Kehilat Hadar continues to work actively to end homelessness by building and advocating for affordable homes with Habitat for Humanity-New York City and by volunteering weekly at the Ansche Chesed homeless shelter. We will continue our involvement with these two organizations as we continue the process of identifying a new partner organization for advocacy work.
Hadar is responsible for staffing the Ansche Chesed Homeless Shelter every Tuesday night. To volunteer at the Ansche Chesed Shelter for an overnight shift, or for more information, please e-mail Ari and Leslie Hirsch at shelter@kehilathadar.org. Also, see below.
To join the housing team and help us to identify a new advocacy partner, please e-mail Jill Berkin at housing@kehilathadar.org.
Habitat for Humanity NYC
Kehilat Hadar is a "faith partner" with Habitat for Humanity NYC and participates regularly in Habitat for Humanity NYC builds. Please visit our calendar to find out about future builds and how to get involved. Please e-mail housing@kehilathadar.org with any questions.
The decision to partner with Habitat was the result of a number of factors:
- In November of 2004, members of Hadar Social Justice Team participated in an overnight vigil in City Hall Park in an effort to draw attention to the affordable housing crisis faced by NYC residents. After a night on the pavement, they davened together & smiled for a picture before facing the day.
- The Habitat affiliate that we are working with is a NYC agency, so the impact of our work is felt at a local level.
- Habitat for Humanity NYC is prepared to make use of large numbers of volunteers.
- Habitat for Humanity NYC provides opportunities for both direct service and advocacy.
- Partnering with Habitat for Humanity NYC allows Kehilat Hadar flexibility. The commitments are very general: volunteer at builds, raise funds for affordable housing, teach about the issue of homelessness, and support advocacy work.
Habitat NYC developed a policy platform, titled, "Housing Covenant." Each year Habitat plans to identify discrete actions for its faith partners (including Hadar) to take in an effort to meet five long term policy goals: end homelessness, build homes, expand homeownership, end housing discrimination, promote sustainable housing development.
Ansche Chesed Homeless Shelter
The Homeless Shelter at Ansche Chesed provides a safe, clean place to stay every night for 10 men who are trying to transition out of homelessness. On any given night, most, if not all, of the guests have stayed at the shelter previously. This continuity helps to foster an atmosphere of ease and familiarity, as well as a sense of responsibility toward the shelter and a feeling of respect among the guests.
We have taken responsibility for the Tuesday overnight shift at the shelter and would like to ask YOU to volunteer. Overnight volunteers arrive at the shelter at 9:00 p.m., sleep undisturbed in a separate room in the building, supervise wake up of the men, and lock up at 6:30 a.m. People can volunteer by themselves, or with a friend.
If you would like to be on the Hadar volunteer list, or if you have any questions, please contact Ari and Leslie Hirsch at shelter@kehilathadar.org. You can also get more information directly from the Shelter website.