Win

For a family experiencing homelessness, getting a shelter bed is not the end of the crisis. Where a family is placed can affect a child’s education, health, family connections, and daily life, especially when a shelter is far from a child’s school.

Nyasia Neal and her sons are experiencing those consequences firsthand. They were placed in a Staten Island shelter while her children attend school in Brooklyn. The result is hours-long commutes, less time with family, and added disruption to their daily lives. Now, the family is navigating the process of requesting a shelter transfer closer to their schools.

And the disruption does not necessarily end there. The road to permanent housing can take months, leaving families in limbo as they work to get back on their feet. For families like Nyasia’s, every additional delay can mean more time away from the schools, communities, and support systems that help children thrive.

Families deserve a path to stability that minimizes disruption and keeps children connected to the people and places they rely on.

Read the full story from City Limits.

This past week, we were proud to celebrate Marines Paniagua, Program Director at one of Win’s family shelters on Staten Island. Marines was honored with the Above and Beyond for Excellence in Client Services for Families with Children or Adult Families award at Homeless Services United Legacy in Action Gala, presented by Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Helen Arteaga PhD.

Marines’ leadership and dedication are felt every day by the families she serves. She consistently goes above and beyond to help parents navigate challenges, connect families with critical resources and services, and ensure that every client is treated with dignity, respect, and care.

We are grateful to Homeless Services United (HSU) for recognizing Marines and for its continued leadership in bringing together organizations and professionals working to strengthen the homelessness services sector in New York City.

Congratulations to Marines and to all of this year’s honorees whose leadership, dedication, and commitment are making a meaningful difference for New Yorkers experiencing homelessness.

Thank you to Assemblywoman Larinda C. Hooks for joining us as we unveiled our newest addition to our Queens family shelter: a brand-new, state-of-the-art playground!

Read more in QNS.com about the launch and why playgrounds are a critical part of trauma-informed care for children experiencing homelessness.

This summer, Camp Win kids had the chance to spend two weeks at the barn with the incredible team at GallopNYC, getting in the saddle, caring for horses and spending time with these remarkable animals. 🐴
 
From riding and grooming to gardening, crafts, games and frisbee, campers had plenty of opportunities to try something new, build confidence and enjoy a summer filled with fun and connection.
 
We’re grateful to GallopNYC for welcoming our campers and creating such a special experience, and to Amazin' Mets Foundation for helping make it possible. And a huge thank you to the Queens Chronicle for spotlighting this incredible partnership.

Thank you to Bloomberg for welcoming young adults from Win’s transitional and supportive housing programs for a “Your Path Your Future” program at Bloomberg. During the visit, participants toured the facilities, explored careers across finance, marketing, technology, and other departments, and heard firsthand from professionals about the many paths available in these industries.
 
Experiences like these help young adults expand their networks, discover new career opportunities, and envision what’s next. Thank you, Bloomberg, for investing in the next generation.

Horse around? Absolutely. 🐴💛

This summer, our Camp Win kids got to experience something pretty special: time in the saddle with the incredible team at GallopNYC, NYC’s largest equine therapy program, which supports approximately 450 people every week.

GallopNYC does so much more than teach kids how to ride. Through therapeutic equine-assisted programming, they harness the powerful connection between people and horses to create opportunities to build trust, confidence, emotional regulation and connection — all powerful tools for children who have experienced the trauma of homelessness.
And judging by the smiles, our kids were very happy to put those skills to work. 😉

We’re so grateful to GallopNYC for bringing their expertise, care and love of horses to Camp Win, and to Amazin' Mets Foundation for helping make this experience possible.

📸 Ramy Mahmoud