Have you ever been part of a conversation with another housed neighbor where homelessness has come up, and you haven’t been sure what to say?

As part of our fall advocacy workshop series, we’re offering a workshop on talking about homelessness with friends and neighbors. We’ll cover:

• Why it’s hard to change someone’s mind—and how to do it more effectively

• Having a conversation about homelessness that goes deeper than knee-jerk reactions and talking points

• How to talk about why this issue matters to you

This workshop will take place on Zoom on Thursday, November 13, 6:30pm-8:30pm. RSVP is required. This workshop is virtual, totally free, and is open to all Open Hearts members. NOTE: This workshop is small and interactive, and space is limited. If you RSVP initially and are no longer able to attend, no hard feelings--we understand that life happens--but we ask you to cancel your RSVP so we can admit additional participants off the waitlist.

Sign up here or using the button below. Questions? Email Will at will@openheartsinitiative.org. 

Interested in getting involved in OHI’s city- and state-level policy advocacy efforts to end homelessness in NYC? Join OHI's member-led Policy and Advocacy Committee for our next meeting.

On the agenda:

• Setting our policy priorities for 2026

This meeting will be on Zoom. RSVP below to get the Zoom link!

Do you live, work, or go to school on the Upper West Side? Join OHI's next UWS chapter meeting. Virtual meeting link provided upon RSVP.

Do you live, work, or go to school in Brooklyn? Join us for our monthly Brooklyn Open Hearts chapter meeting. Virtual meeting link will be shared upon RSVP.

Do you live, work, or go to school on the Upper East Side? Join us for our Upper East Side Open Hearts monthly chapter meeting. Zoom link to be shared upon RSVP—RSVP using the button below.

Our monthly Homelessness: Learning From Experience (HLFE) meetings provide a space for unhoused neighbors to share experiences, build connections, and provide input that informs OHI's work. These meetings are also a great opportunity for folks who are housed to listen and learn about homelessness and build connections with neighbors in a casual setting.

If you're interested in joining us, click the button below to RSVP. Location will be shared upon RSVP.

We’ll be talking about:

• To Be Announced!

Questions? Email Will at will@openheartsinitiative.org.

Background

The West 59th Street women’s shelter, which you can learn more about here, will offer shelter and services for women experiencing homelessness. It is part of an effort to expand shelter capacity in neighborhoods across the city to meet the needs of our homeless neighbors (and provide dozens of trained clinicians and staff members who will support residents' needs). For the past few years, Upper West Side Open Hearts members have been organizing to support this new shelter site! On Tuesday, October 28th at 6:30 PM, Manhattan Community Board 7 is meeting to review final details of the site. While the site is approved and planned to open, we could use some additional voices in support at this meeting.

Take Action

• The #1 need is for folks to provide comments virtually (on Zoom or phone) during the meeting (Tuesday 10/28; meeting begins at 6:30 PM) or in person at the meeting at 250 W 87th Street (Tuesday 10/28; meeting begins at 6:30 PM)

• If you aren’t able to join the meeting virtually or in person, you can submit written comments (this can be done any time between now and the meeting on Tuesday 10/28)

Haven’t spoken at a Community Board meeting before? No worries—the board hears from members of the public all the time at hearings like these, and Open Hearts will be there with you every step of the way. We’ll provide suggested talking points, connect you with other folks who will be speaking up, and help you navigate the logistics.

Use the links below to RSVP to show support for the 59th St. shelter. Once you RSVP, we’ll be in touch to share suggested talking points and logistical details!

Do you live, work, or go to school in Manhattan between 14th St and 59th St? Join OHI's Midtown Open Hearts chapter for its monthly meeting, where we'll be discussing ongoing efforts to welcome and support neighbors experiencing homelessness in Midtown. This meeting is on Google Meet; the link will be shared upon RSVP.

Join us for our monthly Housing Justice is Racial Justice meeting. This month’s topic: What does it mean to be working and homeless?

This is an informal reading and discussion group for OHI members to learn together about the intersections of housing justice and racial justice and the roots of the housing and homelessness crisis in policies driven by systemic racism. It's a "101" type of space to learn and grow together, so no expertise is required (in fact, it’s geared towards folks who may not know much about these topics!) and is open to all OHI members. Each meeting focuses on a different “text” chosen by an OHI member that will serve as a jumping-off point for discussion. (Want to choose a text and help facilitate a meeting in the future? Reach out to Will at will@openheartsinitiative.org.)

If you're interested in joining, click the button below to RSVP, and we’ll share the Zoom details.

Do you live, work, or go to school in the Bronx and want to connect with other neighbors organizing to welcome and support folks experiencing homelessness in our neighborhood? Join Bronx Open Hearts for our next chapter meeting on Google Meet. Google Meet link will be shared upon RSVP.

Our Upper West Side Open Hearts chapter is distributing care kits to neighbors experiencing street homelessness. We need volunteers to help distribute kits on the UWS (location upon RSVP).

I want to help assemble and/or distribute

RSVP here or using the button below!

• I want to donate to the care kits

  While our care kits are ready to go this month, you can donate money to help purchase the supplies here, or purchase directly from our wishlist for next month!

Our monthly Homelessness: Learning From Experience (HLFE) meetings provide a space for unhoused neighbors to share experiences, build connections, and provide input that informs OHI's work. These meetings are also a great opportunity for folks who are housed to listen and learn about homelessness and build connections with neighbors in a casual setting.

This month, we’re hosting an extra HLFE meeting—a virtual presentation and discussion! If you're interested in joining us, click the button below to RSVP. Zoom link will be shared upon RSVP.