don't walk by 2009 final report
TRANSCRIPT
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THE RESCUE ALLIANCE,NEW YORK CITY
DONT WALK BYJANUARY 2009
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CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW
In the spring of 2008, a group of organizations came together
around the cause of homelessness in New York City. It became
apparent that each brought a unique role to the continuum
of care for the homeless community, and the Rescue Alliance
concept was born. There are two main objectives for theRescue Alliance: awareness and outreach.
AWARENESS:
Homelessness is an issue that New Yorkers encounter each
day as they commute to work and travel home. The challenge
for the Rescue Alliance was how to inspire and empower New
Yorkers of faith to actively engage their homeless neighbors. In response to this challenge, the leadership
developed a unique campaign called Dont Walk By. The Rescue Alliance produced a seven minute movie
and print media package based on the story of the Good Samaritan. Throughout the fall of 2008 the team
worked to promote the campaign, with screenings in over 200 churches. Challenging New Yorkers not
to walk by, the Rescue Alliance instead invited them to participate in one of ve outreaches planned forJanuary 2009. The website, www.dontwalkby.org, served as the vehicle for volunteer registration and
provided information about homeless resources.
OUTREACH:
The Rescue Alliance planned the daunting task of
walking every street in Manhattan with the motto
of oering an alternative to homelessness. The
island was divided in to ve zones, one for each
Saturday in January. Zones were further subdivided
into approximately 40 separate subzones, with a
team of volunteers assigned to each. Every Saturday,volunteers met at an anchor church to receive training,
organize into teams, and go out on a search and
rescue mission. The volunteers engaged homeless
people along their assigned route and invited them
to the anchor church or a nearby relief bus. Volunteers
could oer transportation to the church by calling
the Rescue Alliance van for pick up. At the church, a
hospitality team welcomed the guest and oered a
meal, clothing, and care package. While the homeless
guest was eating, intake counselors from local service
providers spoke with them, explained program
options, and oered general assistance.
All in all, over 1300 volunteers engaged over 1200
homeless, with over 350 returning with them to the
anchor church. 103 people accepted the invitation
to begin a program or receive medical attention. The
camaraderie among the volunteers, especially among
the Rescue Alliance partners, has lead to exciting plans
for the future. As we work together in this continuum
of care, we are developing an eective model to
continue reaching out to and assisting many more
homeless New Yorkers.
ABOVE: Counselors meet with guests to discuss
program options and oer general assistance.
BELOW:Volunteers grab a quick dinner before
heading out to the streets, and volunteers receive
training before outreach.
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DONT WALK BY
OUTREACH STATISTICS
Upper West Midtown Lower Man. Upper East Harlem
January 3 January 10 January 17 January 24 January 31 Total
Engaged onStreets & Subways
171 409 228 237 195 1239
Came to church
for meal60 103 87 57 74 381
Transported
to program bed8 29 26 11 19 93
Transported
to Hospital3 1 2 3 9
Transported
to Detox1 0 0 0 1
Volunteers 160 220 338 280 351 1379
ANCHOR CHURCHES:
January 3 All Angels Church
January 10 Calvary Baptist Church
January 17 The Bowery Mission
& The Fathers Heart Ministries
January 24 Trinity Baptist Church
January 31 St. Andrews Episcopal Church
OUTREACH TIMELINE:
1:30 2:00 PM Team Captain Debrieng
2:00 2:30 PM Volunteer Registration
2:30 4:30 PM Volunteer Training
4:30 5:00 PM Meal for Volunteers
5:00 9:00 PM Street Outreach
6:00 9:00 PM Meal for Homeless
8:00 9:00 PM Team Debrieng/Evaluation
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RESOURCES
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A
ZONE A
= Bathroom
DONT WALK BY
SAMPLE ZONE MAP
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I felt like God was calling me in the way
of rescuing me from my past; calling me
home. I was looking for something to eat
and I saw the truck, and they asked meif I was hungry, and they made me feel
welcomed. They brought me to Trinity
and I felt warmth of love, and almost like
family warmthlike taking someone in for
the rst time. I talked to Sandy (Barnett)
and she asked me how long I had been
homeless and what Id like to do with my
lifeand I told her I liked to cook. She
started to tell me about the womens
center. Vivian walked up while I was eating
my meal. Vivian had warmth to her, and she
asked me if I was interested in coming. AndI said, Where do I sign up? So she did my
intake and she walked me to the womens
center, and here I am. Home at last. I felt
welcomed the moment I entered the doors
of The Bowery Mission Womens Center.
And I may never want to leave!
Tonya
Rescued by Dont Walk By
Grand Central Station
As one of the pastors at Trinity Baptist Church, it was a joy to participate in the recent Dont Walk By
campaign. As a host site I was proud that our building could serve as a training ground for so many
enthusiastic volunteers who willingly gave up their time (many traveling great distances) to meet
the needs of our homeless population here in New York City. Sometimes we need opportunities
and encouragement to put our faith in action. Many of the volunteers I met had never served in this
capacity before.
