Counting the Uncounted

Thank you to the group of 40 Robin Hood staff, volunteers, donors and friends who participated in last night’s Homeless Outreach Population Estimate.  Armed with hats, hand-warmers, maps, pens, and clipboards, teams walked streets, public parks, and subway platforms on the west side of Manhattan surveying individuals about their housing status.

Of the many people surveyed, over 100 people were counted as homeless in the blocks canvassed by the Robin Hood teams. One team encountered a pregnant woman and her husband living in 23rd Street A/C subway station and connected them with a family shelter where they would not be separated.

A Robin Hood-staffer who experienced her first HOPE Count last night said, “In the most tactile and clearest way, it brings you face-to-face with poverty in the city.”

Last night’s experience provided a new perspective on our fellow citizens who are trying survive in New York City each day.