Mentor A Promise

  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...

Photo Credit: runrun2 - stock.adobe.com This blog post will discuss addiction among the homeless population of New York City, its most susceptible victims and the available resources. How Do The Homeless Become Addicted in New York City?  Even the most fortunate people in our society need to unwind, maybe even escape, from the harsh reality of day-to-day living. Depending on your interests, one may find escape through the arts, sports and physical activities, socializing with friends and family, or any of a myriad of ways. Though we should stress that not anywhere near every homeless person uses narcotics or other intoxicating substances, many use them to escape their daily pain much as their more fortunate counterparts would do by watching a favorite movie or playing a neighborhood game of football.  How Common Is Drug Addiction Among the Homeless Population in New York?  The exact numbers will never be known due to the secretive nature of addiction and how little attent...

Photo Credit: leonidkos - stock.adobe.com Throughout these blog posts, we have endeavored to paint a portrait of the true face of homelessness. Constant readers will know that anyone may, through one or more misfortunes, become homeless. This blog post will discuss the growing trend of working homeless in New York City as well as some resources they may use.  How Can You Be Homeless in New York City If You Are Working?  As mentioned in previous blog posts, there are many reasons why someone might become homeless, including domestic violence, fires and natural disasters. At the same time, wages have not kept up with the rising cost of rent and other living expenses. To afford those expenses requires an average household salary of $46,967, or $23 per hour. [ 1 ] As of 2025, the minimum wage in New York is $16.50. [ 2 ]  How Many New Yorkers Are Working and Homeless? Studies have shown that the majority of homeless adults in America have jobs. [ 3 ] In New York City specific...

  ali - stock.adobe.com In previous blog posts, we have frequently made reference to the high cost of living in New York City. On average, the monthly cost of living can range from approximately $4,441 for a single person to around $10,033 for a family of four. This makes New York the most expensive city in the U.S. and among the top 0.1 percent of most expensive cities in the world. [ 1 ] These statistics no doubt contribute to New York being home to the largest homeless population in the U.S. [ 2 ] Nevertheless, this blog post will discuss why it is cheaper to provide the homeless with permanent supportive housing than to pack people into shelters.  What Is The Cost of Homelessness in New York? You might not realize it, but there is a society-wide cost to the homelessness crisis. The exact costs will vary depending on the individual, but homelessness can cost taxpayers up to or in excess of $44,700 a year per chronically homeless person. [ 3 ] And yes, this number takes into...

 Photo Credit: Lumos Maxima - stock.adobe.com  Many myths persist about homelessness and those who experience it. Some of the most pernicious are in service to the lie that only certain types of people, for one reason or another, will lose stable housing. While some groups and individuals are more prone to being homeless, the truth is that anyone, under the just the wrong set of circumstances, could find themselves without a safe, reliable place to live. This blog post will examine how people become homeless in New York City, who is most susceptible to this condition and how one might work their way back from the brink.  How Does A New Yorker Become Homeless?  Although New York City consistently ranks as one of the world’s most expensive cities to live in, unaffordability is only one of the many causes of homelessness. As discussed in a previous blog post , domestic violence is responsible for approximately 40 percent of cases within the city shelter system. In all l...

  Photo Credit:  THANANIT - stock.adobe.com This blog discusses content also covered in our new podcast, available here .  We all know the cliché: “If you can make it in New York City, you can make it anywhere.” But for far too many New Yorkers, prosperity and success remain out of reach, exemplified most poignantly by the city’s dearth of affordable housing. To combat this growing crisis, Mayor Eric Adams proposed the “City of Yes” initiative. This blog post will examine its aims, potential benefits and whether it will be sufficient to solve New York’s housing crisis.  What Is The City of Yes?  According to the municipal government website, the City of Yes is a three-part plan to revise zoning laws, which haven’t been updated since 1961, to promote environmental sustainability, economic opportunity and, of course, increase the number of affordable housing units available. [ 1 ] These complex plans are intended to address a wide range of interconnected issues th...