The Dont Walk By campaign served as a catalyst for raising up new volunteers and providing the
support and training necessary to step out of our comfort zones and literally be the hands and feet
of Jesus. After some training we combed the nearby streets for any homeless people who might be
in need of supplies, food or shelter. After the teams had dispersed and later returned to the church,
I was encouraged to see how many people had responded. The love not just from the volunteersto the homeless, but from the homeless to the volunteers was undeniable. It is always amazing to
see how love changes hearts. After sharing a warm cup of soup after coming out of the cold, I had a
wonderful conversation with a young man by the name of Mark who told me that he was moved by
the loving people and that he wanted me to pray with him to receive Christ as his savior. Together
with another volunteer we prayed for Mark and made sure that he had a safe place to stay for the
night. I havent heard from Mark since, but Im certain that he experienced the love of Jesus in an
undeniable way that night. Im looking forward to the next Dont Walk By!
James Leonard
Associate Pastor
Trinity Baptist Church
New York, NY
This is just another example of the tremendous
compassion New Yorkers have for their fellow
citizens in need, especially those in the
faith-based community. The Bowery Mission
galvanized hundreds of volunteers and gave
them the opportunity to give a hand up toindividuals experiencing street homelessness
by oering shelter and related services.
Commissioner Robert Hess
Department of Homeless Services
WHAT THEYRE SAYINGThe Dont Walk By outreach is
really about life saving.
Team Captain
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I had the pleasure of connecting three times during the
month of January 09 with Dont Walk By, and Im convinced
it was worth every eort for me, my family and my church
family! First, I was reminded of the Fathers heart for the
down and outcast of our society. A new sensitivity toward
the homeless was revived in me! Second, I watched God do
a new work of cultivated compassion in my four daughters
lives. My oldest (20) is now at Moody Bible Institute and
without any prodding from me, found a network of students
at her school and Wheaton College that are doing serious
ministry with the homeless of Chicago! In fact, Jenna believesthat God has reshaped her ministry calling for compassion
ministry through her experience on the rst week in January
at DWB. My other girls each could tell their own story of
how God grabbed their hearts through touching the lives
of those in need. Third, I witnessed about 20 from our
congregation engage in meaningful Matthew 25 ministry
over the ve weekends. Again, each has stories of Gods
intervention and grace to tell. The impact was deep that
month, and laid a foundation for what I know will inuence
our thinking and actual practical ministry until Jesus returns.
Thanks to all who made the DWB network and ministryopportunity possible. I cant wait to see what is next!
Rev. Timothy J. Mercaldo
Associate Pastor
Church At The Gateway
Staten Island, NYThe people that I met
were once someones
father, brother, uncle,
mother, daughter, sister.
It was wonderful to see
smiles brought back to
faces that were oncehardened and helping
hands extended to those
in need. The compassion
I witnessed makes me all
the more willing to say:
Here I am, send me.
Anitha, resident of
The Bowery Mission
Womens Center
The excitement of
searching the streets for
those in need exhilarating
in itself, but the fact that
this outreach really trains
the mind to LOOK and
SEE people around you
who are hurting and in
need and trains you to
stop and Dont Walk By.
Volunteer
Walking by the homeless is an unavoidable and dispiriting
feature of New York life. In its Dont Walk By program, the BoweryMission sends volunteers to do what we wish we could do 365
days a yearstop and talk to homeless men and women, take
them to a warm place where they can eat a good meal, and
oer them the opportunity to get o the streets and into a
safe shelter. Each of these men and womenbeaten down by
addiction or mental illness or a grinding life out on the streets
is a testament to the glory of God. Dont Walk By treats them as
such, in a model of Christian charity in action. It was an honor
and blessing to be part of it.
Rich Lowry,
Editor of National Review
The Dont Walk By campaign
played a catalyzing role in uniting
our church around the mission of
God to care for the poor here in our
own city. The campaign opened our
eyes to see needs all around us, and
inspired us to follow Jesus by loving
people we too often overlook.
Jon Tyson
Lead Pastor
Trinity Grace Church
New York, NY
The Dont Walk By training provided
excellent practical tips, but much of
the time was also spent discussing
why were doing this, Gods heart
for the downtrodden, and speaking
about the Body coming together for
such a reason.Volunteer
I see the homeless as no longer
contagious.
Becki, resident of
The Bowery Mission
Womens Center
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WORLD MAGAZINE: HELPING THE HOMELESS
by ALISA HARRIS
Diamond Jones helps the homeless because she used to be one of them. Coming to New York from Virginia
in her 20s, she lost her housing when she went home to a notice that the apartment was evicting the
woman to whom she was paying the rent. In two months she went from staying in the upscale Warwick
Hotel, to staying at a roach-ridden hotel with no lock on the door and one bathroom per oor, to sleeping in
subway cars and hotel lobbies. Not to be all spooky-spooky, but nothing but the grace of God brought me
out of it, she says.
