The Way to Win
At Win, we believe that a safe, clean shelter is the floor, not the ceiling. Our Way to Win model goes above and beyond to help our clients get the care they need and deserve in order to thrive in shelter and beyond.
Win offers two primary housing options. Our first is transitional housing, also referred to as emergency shelter for clients who need a place to stay during their search for a longer-term place to stay. Win has 16 transitional sites across all five boroughs. 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.
Win also offers permanent supportive housing for our clients. Our portfolio includes over 465 units across the city, where our clients live in and maintain their own apartments. Clients pay a reduced fee of just 30% of their income towards rent. Although Win holds the leases to these apartments, clients act like tenants and are responsible for their own utilities. To qualify for supportive housing, a client must come from the shelter system and have one or a combination of the following special needs: mental health, substance misuse, domestic violence, or aging out of foster care.
46 %
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
Childcare and Recreation
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. Around 6,200 children receive trauma-informed care at Win each year.
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.
Camp Win is a full-day camp for Win children operating all summer and during all New York City public school breaks. Our childcare and after-school programming are offered to children of all ages at Win – from infants to age 17. Last year, our campers took more than 220 field trips with Camp Win!
Mental Health Services
Under construction
College + Career Readiness
The college and career readiness program for teens and young adults focuses on enriching academics, exposing clients to real and achievable career pathways, and providing clients with opportunities for social engagement. We offer guided college tours, career panels with corporate partners, vocational pathway exploration, STEM workshops hosted by community vendors, tutoring, and college application support.
Income Building Program
Since its founding in 2014, the Income Building Program has supported the multi-dimensional needs of our clients. This program provides Win clients, from young adults to their parents, with a safe space to heal and rebuild their lives while gaining the skills and tools needed to move into permanent housing, maintain a job, and thrive. Services fall into four categories: education services, employment services, training support, and financial literacy and wealth creation.
The Income Building Program supports our clients in every phase of their lives, from high school tutoring, to GED training, to benefits counseling, and more.
Policy & Advocacy
Under construction
L.E.A.D. Clinics
Under construction