Shelter
Old First Reformed Church has been a partner to HousingPlus for several years, raising offerings for relief and collecting holiday gifts for residents. The mission of HousingPlus is to provide community-based housing and comprehensive services to women, including women with children; to support them in overcoming poverty, homelessness, addiction, trauma, and the effects of incarceration, so that they may build lives of stability. Visit their website here.
HousingPlus Beginnings
In 2002, HousingPlus opened its doors to six families and six single women who had been incarcerated and homeless, and who needed safe housing with assistance to re-enter the community. Each woman was handed a key to her own apartment. Today, HousingPlus houses approximately 176 families and single women across eight programs in Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. HousingPlus is proud of their commitment to addressing the lack of housing and services for historically underserved and marginalized NYC women and their children.
You can see why Old First is honored to partner with HousingPlus.
2020 saw the joy of accomplishment for HousingPlus when they opened their brand new Linwood residence in Brooklyn, but the year also posed unique challenges owing to the pandemic.
During this past holiday season, Old First collected monies for gift cards both through Old First members and within the neighborhood via email appeal and a collection box on Seventh Avenue, staffed by Brooklyn Relief Kitchen volunteers.
Early in 2021, Old First deacons stepped up in another way by connecting HousingPlus to the Brooklyn Relief Kitchen, enabling a partnership that began in January when the relief kitchen made a first delivery of canned and dry goods to HousingPlus’ food pantry in East New York. Old First is hoping to spark other ideas and ways to help.
Check out their videos:
HousingPlus: Take a Video Tour of Linwood Park Apartments in Brooklyn
HousingPlus: Helping Women Re-write History
HousingPlus: Helping Women Achieve Economic Security
Header screenshot photo from HousingPlus video, “Moving into Linwood Park Apartments”.
Donate to the Old First Mission Fund
Donate Online
If you would like to donate to this and our other missions, click the green GIVE button at the bottom of this page to be transferred to the Tithe.ly webpage. A short signup will be required if this is your first visit. Be sure to select “Mission” in the drop-down menu after the amount and please consider checking the box to cover fees.
Send a Check
You may also donate by sending a check to the church office: Old First Reformed Church, c/o Maureen Doyle, 729 Carroll Street, Brooklyn, NY 11215, and note “Mission” or HousingPlus on the check’s memo line. Please contact us if you need help.
CAMBA Summer Respite Shelter
Since 2011, Old First has partnered with CAMBA and local churches each summer, to operate a respite shelter for two months. The respite shelter provides a dozen men who are participants of CAMBA job training programs with a home-cooked dinner and a safe place to sleep.
CAMBA is a Brooklyn-based social service agency that provides a wide array of social services to 35,000 low-income individuals and families each year. Besides the summer respite shelter, this includes programs helping people with chronic homelessness, HIV/AIDS, language barriers, domestic violence, and unemployment. The majority of CAMBA’s clients live, work, and/or attend school in Brooklyn. Visit CAMBA’s website here.
Volunteers welcome! Please contact us for more information or to get involved with the respite shelter.
Donate to the Old First Mission Fund
Donate Online
If you would like to donate to our missions, click the green GIVE button at the bottom of this page to be transferred to the Tithe.ly webpage. A short signup will be required if this is your first visit. Be sure to select “Mission” in the drop-down menu after the amount and please consider checking the box to cover fees.
Send a Check
You may also donate by sending a check to the church office: Old First Reformed Church, c/o Maureen Doyle, 729 Carroll Street, Brooklyn, NY 11215, and note “Mission” on the check’s memo line. Please contact us if you need help.