So now she volunteers to help other New York City homelessmost recently with the New York City Rescue
Alliances ve-week eort to engage the homeless on every street in Manhattan. New York may have its
share of needy people, but it also has its share of people who are willing to meet the needs of others. For
example, Id like to share with you the stories of the New York City Relief bus and the New York City Rescue
Alliance.
The bus is a mobile soup kitchen that starts its day at the Hope Center in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where
volunteers cook soup in vats large enough to drown in and then drive in to New York to serve it. On January
23 they parked on Ninth Avenue and 28th Street, next to Chelsea Park; opened up one side of their creaky
bus, transforming it into a serving station; stirred hot chocolate with a giant metal paddle; and started to
serve the people who already were there waiting for them.
The sta knew the regulars by name. Some of them seemed on their way to work but seemed to have
nowhere else they needed to be. So they leaned against the park fence, drinking their hot chocolate, eating
their rolls and soup, and coming back for seconds or thirds.
The sta comes from around the world to serve soup and help the homeless nd stability and faith. Anne
Teppo is Flemishan English teacher who comes from what she calls a good girl background and reads
the Bible to volunteers in a chirpy accent. She stayed with NYCR sta when she was traveling the globe and
then decided to move across the Atlantic to work for NYCR. Eric Porter, who was an intern at Walt Disney
and now lives in New Jersey, said, I knew I wasnt happy doing what I was doing in Florida, and I knew I
was called to serve the poor. Austin Bonds, the director of relief bus outreach, came from a life of drug and
alcohol addiction.
Bonds helped a guy named Mike, whom he rst found in the park clutching a bottle. Bonds said Mike toldhim, Man, Im drinking. I need to change. I just looked at him and said, Todays the day. Now Mike has
been clean for 60 days and comes from Queens to Manhattan for his outpatient programs six days a week.
Austin said a week earlier Mike told him he was going to give his life to Christ one day: I said, Todays the
day for that. Mike told me his next goal was to stay clean and get a job: I believe in Jesus. I believe my life is
going to get better. I have faith.
The New York City Rescue Alliances Dont Walk By campaign unites New York City homeless ministries in
a ve-week outreach to homeless people in Manhattan. They divided borough into ve zones and divided
each zone into sub-zones. Team captains led 1,379 total volunteers down the streets, engaging 1,279
homeless people in all, bringing 381 to a church for food and to tell them about the long-term programs
oered by ministries like the Bowery Mission.
Amy Stabeno works with the city government to help the homeless each day, but she nds the faith-
based outreach more personal and intimate. In bureaucratic organizations, when theres nothing personal
it becomes numbers and meeting goalsand those things dont always necessarily really help the
population that youre trying to serve, she said. Whereas when you know them and love them, theyre
much more likely to really be helped than if theyre another number on a sheet.
Team leader and Street Light Mission Chairman Paul Yuschak told me the goal is not just to help the
homeless: While were out to meet the homeless and to help somebody in need, its also to get the
volunteers awareness that there is this issue, and get them red up so maybe theyll go home to their
churches and do something and get involved in other organizations. . . . It s to also instill in them that God
wants them to do something.
Article reprinted from: http://online.worldmag.com/2009/02/07/ny-journal-helping-the-homeless/10T
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DEAR VOLUNTEERS,
On behalf of The Rescue Alliance, New York City, we want to thank you for your support of the Dont Walk
By Campaign; we touched more than 1,200 lives on the streets of New York. It was because of you the
homeless were fed, and this outreach brought a true revolution of hope.
It was amazing to see the Body of Christ throughout the city come together to seek out and serve those who
suer on the streets. Volunteers from more than 200 churches linked arms to make this campaign a true
success. The 1,400 volunteers that were trained and mobilized through the Dont Walk By campaign were
phenomenal because they put Christs command to serve the least of these (Matthew 25:34-40) into action.
Our partners: The Bowery Mission, The Relief Bus, New York City Rescue Mission, Streetlight Mission and
Street LIFE Ministries are very grateful for your churchs generosity to host this outreach. These are resources
and ways for you to volunteer with homeless outreaches. Please stay posted on our website:
www.dontwalkby.org. We will be posting new items, resources, and updated calendar information about
future campaigns with The Rescue Alliance in the very near future.
HOMELESS OUTREACH RESOURCES
HERE ARE FIVE WAYS TOGET INVOLVEDAS WE PREPARE
FOR THE NEXT PHASE
OF RESCUE ALLIANCE:
THE BOWERY MISSION &
KIDS WITH A PROMISE
Website: www.bowery.org
Email: info@ bowery.org
Phone: (212) 684-2800
THE RELIEF BUS
Website: www.reliefbus.org
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: (800) 736-2773
STREET LIFE MINISTRIES
Website: www.StreetLife.org
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (718) 539-2324
STREETLIGHT MISSION
Website: www.streetlightmission.org
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (908) 337-0137
NEW YORK CITY RESCUE MISSION
Website: www.nycrescue.org
Phone: (212) 226-6214
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THANK YOU
FROM THE RESCUE ALLIANCE, NEW YORK CITY
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