Mean To Be Kind?  Before we delve any further, we want to stress that kindness is separate from niceness. The latter involves a generally appealing and inoffensive nature, which will change from culture to culture. For example, your definition of a “nice” boy or girl might differ from your grandmother’s. Kindness is something much more profound and universal. It involves curiosity about and empathy for our fellow travelers and their struggles as well as actions taken to relieve some...