The Invisible Homeless
60% of New Yorkers in shelter are families with children
Learn More About Family HomelessnessWho We Are
The Family Homelessness Coalition is made up of organizations representing service and housing providers and children’s advocacy organizations united by the goal of launching a coordinated, collaborative, multi-agency effort focused on preventing family homelessness, improving the well-being of children and families in shelters, and supporting the long-term stability of families with children who leave shelter.
Family Homelessness Coalition strives to strengthen prevention and post-shelter services for at-risk families. We promote child and family well-being when shelter is unavoidable and advocate for the creation of more permanent housing resources for homeless children and their families.
These Are the Facts
Homelessness is traumatic for everyone but especially for children because of the long-term negative impacts it has on their physical and mental health, education, and the likelihood they will experience homelessness as an adult. Several indicators point to the extent of this crisis and its potential long-term effect on children:
Out of >60K people in the NYC’s shelter system, about 38K are individuals in families with children.
34% of elementary students in temporary housing are chronically absent compared to 20% of permanently housed students.
The average length of shelter stays for families with children has risen to 534 days.
Meet the FHC Fellows
The Family Homelessness Coalition Fellows are individuals who have lived through the challenges of housing instability. These Fellows have a voice in policy matters and advocacy efforts that impact families with children experiencing homelessness.