Tell the NYC Council to End Source of Income Discrimination
Source-of-income discrimination–when landlords, brokers, or owners discriminate against tenants who pay for housing using vouchers or other forms of public assistance–is illegal in New York City. But it remains common: last year, the NYC Commission on Human Rights received more complaints about source-of-income discrimination than about any other type of housing discrimination.
OHI supports the End Source of Income Discrimination Bill Package in the City Council: Introductions 1210, 1211, 1212, 1213, 1214, and 1215. At a time when record numbers of New Yorkers are experiencing homelessness, these bills would be a crucial tool to disincentivize discrimination–and, in doing so, help more folks exit shelters and find stable housing.
We need your help moving these bills forward! Click the button below to access instructions and an email template for contacting your Council Member to ask them to sign onto these bills.
Coat and boot drive for neighbors in a Bronx men’s shelter!
Bronx Open Hearts is gathering coats and boots for men staying at a south Bronx shelter!
Have coats or boots in good condition on hand to donate? Email caroline@openheartsinitiative.org to arrange a drop-off.
You can also donate to the paypal to purchase new coats and boots! All funds will be used to buy fresh items.
Tell UES Council Members to Support Supportive Housing!
A new supportive housing site is in the works for 1760 3rd Avenue that will provide homes for 261 people exiting homelessness and 172 low-income households. It will offer services on site to make sure residents have the support they need. Supportive housing helps people experiencing homelessness obtain and keep housing, strengthens neighborhoods, and saves money for the city.
Live on the Upper East Side (E. 80s or above) or in East Harlem? We need your help moving this supportive housing project forward. Click the button below to access instructions and an email template for contacting your Council Member to ask them to support this project. Not sure who your Council Member is? Check here first, then find the button below for your Council Member. Any questions? Reach out to Caroline at caroline@openheartsinitiative.org.
(Note: This project is in Council Member Ayala’s district, but it’s just across the street from Council Member Menin’s district, so if you live in Council Member Menin’s district in the E. 80s or above, your voice is still important here!)
Provide Dinner for our Language Exchange Participants!
At our monthly language exchanges, we take pride in providing big, warm meals for our participants. Help us continue to buy quality meals by donating to the paypal. Want to prepare a meal and donate it for our 12/6 language exchange? Email Caroline@openheartsinitiative.org!
Share your skills in workshops at supportive housing sites!
Help us coordinate programming at supportive housing sites on the UES, UWS, and in the Bronx! Supportive housing is a type of permanent affordable housing that offers support services to the people living there. Programming and workshops help create a better experience for residents and allow for meaningful connections with our neighbors. Have a skill to share? Reach out to Caroline at caroline@openheartsinitiative.org to coordinate project!
Lower Manhattan Winter Coat Drive
Lower Manhattan Open Hearts is looking for winter coat donations for adults of all genders in all sizes! Do you have any new or lightly used coats taking up space in your closet? Donate them to your neighbors living in a shelter or supportive housing!
We’ll be collecting warm winter coats through the week of December 15th. Here’s how to help:
Donate
If you have donations, contact Jayme@openheartsinitiative.org for drop-off information.
Write a note to a neighbor
Don’t have a coat? Submit a kindness note! We’ll place a note in each coat before donating. To get the template and add your note (you can do this virtually; we’ll handle the printing and placing the notes in coats!), email Jayme at jayme@openheartsinitiative.org, and she’ll send it to you.
Holiday Gift Drive for Bronx Neighbors
Bronx Open Hearts is excited to help deliver toys and other gifts to families in shelter and supportive housing who have been impacted by incarceration. There are 31 gifts remaining to be filled!
Sign up below and you will be sent the gift list. You can pick as many or as few items to buy as you would like. Our neighborhood organizer will also reach out to set up pick up or drop-off for the gift!
Interested in supporting but don't have time to shop/ship a gift - consider donating to our paypal here and we'll do the shopping for you!
Want to help wrap gifts and decorate the Bronx site for their holiday party? Email caroline@openheartsinitiative.org
Help Select Our Policy Priorities for 2026!
It’s been quite a year! We’ve seen changes in housing and homelessness policy on the local, state, and federal levels. OHI’s volunteer-led Policy and Advocacy Committee is in the process of assessing our advocacy goals for the coming year. You can take a look at this web page to learn more about the committee and the advocacy work we do.
As we begin the process of setting OHI’s policy priorities for 2026, we’re looking for input on where to focus our policy advocacy efforts! We’re hoping to gather as much input as we can by January 3. Here’s how you can help:
Send us your thoughts
Share your input with the Policy and Advocacy Committee by sending an email to info@openheartsinitiative.org.
