The issue of homelessness is in the news more than ever, but the people experiencing it are not.

Discover real stories, share the truths, shift the narrative.

Changing how we think and speak about homelessness is a small step toward big change.

family

1 in 6 homeless Americans is a child.

In New York City, there are more than 20,000 children experiencing homelessness.

Meet Soulieo

housing

What does it mean to be rent-burdened?

More than half of all New Yorkers are rent-burdened.

family

30% of Americans in homeless shelters are families with children.

More than 61% of New York homeless shelter residents are families with children.

Meet Trixie

Identity

38% of homeless Americans are women.

Studies show that domestic violence is the leading cause of homelessness for both women and children.

Meet Ryon

“I remember having two jobs and still didn’t have enough money to support housing.”

Street vs. Shelter

Why would someone sleep on the street rather than a homeless shelter?

No one chooses to sleep on the street, but for some people experiencing homelessness, it may be the only option.

Meet Luis

Identity

Thousands of college students are homeless.

14% of CUNY students had experienced homelessness at some point in the past year.

Meet Tyrian

Housing

One of the main causes of homelessness is lack of affordable housing.

A recent study found that a median rent hike of just $100 correlates with a 9% increase in homelessness.

“I went 35 days without hearing my name and without saying a word.”

Identity

Many homeless Americans go months without hearing their own name out loud.

A friendly “hello” or “good morning” can help them feel seen.

Housing

4 in 10 homeless Americans are sleeping on the street.

In New York, recent point-in-time surveys identify around 3,500 individuals sleep “rough” each night.

Meet Aint Afraid

Conversation

How to support your unhoused neighbors.

If you want to get involved directly, a great way to help your homeless neighbors is by assembling and handing out hygiene kits.

Meet Legacy

Conversation

How to talk about homelessness.

It may feel hard to talk about homelessness, but greater understanding leads to more compassion.

“I was working two jobs, living in a homeless shelter in NYC and was told I make too much money to even get food stamps.”

Meet Robert

Jobs

Most homeless Americans have a job—often more than one.

This is known as being “under-employed,” or having one or more jobs that still do not add up to a living wage.

Meet Detra

Family

1.1 million American students are homeless.

Students who struggle to find a place to sleep each night often struggle academically.

Jobs

An employee making minimum wage cannot afford a one-bedroom apartment in ANY city in America.

A New Yorker earning minimum wage would need to work 111 hours per week to afford a basic one-bedroom apartment.

Meet Colleen

Street vs. Shelter

Homelessness isn’t always why you think.

In New York, more than 70,000 people sleep in shelters each night.

Meet Brian

“My friend would take showers in the bathrooms of Port Authority—then throw on a suit and go to work. No one would have guessed he was homeless.”

Conversation

How to talk to kids about homelessness

Kids see what we see, and homelessness is a complex issue that is often challenging to explain to children.

Identity

40% of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ+.

Young queer people are 120% more likely to experience homelessness vs. their peers.

Meet Kemi

Conversation

How to introduce yourself to your unhoused neighbors

Being able to address someone by name is humanizing, but it takes time to earn trust before learning someone’s name.

Meet Karim

Conversation

How to bring compassion to the conversation

Words carry more power than we realize, especially when describing a diverse and complex group like the unhoused population.

Housing

The Bombas
Impact Report

If you’d like to learn more about how Bombas customers support people experiencing homelessness, check out our 2022 Impact Report.

Conversation

100+ Million Items Donated

Millions of people like you making the choice to help others.

Meet Joe

Conversation

Ways to get involved