A safe harbor

Family homelessness is at crisis levels in New York City, driven by domestic violence, lack of affordable housing, and families from other states seeking help they can’t find there.

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In a Grand Tradition: Benefits of the Past

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Helping keep families afloat in times of crisis

A woman walks with two children past a subway entrance in New York City

Street homelessness is highly visible, but most families stay in temporary shelters at the far reaches of New York City.

1 in 7 city school students—over 150,000—were homeless in the last school year, enough to fill Yankee Stadium three times.

Families account for 55,000 visits to our main clinic each year

Roughly 69% of all individuals living in city shelters are members of homeless families.

A mother walks along a sidewalk holding hands with her son and daughter

69%

7/10

7 of 10 homeless families will have a violent encounter in their lives

A woman sits with a teenage girl on a park bench, a hand on her shoulder

Homeless children are 4 times more likely to suffer from suicidal ideation

You help families stay afloat in times of crisis

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Since 1866, we have provided the city’s most vulnerable families with relief, education, and healthcare to build stable and healthy futures. Today, our focus has expanded to a growing national humanitarian emergency apparent in shelters and our clinics.

Relief

The food, diapers, hygiene items, clothing, and other essentials we provide to families offer comfort in times of crisis, and our door-to-door shuttle service removes a significant hurdle to care.

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Education

Educational programs cover reproductive health, financial literacy, life skills, and healthy living strategies with nutrition and cooking classes in our own kitchen.

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Healthcare

A doctor and nurse speak with a patient seated in an exam room

Our providers offer families preventive care, treat existing medical issues, and address trauma and other behavioral health concerns while providing specialized care in dentistry, optometry, and podiatry.

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A lifeline for those who have nothing

Ashley speaks while seated in a brightly lit clinic room

After fleeing a violent household in 2018, Ashley and her kids returned to New York City from Georgia with only one bag. At The Floating Hospital, she found job counseling, food, clothing, and other necessities, like a book bag, that meant so much to a mother trying to find her way. “That book bag carried me through a lot,” she says, “because I didn’t have anything.”

Teens working together at a table during a Camp Rise Up class

At Camp Rise Up, teens build confidence while learning about their emotional and physical development and gaining practical skills designed to keep them in school and achieve employment. Keemoko said the health education classes helped him deal with peer pressure. “I’ve learned a lot of things there that make me feel different and more grown up.”

Delexis stands outdoors with her three children, all smiling

Delexis, whose son has Down’s Syndrome, calls The Floating Hospital “a magical place.” She credits our medical team with his ability to speak along with her own weight loss of 265 pounds, which also helped to manage her diabetes.

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