Innovative nonprofit helps volunteers record homeless people’s needs, to enable follow-up support; Clothing Drive and fundraiser provide further year-end aid

SOMERS, NY, UNITED STATES, December 28, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ — Street Care, an initiative of the volunteer-based 501(c)(3) Bright Mind nonprofit, has launched tools that have been featured on ABC, Newsweek, Politico, and CBS. It is led by veterans who are particularly focused on aiding homeless veterans. This work has helped over 4,000 people, including distributing over 76,000 items.

Street Care has released an innovative app and video tutorials that inspire people to help those experiencing homelessness safely. It has today released a video certification website and web app, developed by homelessness experts. To help enable potent enhancements, it is conducting a year-end clothing drive and fundraising campaign also.

582,462 Americans currently experience homelessness. Homeless people’s risk of death is highest in winter. Street Care provides a new solution: using tech to enable local residents to become a ‘first line’ to help agencies in identifying and responding to the needs of those on the streets (it is now also offering customized tools to agencies and governments).

Medically-retired Navy Lt. Commander Ryan Miller, Street Care National Spokesperson, noted, “Homelessness is an increasingly urgent issue. Among others, there are 33,129 of my fellow vets who are homeless right now. Having helped people on the street since 2020, I have seen how Street Care is truly a game-changer. It brings people beyond looking away (or simply giving a dollar), instead galvanizing them to create deeper change and become committed long-term. I’ve personally worked with Street Care for over three years, and I’m committed to it because it actually makes profound changes in people’s lives.”

With nearly 1 in every 574 people facing homelessness, these tools are crucial. They teach people how to help safely and how to record each interaction with a homeless person, so that they and others can continually bring resources and appropriate support to that person, providing a lifeline to help get each person out of homelessness. App, web app, online certification, videos, resource information, toolkits, printable tips, and FAQs, provide help to new and seasoned helpers. Emphasizing accessibility, they allow homeless people to access these tools too.

Army National Guard veteran and Bright Mind/Street Care Co-Founder Martin Brooks stated, “Through focus groups and other modes of community engagement, we address pressing matters relating to homelessness. We train volunteers to empower themselves and make a tangible impact on the well-being of those in need. We share care items and hygienic supplies, but what we’re really doing is creating trust with vulnerable people, so that they’ll accept deeper help. We also offer specific tutorials and campaigns, notably focused on homeless vets.”

Bright Mind Mentoring Director Alecia Summers added, “I’ve worked 1-on-1 with hundreds of at-risk people, and these tools are help given in bite-sized pieces. Helpers can start small in making everyday life more manageable and then go bigger in helping address critical challenges. When you log your interaction with a homeless family that needs medical aid, that enables the next helper (or agency) to go back and look for that family and be far more likely to reach them –while already knowing what help or personnel to bring with them. That takes support to a whole other level.”

From interaction logs, to search features that enable people such as doctors or lawyers to search for homeless people who need their particular expertise, to event-posting capabilities that let you invite others to join your events, Street Care’s growing menu of tools is based on its team’s experience on city streets in all US regions.

When led by those with decades of on-the-street experience, tech can be a great nonprofit tool. “We do ‘tech for good’ always with a focus on our nonprofit expertise,” according to Bright Mind Executive Director Craig Kaufman. “With us it’s the ‘good’ that drives the ‘tech.’ We employ practical solutions, and tech is a solution that can even the playing field for nonprofits. We also require help and are doing a year-end campaign requesting clothes, volunteer time, and $5,000 in donations. As a volunteer-based nonprofit, every penny donated goes an extremely long way. Together, we can transform lives.” [see link]

ABOUT STREET CARE

Street Care, an initiative of the 501(c)(3) Bright Mind nonprofit, works to bring about transformative change by mobilizing individuals and communities to provide proven solutions for homeless people, using decades of experience plus tech and social media outreach. Clothing Drive/fundraiser: see link.

–It utilizes a wellness-based strategy that aids both volunteers and recipients, providing compassionate tech.

–It works with individuals and civic, religious, and corporate groups to provide service.

CONTACT: [email protected], 702-907-7390

Craig Kaufman
Bright Mind Enrichment and Schooling
+1 646-436-7390
[email protected]
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One of a series of videos focused on safety, preparation, and needs of veterans