Hadar Volunteer Experiences at the Ansche Chesed Shelter 

"Staffing the shelter overnight was so much easier than we thought it would be - the system is so well organized that it practically runs itself!  On our first stay we were told by a guest that thanks to the shelter, he had his first good night's sleep in days.  We never would have thought that an extra-early wakeup could make us feel so good inside!"---Ari & Leslie Hirsch

"Staffing the Ansche Chesed shelter is a really simple way to alleviate a problem we all confront on the streets of New York.  Keeping the AC shelter up and running by providing overnight staff makes a real difference to ten homeless men.  And, you can provide them with assistance while you sleep!" ---Deena Fox

"Spending a night in the Shelter changed many of my misconceptions about the homeless.   I found that I had a lot in common with the residents and I was absolutely inspired by their spirit.   Should my life ever take an unfortunate twist of fate, it is comforting to know that there are organizations such as Ansche Chesed and Kehilat Hadar that will be looking out for me."  ---Efrem Epstein

"When I first began volunteering at the Anshe Chesed Shelter, I was surprised at the strength of the homeless residents' work ethic.  Defying all existing stereotypes, their morning routine resembles that of a college dormitory, except that it begins at 5:30AM!  All residents have daytime jobs through local social  service agencies, and several have taken me aside to
express gratitude that volunteers from Kehilat Hadar are willing to disrupt their sleep cycle just to
ensure that they have a safe haven each evening.  By serving as a long-term refuge for a small group of homeless individuals who are truly working hard to get back onto their feet, the shelter builds community among its residents while providing a semblance of normalcy in their lives.  Each evening, residents know that "their" bed will be waiting for them after a long day at work.  When it's phrased in this way, the homeless don't sound very different from the rest of
us!"---Eric Hamerman

"I had the great fortune of staffing Ansche Chese the night of Super Tuesday.  In the volunteer's handbook, I was instructed to have the residents turn off the television by 10 at the latest, unless they were deeply involved in watching a film or sports game.  What I  didn't expect was to join the residents in a marathon session watching CBS news, thirstily drinking all the news we could get in regards to delegate counts and state reports.  I don't think I could have experienced a more exciting time or place to feel so engaged as a citizen." -- Josh Schwartz