Call to Humanity: The Importance of Faith Based Organizations in Supporting the Newest New Yorkers
A message from Mahnoor Fatima of Bricks and Mortals, a partner in the Equipping Diverse Houses of Worship initiative.
Since the “Right to Shelter” law was passed in 1981, New York City’s communities faith have played a critical role in providing shelter, housing, and other services to New Yorkers. These organizations are uniquely situated to tackle urgent social issues, with buildings, networks, and dedicated volunteers who believe in helping others as an essential tenet of their faith. Houses of worship are seen as symbolic and literal places of refuge in times of crises. Recently, as the New York City government called on faith-based organizations to aid its efforts to house and provide resources for migrants and asylum seekers, they became even more essential.
Since the Spring of 2022, over 214,600 migrants have entered New York City, and while new arrivals are down from a year ago when about 600 people were arriving every day, many of these new New Yorkers need help settling in the city. To address their needs, in June 2023 Mayor Adams approved funding to up to 50 houses of worship to provide shelter (and services like dining, storage, showers, and daycare) to migrants. Funding is administered as a program of New York Disaster Initiative Services (NYDIS).
The Interfaith Center of New York has played a central role in coordinating responses to the influx of migrants from faith based organizations across the city through its Equipping Diverse Houses of Worship initiative. 90 partner organizations provide everything from legal assistance and shelter to clothing and school supplies.
City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, a “zoning reform proposal that would address the housing crisis by making it possible to build a little more housing in every neighborhood,” could soon create new opportunities for communities of faith to develop their properties and expand housing and shelter options for asylum seekers.
It hasn’t been easy. As houses of faith stepped forward to provide shelter, they faced a unique set of challenges. Many older buildings had to install sprinklers, showers, or alarm systems—physical infrastructure needed to provide appropriate shelter and ensure the security of their guests. Houses of worship became multifunctional spaces, meeting the needs of migrants while carrying on their religious work. Every day, congregations modify their sanctuary, worship space, or social halls to provide social services, transforming them into food pantries, healthcare clinics, and overnight shelters. Despite the challenges, community members responded enthusiastically: some houses of worship reported a 10% increase in congregation size after becoming involved in social justice activities.
Broadway Presbyterian Church is an inspiring example of recent faith community efforts: with the help of Broadway Community in Morningside Heights, the church converted 3,000 square feet of its space into a soup kitchen by day and a shelter at night. Broadway Presbyterian board member Kathryn Graybill noted that even houses of worship that don’t have showers or a kitchen like theirs could be eligible for grants as long as they continue to offer shelter services after the current influx of asylum seekers abates.
Another congregation has created a weekly respite center. Safe spaces like this are warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and offer food and other essential items to immigrants in need. Having established trust with the migrants they serve, this particular house of worship was able to bring in even more social services—NYID sign-up, healthcare, legal services, and case management—all built on the expertise and connections of their community.
What Can I Do?
The New York City Council is expected to vote on Mayor Adams’s “City of Yes” initiative on Thursday, December 5. If you’re interested in supporting The City of Yes Initiative, please contact your City Council representative and tell them to vote “yes.” More affordable housing helps all New Yorkers, including the newest.
If you are part of a faith based organization interested learning how you can support New York’s newest residents, fill out this form and/or contact ICNY’s Associate Director for Migrant Outreach, Brennan Brink (brennan@interfaithcenter.org). You can read the New York City government’s Response Report here.
Mahnoor Fatima is a project manager at Bricks and Mortals, a grassroots membership organization based in New York, NY. Their mission is for houses of faith to have the knowledge, connections, access to resources, and advocacy they need to: manage their real properties in service of their missions and communities, understand and address new realities that affect faith communities and their real estate; build resilience; and take charge of their destinies and legacies.
Scott Blumenthal and Brennan Brink of ICNY contributed to this post.