Homeless Shelter

A House of Worship is Also a Home

Brooklyn Heights Synagogue Homeless Shelter provides a warm, safe place to sleep, along with a hot meal, for up to 10 men. The Shelter is an entirely volunteer effort, coordinated by BHS congregants and supported by members and non-members alike, including other synagogues, churches, schools, and community groups.

Guests are brought to the Shelter, on the ground floor of the Synagogue, by bus from a drop-in center operated by CAMBA, the largest social service agency in Brooklyn. All Shelter guests are screened by CAMBA including for the following: a) visual assessment for alcohol and drug sobriety and general hygiene; b) health assessment including respiratory and COVID symptoms, and TB; c) psychiatric and psychosocial evaluations by a competent professional; and d) screening all guests for weapons and contraband prior to leaving the drop in enter.

The only thing all our guests have in common is that they are homeless men. They are otherwise a diverse group in terms of age, background, and circumstances. Some men will spend the night in our Shelter having been at work all day. If our beds, food, and hospitality were not available, many would have nowhere else to sleep. Click here for more information about our guests.

We provide an evening meal each night. The hospitality and opportunity to dine in a small group setting are at least as important as the food we serve.

Volunteer Opportunities at the Shelter

Overnight Stay:  There is a security guard on duty all night. Two adults spend the night at the Shelter. Two people may sign up together or an individual will be paired with another volunteer. Volunteers arrive at 7:00 pm and are met by an Evening Coordinator who shows them the ropes. They set up, serve dinner, and clean up after dinner. The next morning, they get up early and are free to leave by 6:30 am. A child at least the age of Bar or Bat Mitzvah may spend the night with a parent, or an adult approved by the child’s parents. Children under the age of 13 may bake desserts, help cook, set up and serve, or spend the night with both parents or a parent and another adult. Click here to view the Guidelines for Overnight Volunteers.

Cooking:  Volunteer cooks prepare a meal at home and deliver it to the Shelter kitchen no later than 7:00 p.m. with a description of the meal and instructions for serving/heating. Reheating is done in a toaster oven or a microwave. Alternatively, the meal may be ordered for delivery. Cooking is also an excellent way to involve children as Shelter volunteers. Click here for Cooking Guidelines.

Set-up Help: Families with young children can sign up to help set up beds and set the table before the guests arrive. Only one family per night. The time is 7:00pm-7:30pm. Those with older children may stay to help serve dinner. Children over the age of 13 can set up and serve without their parents.

Click here to read Jennifer Powers’ Yom Kippur Speech!

Learn more about homelessness:
NYC Department of Homeless Services Data
Information on NYC Homeless from Coalition for the Homeless
HUD Annual Homeless Assessment to Congress
HUD Annual Homeless Assessment – National Statistics
Where do the guests sleep when our shelter is closed?
Who are our guests? Some suggestions for conversing with them

How to Volunteer

Please CLICK HERE to sign up to volunteer in any of the above volunteer categories. If you want more information about our shelter, please contact shelter@bhsbrooklyn.org.

SIGN UP TODAY

 

Thank you!

BHS Shelter Committee

Anne Landman, Shelter Coordinator
Gale Cantor
Dana Duber
Andrea Feller
Ben Fishman
Elizabeth Fishman
Sam Fishman
Alan Gertler
Camille Gertler
Eve Hall
Lauren Kessler
Brian Ketcham
Amy Matthews
Mary Nance-Tager
Veronique Nguyen
Susan Oppenheim
Felicia Pesis
Joyce Raskin
Ben Sobel
Phyllis Starkman