Background

The 1114 First Avenue 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). ! On Monday, February 9th at 6:30 PM, Manhattan Community Board 8 is meeting to discuss the site. We could use 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 (Monday 2/9; meeting begins at 6:00 PM) or in person at the meeting at 1230 York Avenue (Tuesday 10/28; 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 Monday 2/9)

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.

Email caroline@openheartsinitiative.org to RSVP for providing either written or verbal comments .Once you RSVP, we’ll be in touch to share suggested talking points and logistical details.

After that, fill out this form to add your name in support of the shelter!

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:

• Our 2026 policy priorities

• Doing a short photography activity!

Questions? Email Will at will@openheartsinitiative.org.

Join the Homes for NYC coalition, of which OHI is a part, for a rally!

Homes For NYC fights to end mass homelessness by prioritizing homeless and extremely low-income households in NYC's affordable housing development. More than 100,000 people are now sleeping in shelters each night, and many of the City’s lowest-income households are at risk of homelessness because they are paying more than 50 percent of their income in rent. New York City cannot escape this crisis without directly addressing the systemic failure to ensure that there is enough housing with rents affordable to the lowest income households. 

OHI will have a contingent at the rally alongside several other allied organizations. RSVP below if you want to meet up with OHI folks at the rally!

Are you helping out at our 2/21 Free Store in Brooklyn? Join this planning meeting—and mini volunteer orientation!—to get oriented to Open Hearts and plan logistics for the Free Store.

7pm-7:30pm: Volunteer orientation

7:30pm-8pm: Free Store planning

Folks are welcome to join both parts of the meeting or just one part! If you haven’t yet participated in an Open Hearts volunteer orientation, we encourage you to join at 7pm! RSVP below for the Zoom link.

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:

• Finalizing (!!) our policy priorities for 2026

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

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. 

Join us for our monthly Housing Justice is Racial Justice meeting. This month’s topic: what does a new mayor mean for housing?

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 our Bronx Open Hearts chapter for its beginning-of-year meeting to set some goals for the year as a chapter. Zoom link to be shared upon RSVP—RSVP using the button below.

Join Lower Manhattan Open Hearts at a men’s shelter in the East Village for game night on Tuesday, January 13th from 7-9pm. Neighbors will get together, hang out, and play a variety of available games. If you have a competitive spirit and want to connect with your neighbors, RSVP below!

Do you live, work, or go to school in Brooklyn? Join our Brooklyn Open Hearts chapter for its beginning-of-year meeting to set some goals for the year as a chapter. Virtual meeting link will be shared upon RSVP.

Do you live, work, or go to school on the Upper East Side? Join our Upper East Side Open Hearts chapter for its beginning-of-year meeting to set some goals for the year as a chapter. Zoom link to be shared upon RSVP—RSVP using the button below.

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!