Our Impact
What Was Made Possible by God’s Grace, Through Your Generosity
Thanks to compassionate friends like you, our Red Doors remained open for thousands of New York neighbors facing homelessness, hunger and hardship. Together, we met urgent needs and provided a community where lives were healed and transformed. See the impact!
Last year, we provided...
Compassionate Care for Neighbors in Crisis
Through hospitality and tangible expressions of God’s love, we met the immediate needs of each person who walked through our Red Doors. In every act of kindness, we sought to build trust, reignite hope and provide our guests with a clear pathway to further care.
400,000 meals
brought sustenance and relief to neighbors facing the daily reality of hunger.
65,000 nights of shelter
offered a comfortable, safe overnight stay to neighbors with nowhere else to go.
40,000 emergency showers
helped neighbors with limited access to hygiene care stay clean and comfortable.
27,000 articles of clothing
provided comfort and restored dignity.
Taking the Next Step
After staying overnight in our emergency shelter at Tribeca, over 70 men and women committed to our longer-term Residential Programs for continued care and support. Mayra was one of them. After enduring abuse and finding herself alone and homeless in New York City, Mayra found safety and support within our Red Doors.
“Feeling lost and scared, I searched my phone for help and found The Bowery Mission. At the Mission’s emergency shelter, I talked to a social worker about the abuse I had suffered and she introduced me to the Residential Program for women.” — Mayra, Client in The Bowery Mission’s Residential Programs
Healing Residential Communities for Adults
Within our supportive community, men and women found a place to rebuild their lives after homelessness. Through counseling and classes, they renewed their faith, healed from trauma, overcame obstacles and worked toward lasting independence.
150 adults
participated in our Residential Programs, finding refuge in our community of healing and care.
100 adults
made progress toward their career goals through vocational mentoring, job training, certification programs, workshops and more.
140 adults
grew in faith and the knowledge of God through spiritual formation classes, chapel services and Bible studies.
Celebrating New Life Together
Throughout the year, we celebrated men and women who successfully graduated from our Residential Programs. After years of homelessness, heavy smoking and shattered dreams, alumnus Andre rediscovered his sense of purpose at The Bowery Mission. Watch his powerful testimony of transformation here.
“It was a place of acceptance, to take you in when the world gave up on you. The Mission taught me humility...to accept the change that needs to be brought into my life.”
— Andre, graduate of The Bowery Mission’s Residential Programs
Caring Support for Children & Families
Kids from NYC’s most underserved neighborhoods found a safe and welcoming place to explore their talents, build lifelong friendships, grow in character and experience the depths of God’s love. Year-round enrichment classes and mentoring at our Mont Lawn City Camp culminated in an unforgettable week away at our summer camp in Pennsylvania.
120 children and youth
built new life-long skills through community-based enrichment classes, tutoring and mentoring at Mont Lawn City Camp.
379 children and youth
enjoyed an enriching week away from the city at Mont Lawn Camp, where they built life-long friendships and learned about God’s love.
An Incredible Season at Mont Lawn Camp
This summer, hundreds of children joined us in the Poconos Mountains in Pennsylvania for a week of refreshment and growth, enjoying activities like swimming, boating, archery, music, worship and more! This year’s camp theme, The Armour of God, inspired campers by blending fun with meaningful lessons in character and faith.
Two Family Camp weekends welcomed 32 families, giving them a rare chance to escape city life and reconnect in a scenic setting. For many, who seldom afford vacations or quality time together, this was a meaningful opportunity to explore nature, strengthen family bonds, reconnect to faith and create lasting memories.
Other Highlights from the Year
Filling Bellies & Touching Hearts
Thanks to our dedicated supporters, volunteers and staff, our 144th Thanksgiving Day Celebration was a resounding success, with Executive Chef Rafaelle DePalma overseeing the preparation of 350 turkeys, 3,500 pounds of potatoes, and more. In total, an astounding 1,900 meals were served to neighbors in need across our campuses on Thanksgiving Day! See a video of our preparations above and a full recap of the special day here.
Substantial Growth in
Volunteer Support
Total volunteers at The Bowery Mission increased an impressive 48% over 2022, with nearly 10,000 individuals contributing 39,000 hours of service. That translates to 4.5 years of collective impact! We are so grateful to each and every person who gave their hands and heart to serving our neighbors in need in 2023.
Making a Difference in Kids’ Lives
At Mont Lawn City Camp (MLCC), we launched a “Homework Help” program to provide kids struggling academically with a dedicated space for schoolwork. The program was extremely well-received and is now offered multiple days a week. Thanks to positive word-of-mouth interest in Homework Help, overall MLCC enrollment increased 15% by the end of 2023.