If you’ve experienced homelessness, we’d like to hear from you:
What challenges related to your housing situation are you facing right now?
If someone in a position of power (like the Mayor or Governor) could do one thing to improve your housing situation, what would that be?
What policy changes do you want to see to…
help prevent homelessness?
make life better and easier for people experiencing homelessness?
help people exit homelessness?
And if you haven’t experienced homelessness but have thoughts on these questions based on previous conversations or other advocacy you’re a part of, reach out to us, too, and let us know! We’re in the information-gathering stage, so all ideas are welcome; we’ll be evaluating and selecting priorities later.
Help us gather input
As you talk with neighbors experiencing homelessness (at OHI events, in your day-to-day lives, etc.), share this flyer with folks to encourage them to weigh in!
Weekly English Language Learning Workshop at a Shelter in Riverdale (Bronx)
We have a great group of volunteers leading weekly English language learning classes at a shelter in the Riverdale area of the Bronx, which take place on Mondays 4:00-5:00 PM & 7:00-8:00 PM as well as Thursdays 4:00-5:00 PM. If you’re interested in helping out with this, email Caroline at caroline@openheartsinitiative.org.
Douglaston Food Drive
Douglaston Open Hearts is collecting shelf-stable food donations for neighbors living in supportive housing nearby!
We’re looking for:
Canned vegetables
Canned fruit
Canned fish
Canned beans
Canned soups and stews
Nut butters
Rice
Pasta
Hot cereal (oatmeal, cream of wheat)
Juice boxes
If you have any of these items to donate, please contact Jayme at jayme@openheartsinitiative.org to plan a donation drop-off/pickup.
NEW DATE: Workshop: Talking About Homelessness with Friends & Neighbors
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 Wednesday, December 10, 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.
Monthly Baby Supply Distribution for Families at a Midtown Shelter
Midtown Open Hearts is collecting baby supplies for a monthly distribution to families staying in a Midtown shelter! Here’s how to help:
Distribute supplies on Thursday 12/11! RSVP Here or using the button below.
Donate via PayPal to help us fill any gaps.
Purchase an item from the wishlist!
Have clothing, hygiene supplies, or toys on hand to donate? Email caroline@openheartsinitiative.org to coordinate a pickup/drop-off!
Help Run Knitting Workshops in the Bronx!
We are in need of a few more volunteers to help lead knitting workshops at a supportive housing site in the Bronx! Support neighbors as they learn and create. Some knowledge of knitting or crocheting is preferred!
Sessions are on Monday 12/15 and Monday 12/29, 4pm-5pm.
Email caroline@openheartsinitiative.org if you’re interested in helping out! Address will be provided upon RSVP.
Midtown Open Hearts Chapter Meeting
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 Zoom; the link will be shared upon RSVP.
Bronx Open Hearts Chapter Meeting
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 Zoom. Zoom link will be shared upon RSVP.
Winter care kit distribution & Holiday Party on the UWS!
Upper West Side Open Hearts is excited to distribute winter care kits and host a holiday party for residents of an UWS safe haven! We need volunteers to help hand out kits and create a warm party environment! RSVP below to help out on Thursday 12/18 from 1-3 PM on the UWS! Address provided upon RSVP
Collaging in Midtown!
Join us at a shelter in Midtown East for an evening of collaging and getting to know your neighbors! Supplies and snacks will be provided. Specific location upon RSVP.
RSVP below.
Donations for Holiday Stockings going to Manhattan Families in Shelter!
Help purchase items to go into holiday stockings for families living at several shelters in Manhattan!
Here’s how to help:
Purchase stocking items from our wishlist. (LAST DAY TO PURCHASE: 12/19)
Donate via PayPal to help us fill any gaps. (LAST DAY TO DONATE: 12/20)
Donate items you have on hand! Have any small toys, socks, makeup, snacks, etc. that could go into a stocking? Email caroline@openheartsinitiative.org to set up a drop-off! Not sure if your items are stocking-worthy? That’s okay, feel free to ask! With so many stockings to fill, we’re getting creative!
Holiday Stocking Assembly and Distribution for Manhattan Families in Shelter!
Help assemble and distribute stockings to families living in Manhattan shelters!
Here’s how to help:
Join us on 12/20 from 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM on the Upper West Side to assemble 400 stockings!
Distribute stockings at an Upper West Side shelter on Monday, 12/22 from 4-5 PM
Distribute stockings at an Upper East Side shelter on Tuesday 12/23 from 4-6 PM
Sign up for all shifts here or using the button below!
Want to donate to the stockings? Visit our donations page here!
UWS Street Care Kit Distribution!
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 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.
