helpNYC relies on its amazing volunteers to support our work helping New Yorkers in need. If you would like to become a volunteer please complete our online application below. helpNYC believes that our lived experience is the most valuable asset in working with others. We encourage and expect our volunteers to be engaged, active, and idealists in their service to our community. We are open to new ideas and perspectives. The helpNYC Community strives to be inclusive, diverse, and equitable in every action we do.
Our work is done in dynamic teams of career-orientated volunteers. We work together virtually and collaboratively. Our Teams usually meet on a weekly basis and are conducted in a flat leadership style where all members, regardless of role and responsibilities have an equal opportunity to contribute. helpNYC strives to provide an environment for our volunteers to grow personally, spiritually, and professionally.
While there are many low-barrier services available in New York City, there is a lack of coordination among these services with social service agencies leading to our New York neighbors in need being misinformed and misdirected. Social service agencies’ resource websites are usually ad-hoc programs that are not constantly updated resulting in the list of resources being out of date and providing the wrong information which is a disservice to the persons in need. helpNYC solves this problem through its programming which focuses on building partnerships in the community so that organizations can work together to ensure vulnerable populations can have access to the services they need when they need them.
Our core program, the helpNYC.info Resource Navigator, is the inaugural program of helpNYC and was established in October 2018. It is an easily navigable website that now lists programs and agencies serving New Yorkers across 40 different service types, with over 500 listings. We ensure that the resources and programs listed on the website are verified low-barrier resources, meaning they are easily accessible to most people without the need for extra paperwork or eligibility requirements. Moreover, our staff works tirelessly to verify the listings with the agencies themselves. Our resource types are based on the eight dimensions of wellness. These include physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, vocational, financial, and environmental. We believe that attention must be paid to each dimension for the total wellness of an individual. helpNYC aims to empower underserved populations with the tools and resources to fulfill their basic needs and begin their journey toward recovery and wellness.
The helpNYC Resource Navigator is distinct from other organizations' resource websites because helpNYC has a dedicated team responsible for maintaining the site. We build partnerships with the organizations and programs we list, which guarantees that our listings are up-to-date and contain important information our visitors need. Our Listing Partners are verified and vetted by staff through a process that ensures the services are high quality and within reach for most of the population. While the program’s main focus is the website, helpNYC also produces street sheets that can be distributed among various social agencies. These sheets contain pertinent, accurate information for New Yorkers that need urgent assistance.
The Resource Navigator has become a critical tool for service providers in many organizations. The analytics showed during March 2020 through December 2020 our average monthly users increased by 567% and page views increased by 376%. The “Top Ten” resources requested were: Food Assistance, COVID Information, Housing Assistance, Clothing Resources, Mental Health Services, Homeless Services, Financial Assistance, Burial Assistance, Substance Misuse Services, and Wellness Resources.
As of August 2023, over 180,000 New Yorkers have used the resource navigator--around 10,000 use the website on a daily basis.
Rue Parkin (he/they/them) was street and shelter homeless for several years in New York City. Struggling with mental health and substance use concerns they struggled, as did various service providers, to find resources that were appropriate for their needs. It was a continual challenge to find access to low-barrier services.
In 2016, having lived in independent supported housing since 2010 and being in Recovery, Rue started a list of resources on their phone that they would text messages to friends and others in need. The text contained information on food assistance programs, substance use treatment programs, and Drop-In and Shelter Intake Centers.
This list grew into a Google Document, which turned into a personal blog website. Organically social service agencies increasingly started utilizing the blog for reliable information to find verified low-barrier resources and service entry points. Through partnerships and organizing the blog ended and became what now is the helpNYC.info Resource Navigator in 2018.
Learn more about helpNYC at www.helpNYC.org.
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