Helping Homeless Women (& others) - NYC
Donation protected
The goal of this project is fundamental: I'm raising money to buy food, supplies, and mostly gift cards (discount stores, fast food restaurants, coffee shops, etc.) I can regularly hand out in person to homeless women in NYC.
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New info, as of Sept. 1, 2019:
When I began this project — almost three years ago — I could not have imagined how much it’d change me and how much it would grow. Today, I am attempting to evolve further from the many lessons I’ve learned. That’s why I’m moving almost exclusively to give out gift cards to discount stores, coffee shops, fast-food restaurants, etc.
There is no one “right” way to help homeless women and I’ve foolishly worn myself to the bone trying to be perfect. But I can never know exactly what they want/need. I can’t carry around enough underwear and socks to always have the right style or size. Each woman’s menstrual needs (or lack) is different. Some sleep on the streets, some stay in shelters, some have addiction issues, some have other health concerns, some have dietary restrictions, all have dietary preferences — and none of them can always be where I expect them to be. So, rather than carrying stuff into Manhattan and then right back home and rather than giving out food and supplies they do not want/need, I am putting the control firmly into their hands.
Gift cards empower the women I help with the autonomy to spend as they choose. The cards also provide them with a break inside, away from the often harsh NYC weather conditions. They can shop, browse, eat, or simply sit as a customer without fear of being seen as a nuisance.
But I can do any of this with your help. Lots and LOTS of help. You can donate here at GoFundMe at any time. The money will be used to purchase gift cards.
You can buy gift cards directly from my Amazon wishlist: http://amzn.to/2ztEWrG
You can streamline things by signing up to give a specific monthly donation at Patreon (link below). Any amount is welcome! This way, your donation happens automatically on the first of each month and I get a very useful idea of my monthly budget.
https://www.patreon.com/helphomelesswomen
And you can share all these links to help broaden my donor base as we head soon into year #4!
Again, I cannot do this direct relief work without your help. Every dollar you contribute gives a vulnerable woman a little comfort. So, thank you in advance for your kindness, generosity, and support. <3
***
Why help homeless women?
I invite you to watch this two-minute video: https://www.ny1.com/nyc/queens/news/2017/02/17/queens-person-of-the-week-helps-homeless-women
***
Thank you in advance for your donations and for spreading the word. This is a collective project so let's team up to offer some temporary relief for women in need.
***
New info, as of Sept. 1, 2019:
When I began this project — almost three years ago — I could not have imagined how much it’d change me and how much it would grow. Today, I am attempting to evolve further from the many lessons I’ve learned. That’s why I’m moving almost exclusively to give out gift cards to discount stores, coffee shops, fast-food restaurants, etc.
There is no one “right” way to help homeless women and I’ve foolishly worn myself to the bone trying to be perfect. But I can never know exactly what they want/need. I can’t carry around enough underwear and socks to always have the right style or size. Each woman’s menstrual needs (or lack) is different. Some sleep on the streets, some stay in shelters, some have addiction issues, some have other health concerns, some have dietary restrictions, all have dietary preferences — and none of them can always be where I expect them to be. So, rather than carrying stuff into Manhattan and then right back home and rather than giving out food and supplies they do not want/need, I am putting the control firmly into their hands.
Gift cards empower the women I help with the autonomy to spend as they choose. The cards also provide them with a break inside, away from the often harsh NYC weather conditions. They can shop, browse, eat, or simply sit as a customer without fear of being seen as a nuisance.
But I can do any of this with your help. Lots and LOTS of help. You can donate here at GoFundMe at any time. The money will be used to purchase gift cards.
You can buy gift cards directly from my Amazon wishlist: http://amzn.to/2ztEWrG
You can streamline things by signing up to give a specific monthly donation at Patreon (link below). Any amount is welcome! This way, your donation happens automatically on the first of each month and I get a very useful idea of my monthly budget.
https://www.patreon.com/helphomelesswomen
And you can share all these links to help broaden my donor base as we head soon into year #4!
Again, I cannot do this direct relief work without your help. Every dollar you contribute gives a vulnerable woman a little comfort. So, thank you in advance for your kindness, generosity, and support. <3
***
Why help homeless women?
I invite you to watch this two-minute video: https://www.ny1.com/nyc/queens/news/2017/02/17/queens-person-of-the-week-helps-homeless-women
***
Thank you in advance for your donations and for spreading the word. This is a collective project so let's team up to offer some temporary relief for women in need.
Organizer
Mick Zezima
Organizer
Astoria, NY