Volunteers of America-Greater New York

Our Restoring Dignity webinar is tomorrow, October 1—can you join us? We’re excited to present the findings and recommendations from VOA-GNY’s new report, Restoring Dignity: A Blueprint for a Trauma-Informed Shelter System in NYC. Restoring Dignity offers a blueprint for how NYC can use trauma-informed design to mitigate stressors, preserve dignity, and improve outcomes across the shelter system. The report draws on practical design ideas piloted at VOA-GNY programs and examines why these improvements can be difficult to achieve under current funding and ownership structures. Attendees will hear from VOA-GNY staff leading design projects within our programs and advocating to make this work possible across the sector: • Dr. Jeffrey R. Ginsburg, President & CEO • Catherine Trapani, Vice President of Public Policy & Government Affairs • Kaitlin Abrams, Public Policy Manager • Veronica Ortega, Property & Asset Management Associate, Real Estate We hope you can join us for this conversation about how NYC can create shelter environments that better support the people who live and work in them. Register here: https://lnkd.in/eWFdCWD8

Congratulations to our inaugural KeyMakers graduates! 🎉 This year, a dedicated group of senior leaders at VOA-GNY took their professional growth to the next level through our inaugural KeyMakers Development Program—a year-long experience focused on leadership, collaboration, and real-world problem-solving. After a year of learning and growth, the cohort celebrated with final presentations and a graduation ceremony (pom-poms included!). We're proud of everything this group has accomplished and excited to see the impact they'll continue to make across VOA-GNY.

Another incredible day on the course with The Honickman Companies’ 7th Annual Golf Invitational! ⛳💙 This year’s event raised $645,000 to benefit VOA-GNY, UNCF, Covenant House PA and Philabundance– bringing the total raised to more than $3.2 million since the invitational began in 2020. VOA-GNY is honored to receive $250,000 from this year’s event to support our services for families and individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Special thanks to Reginald Goins, President & COO of the Honickman Companies and VOA-GNY Board Chair, for once again matching all contributions through the Angela and Reginald Goins Charity Fund. We’re grateful to everyone who joined us for a day of friendly competition and giving back! 💙 Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gUYPRXYh #VOAGNY #GivingBack

Across VOA-GNY’s 70+ programs, our staff show up every day to meet people where they are and help them overcome obstacles and thrive. At our Middlesex Permanent Supportive Housing program in Northern New Jersey, Rachael, Residential Counselor and Acting Engagement Specialist, helps individuals living with mental health challenges access stable housing, navigate benefits, and connect with resources. Rachael joined VOA-NNJ, a division of VOA-GNY, just over a year ago after years in social work. Recently, she supported a client who had been denied Social Security benefits for years. After helping him prepare for his interview and supporting him through the process, he was finally approved. “To actually see that happen in real time...felt really good. It felt really empowering.” For Rachael, the work starts with seeing each person as an individual. “I treat [everyone] like a human being,” she said. “I don't treat [clients] as their diagnosis.” She also credits her Middlesex County team for creating a strong, collaborative environment where staff work together to ensure clients receive the support they deserve. Rachael’s work is a reminder of the impact that compassion, persistence, and teamwork can have. Thank you, Rachael, for all you do!

More than 600 days in shelter—and months waiting for HRA to approve an apartment she was matched with in April. For Ms. Francis, CityFHEPS administrative delays are keeping her and her son from moving home. VOA-GNY staff and residents joined a City Council hearing yesterday on legislation to address these issues. Ms. Francis, a resident in a VOA-GNY family shelter, is doing everything she can to move herself and her son out of the shelter, but repeated delays and agency errors have left her feeling like there is no urgency to help her move into her home. “Hearing that I have an apartment should be an exciting moment, but because of the hiccups in the system, it is difficult to feel that excitement… Constant errors and delays have left many of us [living in shelter] emotionally and mentally fatigued.” CityFHEPS is supposed to help New Yorkers move out of shelter and into permanent housing. Yet significant bureaucratic hurdles mean families are staying months to years in shelter, even after being matched with available apartments. Thank you to Chair Hudson and the City Council for elevating this important issue and working to make CityFHEPS work better for the New Yorkers who rely on it.

Huge congratulations to Tara Canavera LSW, Program Manager at VOA-NNJ, on receiving a 2026 Housing Hero Award from the Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey! 🎉 So proud to see her work honored! This recognition is a true reflection of her dedication to the people and communities she serves every day. Congrats, Tara!💙

You’re invited to VOA-GNY's 2026 Domestic Violence Conference: Trauma, Healing, & Home. Join us for a morning exploring holistic, survivor-centered approaches to healing– including the role of trauma-informed design in creating healing spaces, and new ways to support survivors experiencing traumatic brain injuries. This event will bring together social service professionals, nonprofit leaders, legal experts, academics, medical professionals, donors, and elected officials for a day of dialogue, connection, and action. 📅 Friday, October 16, 2026 | 8:30am-12pm 📍NYU Kimmel Center, Rosenthal Pavilion 🆓 Free! Space is limited – RSVP by October 2. RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/e-xhn7N9

Join us October 1 to discuss how New York City can improve the quality of its homeless shelters. For many people experiencing homelessness, shelters can feel overstimulating, unsafe, and institutional. Yet the current setup of how shelters are owned and funded can make meaningful improvements difficult, despite the best efforts of nonprofit providers and staff tasked with operating them. In this new video, Catherine Trapani, VP of Public Policy at VOA-GNY, shares how New York City can work with nonprofits to improve the quality of its shelters and make trauma-informed improvements possible at scale. Join our Restoring Dignity webinar on October 1 to learn more about VOA-GNY'srecommendations for creating shelter environments where people feel safe, supported, and treated with dignity. Register here: https://ow.ly/E2Sr50ZPjIy Read the Restoring Dignity report: https://ow.ly/2vK950ZPjIw