New Alternatives provides the following services for Homeless LGBT youth (ages 16-24):
Life Skills
Weekly dinner is held Sunday evenings at 6pm
Life skills workshop is held Sunday evenings following dinner: 7-8:30pm
Location:
Every Sunday evening, volunteers prepare a hot, nutritious meal for up to 60 LGBT youth. After dinner, we offer an interactive Life Skills group that focuses on various issues relevant to the LGBT youth community, including suicide, HIV prevention, living with HIV, and housing rights.
Case Management
Case management sessions are held Tuesday evenings between 1 to 6pm
Location:
Starting in early May 2009, we have been holding sessions of a weekly case management clinic that assists youth with a variety of issues, including name changes, identification, benefits, resumes, and legal problems, as well as general counseling.
Recreation/Community Building
Our recreation/community building programming offers a variety of trips and activities intended to provide youth with opportunities to feel connected with their communities and participate in activities that otherwise would be unknown or out of reach. All of our activities are safe, drug and alcohol free events led by our dedicated volunteers. Popular activities include the Transgender Health Conference in Philadelphia, Pride Parade and Dance, Queer Spirit Camp, Trans in the Sands beach trip, Halloween Costume Ball, and museum trips.
The Holiday Season can be a challenging time for youth. We offer traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations on the actual holidays, providing youth a place to gather when many other programs are closed.
Groups
Creative Writing: Sundays, 5pm
Led by Charles Austin of the NYC Writers’ Coalition, Creative Writing is an opportunity for youth to express themselves in a supportive setting.
This group is for HIV+ LGBT homeless youth. Dinner and metrocard provided.
Please contact Howie: howieh914@gmail.com if you are interested in joining
Male-Identified Trans Youth: Contact JD: dabronxpoetri@aol.com for more info.
A group for gender non-conforming youth on the masculine spectrum.
See our calendar of upcoming events here.
Basic Needs
New Alternatives provides items to meet the basic needs of homeless youth, especially those who are living on the street. In addition to hot meals, we have a food pantry of items that do not require cooking. We also distribute donated clothing; hats, gloves and scarves in winter months; socks; underwear; blankets; and hygiene items such as razors, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant and sanitary pads.
