Mentor A Promise

Photo Credit: Marcus Jones - stock.adobe.com The President of the United States’ federalization of the police force of Washington, D.C. has been a startling development in the eyes of many. In particular, we have been shocked and horrified by the glee with which these forces have torn down encampments of homeless people. While we might be inclined toward partisanship, we must remember that members of both parties have engaged in this wanton destruction. This blog post will discuss why you should never dismantle an encampment of homeless New Yorkers, the effects on this vulnerable population and how you may prevent future incidents.   Why Is It Bad To Destroy Homeless Encampments in New York?  While some out there may consider these encampments “unsightly,” these sites are, to our most vulnerable populations, the only sources of community and safety in an otherwise hostile environment. If you have a reliable neighbor, you can appreciate the feeling. Even without actual upr...

  Photo Credit: kieferpix - stock.adobe.com While we at Mentor A Promise endeavor for political neutrality, we must acknowledge that even though every New York politician vows to combat homelessness, the crisis has only worsened. This collective failing has eroded trust between those experiencing homelessness and city officials. This blog post will discuss whether homeless New Yorkers should trust the city government, how trust can be rebuilt and the benefits of proactive measures.  Why Don’t Homeless New Yorkers Trust the City Government?  We would like to acknowledge the vast amount of financial and human capital dedicated to curbing homelessness. In January of this year, Mayor Eric Adams announced $650 million in new allocations to reduce street homelessness and mental illness. The Homelessness Prevention Administration works alongside the Department of Homeless Services, NYCHA and numerous other private and public agencies to turn the proverbial tide. And yet, as Sha...

Photo Credit: BillionPhotos.com - stock.adobe.com Writers and thinkers from Yuvi Noah Harari, author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind , to Lee Child, author of the Jack Reacher series, have posited the theory that homo sapiens survived prehistory while other human species went extinct due to our species’ ability to tell stories and engage in other artistic forms. This blog post will discuss how Art can heal homeless New Yorkers as well as where they may express themselves.  Does Art Have Healing Properties for Homeless New Yorkers?  With all the threats facing humanity, Art can seem like a luxury. However, throughout human history, Art has brought solace, toppled tyrants and given voice to the voiceless. Free expression is every bit as critical to our survival as nourishing food, clean water, suitable clothing and a safe, reliable place to lay our heads at night. This applies even to those experiencing homelessness.  How Does Art Heal Homeless New Yorkers? Aside ...

Photo Credit: SerPhoto - stock.adobe.com For many children, summer break is a time of excitement and exploration, free from the demands of school and extracurricular activities. But for the less fortunate children of New York City and elsewhere, the summer is a period of anxiety and deprivation. Without the breakfasts and lunches provided to them by their schools, these children will experience food insecurity and, yes, even hunger. This blog post will discuss summertime hunger among homeless New York City children, its prevalence, its impact on developing minds and bodies and how we can assist this vulnerable population.  How Common Is Summertime Hunger Among Homeless Children in New York City?  Before we delve into the numbers, the authors of this blog post would like to state that hunger is not exclusive to the summer months, nor is it constrained merely to young people who lack a safe, reliable place to sleep at night. Indeed, many New Yorkers from low income families expe...

  Photo Credit: miss irine -stock.adobe.com Thanks to countless movies and TV shows, we have all seen the stereotypical image of those experiencing homelessness. However, in many instances, that image is a myth. This blog post will discuss why homeless New Yorkers are not “dirty,” how they maintain their appearances and why you should not stigmatize them.  Do Homeless New Yorkers Observe Proper Hygiene? This may surprise some folks, but not all homeless people in New York City sleep outside, in tents or in condemned buildings. Many live doubled, tripled or quadrupled up in facilities they can’t rightly call their own or in well maintained shelters.  In a previous blog post , we discussed the rising trend of those who lack permanent housing and still have to work full-time and/or part-time jobs. In order to interview for, obtain and keep gainful employment, one absolutely must bathe regularly and dress appropriately.  How Do Homeless New Yorkers Stay Clean? Many homel...

