Moravian Open Door in New York
Conquers Homelessness in Innovative Ways!

“The seasonal surge of homeless families is accompanied this year by a floundering economy and the highest number of homeless people in shelters — more than 38,000 — since the city began tracking numbers in the early 1980’s, with roughly double the number of homeless children and families compared with five years ago.”— City Says its Ready for Record Homeless, Andrea Elliot, NY Times, July 2, 2003.

The daily newscasts and papers in New York over the past year have been filled with stories about the City’s financial crisis. Some of the news has been National; the difficulty in recovering emotionally and economically from September 11th, Mayor Bloomberg’s “doomsday budget” that would cut essential services like fire and police crews, and so on.

These financial problems also create news that isn’t always as well publicized. Homelessness in New York City, an ongoing crisis, seems to have no solution. And, because of layoffs, the poor job market, high rents, and increasing cost of living in the city, more and more people are finding themselves without options and forced to rely on assistance programs and shelters.

The Moravian Open Door, located on the East side of Manhattan, is helping with these problems in a very meaningful way. The facility accommodates 40 formerly homeless, single men and women and gives them the opportunity of a fresh start. The Open Door, or MOD, operates as a “transitional” shelter — a safe, clean, and stable place to live while residents search for permanent housing. Our residents are aged 50 or older; some will find housing in their own apartments, some will qualify for supportive housing or managed care.

The Open Door is special in many ways, but one characteristic sets us apart from the other housing shelters in the city; MOD is funded and operated solely by the Moravian Church. Our operating budget is paid for partly by a small rent paid by the residents, and the rest, approximately 40 percent, comes from donations from church members and congregational donations. Being independent from state and city funds and oversight allows us to operate a more compassionate facility without the bureaucracy, or fear of having to close if those funds were suddenly cut from the budget.

This is a very exciting time for the Open Door. The Board of Directors and the staff have begun a revitalization of the program to better serve the needs of the residents and become a more effective mission. Last year, a part-time social worker was hired to assist residents in receiving needed benefits and housing placement. This year, a security service was hired to provide protection for the residents and security for the building. Having a guard at night allows us to extend the curfew from 10:00 pm until midnight, which gives the residents more flexibility in their schedules. The guard also ensures a faster response time in the event of an emergency.

In addition to the new staffing, MOD looks forward to the capital improvements to the building funded through the “On One Stem Growing Campaign” during the spring. The improvements made with those funds will make the residence a more comfortable and homelike environment. Among the changes will be a repainted, refurnished social room, an updated resident kitchen, and improvements to the residents’ rooms.

With an increase in services and amenities comes the inevitable rise in expenses. In order to help pay for these increases, the Open Door is planning and hosting special fundraising activities in New York City, beginning with a Rummage Sale at New Dorp Moravian Church on Staten Island this past June. A Silent Art Auction will be held on Sept. 24, 2003, with the proceeds to benefit the facility. More special events are on the way!

The Board of Directors and the staff are very enthusiastic about our direction and exciting new projects that are just beginning. As always, we invite you to find out more about the Open Door, visit us, and participate in the mission however you are able. You can find out more details about the operation of MOD by calling the MOD office at 212.995.5810.