Transitional Housing

The Way To Win journey begins with the 1,700 plus units of transitional housing Win operates across New York City. Simple but safe, quiet, clean, and private, each unit has a kitchen, bathroom, and living/sleeping space. Upon entering a Win shelter, each family receives an essentials kit that includes basic necessities for setting up their units, such as new sheets and towels; pots, pans, dishes, and flatware; and bathroom necessities like toothpaste, soap, shampoo, and toilet paper. Dignity and comfort are important to help families settle in so they can begin to focus on their life transformation.

Read More about Child Services

41 %

of the kids living in Win shelters are under the age of 6

9 of 10

of Win’s homeless families are led by women

Facts:

  • Win’s shelters house more than 3,800 people every night, including 2,200 children
  • The typical length of stay for families in a Win shelter is about 18 months

Child Services: Child Care & Education

Most Win families are headed by single women. Our goal is to provide these women with the resources they need to permanently leave shelter. With on-site daycare centers, after-school educational and recreational programs, Win provides nurturing childcare services for homeless children allowing their moms to concentrate on rebuilding their lives.

Children at Win’s childcare are assessed by trained professionals and referrals are made to outside community agencies based on individual needs. Each Win shelter has an on-site NYC Department of Education liaison to help moms determine the best educational options for their children. Additionally, our programming during all school breaks, Camp Win, prevents learning loss, especially over the summer.

READ MORE ABOUT LIFE SKILLS

16 %

of all homeless New Yorkers in the last year are 5 years old or younger.

1 in 10

students in NY public schools is homeless.

Facts:

  • Our childcare and after-school programming are offered to children of all ages at Win – from infants to age 17
  • Over half of Win’s school-aged children need extra support to make their school attendance while they experience homelessness
  • In a typical year, Win provides critical, trauma-informed care to around 4,700 children
  • Camp Win is a full-day camp for Win’s children operating all summer and during all New York City public school breaks
  • Camp Win enriched children’s lives through more than 230 field trips and community walks last year

Life Skills for Adult Clients

To bolster the life skills of Win moms, Win offers clients classes in: parenting skills, financial literacy (such as managing a budget and paying bills on time), and organizational skills like managing a calendar. We work with our moms as they learn how to schedule their children’s events – school, after-school, medical appointments, etc. — as well as their own appointments with government agencies, potential employers, and more.

Read More about Health & Wellness

Facts:

  • Our Income Building Program offers financial literacy workshops to help Win mothers with crucial skills such as budgeting, bill paying, and basic financial responsibilities
  • Thrive social workers offered over 100 groups and workshops to help clients develop life skills and peer support systems

Health & Wellness

Homeless moms and their children are more likely to be in poor health due to the lack of access to primary care. Win professionals counsel our moms on identifying their family’s medical needs. Win clients learn the importance of mental and physical wellness, including: annual doctor and dental exams; hygiene; exercise and nutrition, and having a healthy self-image. Issues such as mental health, domestic violence, and substance abuse are tackled through outside referrals and on-site workshops.

Read More about Education

Facts:

  • Around half of Win’s clients enter shelter with a diagnosed medical or mental health condition
  • Through referrals to community providers, Win connects hundreds of clients to physical and mental health services each year

Education

Win’s educational emphasis is on developing and improving moms’ skills to increase their job potential. Win professionals offer services such as GED prep, computer instruction, resume writing, and interviewing skills. Win provides additional support in the area of educational advancement, depending on individual needs.

Read More about Self-Motivation

Facts:

  • 56% of Win’s adult clients have at least a high school– or the equivalent– education
  • Win refers several hundred clients to job training programs and vocational, trade, or certification schools yearly

Self-Motivation

Homeless women entering a Win shelter have typically experienced trauma. Caseworkers work one-on-one with our moms to help them set their own goals and empower them. Win staff holds classes promoting self-advocacy, personal discipline, accountability, time management, and business conduct. These areas of personal development have a tremendous impact on a moms’ ability to confidently achieve independence.

Read More about Employment

Facts:

  • Thrive social workers offer over 100 workshops to help clients feel empowered and develop peer support systems

Employment

At Win, a critical pillar in each client’s journey is maintaining stable employment and building a steady income. Win’s Income Building Program supports clients transitioning from unemployment to employment, and helps those who are already working to better their status by: increasing wages, transitioning from part-time to full-time, obtaining health benefits, and upgrading from off-the-books to on-the-books positions. Through the program, Win clients have access to employment counseling, financial education, interview preparation, resume writing assistance, job fairs, budgeting classes, and much more.

Win partners with corporate employers, job training and placement specialists, and volunteer organizations to aid clients with employment and lay the groundwork for a managed household income. Win also provides access to onsite computer labs at shelters for job research and resume building, as well as a professional closet stocked with in-kind donations from which clients can obtain professional attire.

Win case managers work with Income Building specialists to provide clients with the support and tools they need to achieve their employment and housing goals.

Read More about Permanent Housing

45 %

of Win’s homeless moms work

Facts:

  • In the past year, over 600 Win clients have achieved employment gains through Win’s Income Building Program

Permanent Housing

All of the work Win does for and with our moms has a single overarching goal: to enable families to have a permanent home — a place where mothers (and fathers) can raise their children in safety, peace, and dignity. We believe that every one who comes through our doors has the potential to attain a better life for themselves and for future generations, ultimately breaking the cycle of homelessness.

Read More About Supportive Housing

Facts:

  • In the last year, Win helped 711 families transition out of shelter and into homes of their own

Supportive Housing

Win provides more than 330 permanent supportive apartment units in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Bronx, offering continued counseling and other supportive services for mothers/families with special needs, including:

  • Young mothers who have aged out of foster care
  • Mothers in recovery
  • Families who have survived domestic violence
  • Families with multiple instances of homelessness
Read More about Transitional Housing

Facts:

  • More than 80% of homeless mothers have experienced domestic violence as adults. Win provides supportive housing for families who have survived domestic violence