  Photo Credit: Freedom Life - stock.adobe.com It seems like the only time that the mainstream news media ever mentions New York City’s homeless population is in connection with some violent act allegedly perpetrated by a member of this unfortunate demographic. Such coverage might lead you to conclude that those experiencing homelessness pose a threat to public safety. But that is not the reality. This blog post will endeavor to explode the myth that homeless New Yorkers are inherently dangerous while also discussing how to protect them from being victims themselves. Are Homeless New Yorkers Violent?  Every population - be it stably housed or otherwise, of one ethnicity or another, rich, poor, middle class - has its share of individuals who engage in acts of violence. In many cases, this is the result of trauma and/or untreated mental illness, and heaven knows that those experiencing homelessness have experienced more than their fair share of trauma in their lives.  Howev...

  Photo Credit: guy2men - stock.adobe.com If you are at all like the authors of this blog post, your heart breaks when you see someone braving traffic just to beg a few meager dollars from indifferent passersby. You may have reached for your wallet but stopped when you remembered that old refrain, which we shall not repeat here. But is there any truth to it? This blog post will examine whether you should ever hand a homeless person money on the streets of New York City.  Is It Wrong to Give Money to a Homeless Person?  According to one school of thought, which includes the late Pope Francis, it is not wrong to give homeless people money directly and it is none of our business how it is spent. To give the other argument some credit, it is true that around 38 percent of homeless people abuse alcohol and approximately 26 percent abuse other substances. [ 1 ] These illnesses may not be readily apparent. However, the overwhelming majority of this population, which includes tho...

  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: Arpatsara - stock.adobe.com Many times throughout the course of these blog posts, we have documented the various medical issues that homeless New York City students and their families are vulnerable to and why. From this information, you could correctly infer that individuals experiencing homelessness are more reliant on the city’s hospital emergency departments than their stably housed peers. What you may not realize is that some hospitals neglect to screen for housing status, which could affect patients’ long-term health and overall well being. This blog post will discuss why NYC hospitals should screen patients for their housing status and the consequences of not doing so.  Do NYC Hospitals Screen Patients for Housing Status?  Generally speaking, hospitals in New York City screen patients for housing status. This is particularly true of hospitals that work with initiatives like Housing for Health and NYC Health + Hospitals. The latter alone operates the...

Photo credit: ex_flow - stock.adobe.com Homelessness is a profoundly stressful and traumatic experience and, therefore, it should be no surprise that New York City students experiencing homelessness may act out in school, at home or elsewhere. This blog post will examine why many homeless NYC students have behavioral problems, how they may manifest and some resources for those seeking help.  What Are Behavioral Problems? Childhood and adolescence can be tumultuous periods of change in a person’s life. As such, he or she may sometimes argue, be aggressive or act angry or defiant around adults and peers. However, when these and other disruptive behaviors are uncommon for the child’s age, persist over time or are severe, they may have a behavioral problem that will require treatment. [ 1 ] Behavioral disorders may be hereditary, acquired or a combination of both. They may be expressed in the following ways: Impulsivity  Inability to focus Poor time management Mood swings and irri...

  Photo credit: елена калиничева - stock.adobe.com If you or someone you know needs help, contact the  Suicide & Crisis Lifeline : Dial 988 Childhood and adolescence are already emotionally fraught times in a person’s development. Good or bad, what happens during these periods and how a young person responds to them could very well affect the rest of their lives, including their mental and emotional health well into the future. This is especially true of children and youths experiencing homelessness. This blog post will explore how homeless New York City (NYC) students experience mental illness and how their outlooks may be improved.  How Common Is Mental Illness Among Homeless NYC Students? Sadly, mental illness is widely prevalent among children and youths experiencing homelessness. According to Covenant House, a charitable organization which tracks patterns and cares for homeless youth, 69 percent of respondents report struggles with mental illness. [ 1 ] Given tha...