Volunteers Needed for Housing Search Tech Support
Join us on 12/29 from 3-4:30 PM at a library in Midtown East to help neighbors work through the housing search process! A brief training will be provided. Volunteers will work one on one with shelter residents as they navigate making accounts, uploading documents, applying for housing, and finding housing websites! RSVP using the button below (location upon RSVP).
Lower Manhattan Open Hearts Meeting
Do you live, work, or go to school in Lower Manhattan? Join us for our monthly Lower Manhattan Open Hearts chapter meeting on Zoom. Zoom link will be shared upon RSVP. RSVP using the button below.
Holiday Card Decorating in Brooklyn!
Join us at a shelter in South-Central Brooklyn for an afternoon of painting and getting to know your neighbors! Supplies and snacks will be provided. Specific location upon RSVP. RSVP below if you’d like to join!
Weekly English Language Learning Workshop at a Shelter in Midtown
Our weekly English language learning classes at a shelter in Midtown, which take place on Mondays & Tuesdays 12pm-1pm, need an additional volunteer who speaks some Spanish or French. If you can help with this, email Caroline at caroline@openheartsinitiative.org.
Monthly Community Language Exchange/Intercambio - December!
Please complete the form to RSVP for this event. Location will be provided upon RSVP. The event is on the Upper East Side.
English speakers will practice Spanish, and Spanish speakers will practice English
No prior experience is needed
Toys and games will be provided for the children!
Dinner will be served
The event is free!
Hosted by Upper East Side Open Hearts
For questions or more information, contact caroline@openheartsinitiative.org or (516) 782-4081
Help us provide food at the language exchange here!
Upper West Side Open Hearts Chapter Meeting
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.
Street Care Kit Assembly and Distribution in Lower Manhattan
Our Lower Manhattan Open Hearts chapter is assembling and distributing care kits to neighbors experiencing street homelessness. We need volunteers to help assemble and distribute kits near Union Square (location upon RSVP). We’ll be meeting together at a local church to assemble the kits, and then we’ll go out together to distribute them.
I want to help distribute
RSVP here or using the button below!
I want to donate to the care kits
Donate funds here to help us purchase items for the kits.
Help Run Meal-Prep / Nutrition Discussion Groups!
We are in need of a few more volunteers to help lead nutrition and food prep discussion groups at a supportive housing site on the UWS on Tuesday 12/4 at 11 AM! Join us as we talk about our favorite meals, what we like and don’t like about cooking, and how we grocery shop! No expertise required, just an interest in chatting with neighbors!
RSVP here!
Policy and Advocacy Committee Meeting
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!
Help Lead a Computer Literacy Workshop in the Bronx!
We are in need of a few more volunteers to help lead a computer literacy workshop at a supportive housing site in the Tremont area of the Bronx on 12/2 from 11:15 - 12:15! Support neighbors as they learn about internet basics, email/portal access, and how to recognize scams. No special expertise is required, just comfort with computer basics.
RSVP below if you’re interested in helping out! Address will be provided upon RSVP.
Brooklyn Open Hearts Chapter Meeting
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.
Upper East Side Open Hearts Chapter Meeting
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.
Weekly English Language Learning Workshop at a Shelter in Riverdale (Bronx)
We have a great group of volunteers leading weekly English language learning classes at a shelter in the Riverdale area of the Bronx, which take place on Mondays 4:00-5:00 PM & 7:00-8:00 PM as well as Thursdays 4:00-5:00 PM. If you’re interested in helping out with this, email Caroline at caroline@openheartsinitiative.org.
Weekly English Language Learning Workshop at a Shelter in Midtown
Our weekly English language learning classes at a shelter in Midtown, which take place on Mondays & Tuesdays 12pm-1pm, need an additional volunteer who speaks some Spanish or French. If you can help with this, email Caroline at caroline@openheartsinitiative.org.
Bring a Thanksgiving Pie for Families in Shelter
Upper West Side Open Hearts is organizing a Thanksgiving pie distribution at a local shelter. Here’s how to help:
Welcome Kit Distribution for an UWS Women’s Shelter!
Upper West Side Open Hearts is distributing welcome kits (which we made back in March!) to women moving into a new shelter in the neighborhood. Join us on Tuesday, 11/25 from 12-1 PM to hand out kits and connect with new neighbors. Email caroline@openheartsinitiative.org if you’re interested!
November Discussion: Food Insecurity, Homelessness, and Racial Justice
Join us for our monthly Housing Justice is Racial Justice meeting. This month’s topic: food insecurity, homelessness, and racial justice.
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.
Volunteers Needed for Housing Search Tech Support
Join us on 11/24 from 3-4:30 PM at a library in Midtown East to help neighbors work through the housing search process! A brief training will be provided. Volunteers will work one on one with shelter residents as they navigate making accounts, uploading documents, applying for housing, and finding housing websites! RSVP using the button below (location upon RSVP).
Weekly English Language Learning Workshop at a Shelter in Midtown
Our weekly English language learning classes at a shelter in Midtown, which take place on Mondays & Tuesdays 12pm-1pm, need an additional volunteer who speaks some Spanish or French. If you can help with this, email Caroline at caroline@openheartsinitiative.org.
Collaging in Midtown!
Join us at a shelter in Midtown East for an evening of collaging and getting to know your neighbors! Supplies and snacks will be provided. Specific location upon RSVP.
RSVP below.
Workshop: Speaking at Community Board Meetings + Lobbying Elected Officials
OHI members use many tactics to advocate with and for neighbors experiencing homelessness.
As part of our fall advocacy workshop series, we’re offering a workshop on 2 of the key ones: speaking at Community Board meetings and lobbying elected officials. We’ll cover:
What Community Boards are, what they do, and why speaking up there is important
What lobbying is and what to expect when meeting with an elected official
Key principles for engaging in these types of advocacy effectively
Practicing both of these types of advocacy
This workshop will take place on Zoom on Thursday, November 20, 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.
VIRTUAL Homelessness: Learning From Experience Meeting
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 discussion! We’ll be talking about food insecurity. If you're interested in joining us, click the button below to RSVP. Zoom link will be shared upon RSVP.
Speak Up for a New Supportive Housing Site in Midtown!
Background
A new supportive housing site is being planned for Midtown in the former Stewart Hotel Shelter (371 7th Avenue). It will feature 570 units, half of which will be affordable housing, and the other half will be for supportive housing. Supportive housing is a type of permanent affordable housing that offers support services to the people living there. It helps people experiencing homelessness obtain and keep housing, strengthens neighborhoods, and saves money for the city. On Wednesday, November 19th at 6:00 PM, Manhattan Community Board 5 is meeting to hear the proposal for the project, and will vote whether or not to approve it. If you live in Midtown in Manhattan Community Board 5’s area (check if you do here), we could use your voice in favor of the project!
Take Action
The #1 need is for folks to provide comments virtually (on Zoom or phone) during the meeting (Tuesday 11/19; meeting begins at 6:00 PM) or in person at the meeting at 450 7th Avenue (Tuesday 11/19; meeting begins at 6:00 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 Wednesday 11/19)
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 speak up for the supportive housing site Once you RSVP, we’ll be in touch to share suggested talking points and logistical details!
Bronx Open Hearts Chapter Meeting
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 Zoom. Zoom link will be shared upon RSVP.
Midtown Open Hearts Chapter Meeting
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 Zoom; the link will be shared upon RSVP.
Lower Manhattan Open Hearts Meeting
Do you live, work, or go to school in Lower Manhattan? Join us for our monthly Lower Manhattan Open Hearts chapter meeting on Zoom. Zoom link will be shared upon RSVP. RSVP using the button below.
Weekly English Language Learning Workshop at a Shelter in Riverdale (Bronx)
We have a great group of volunteers leading weekly English language learning classes at a shelter in the Riverdale area of the Bronx, which take place on Mondays 4:00-5:00 PM & 7:00-8:00 PM as well as Thursdays 4:00-5:00 PM. If you’re interested in helping out with this, email Caroline at caroline@openheartsinitiative.org.
Weekly English Language Learning Workshop at a Shelter in Midtown
Our weekly English language learning classes at a shelter in Midtown, which take place on Mondays & Tuesdays 12pm-1pm, need an additional volunteer who speaks some Spanish or French. If you can help with this, email Caroline at caroline@openheartsinitiative.org.
Brooklyn Fall Free Store
Our Brooklyn Open Hearts chapter is organizing a fall free store, offering seasonal clothing, hygiene supplies and food pantry items. Everything is free, and all are welcome!
I want to volunteer at the Free Store:
We need LOTS of volunteers on the day of the Free Store, including for shifts before and after the event. Sign up here
I want to donate items to the Free Store:
There are two ways to donate:
Drop off donations: We're looking for new or gently used fall clothing, hygiene supplies, and food pantry items. These items can be dropped off any time in Harlem, or every Sunday from 11-12:30 in Park Slope, Brooklyn. You can also arrange a drop-off in Clinton Hill, East New York, or Manhattan. Sign up to donate here.
Donate to the paypal for hygiene supplies, snacks, and food pantry items here!
UWS Street Care Kit Distribution!
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 distribute
RSVP here or using the button below!