Safe Haven

Helping Hands had its beginnings in December 2004, when concerned citizens organized a “run” to distribute food, clothing, blankets and other necessities to people living on the streets in Nanuet and Spring Valley. The homeless “scout” who helped us with the outreach dubbed the project Helping Hands. A second run reached over thirty homeless individuals, some of them without even a blanket to protect them from the frigid January weather, convincing Helping Hands that we needed to do more than pass out supplies. Adopting a model that has proven effective in neighboring counties, we asked local institutions to open their doors to people seeking protection from the cold. On January 20, 2005 we had our first night of safe haven in the Saidiyyah Qadiriyyah (Felicity) Mosque in Spring Valley. Since then, over thirty communities of faith have supported the Safe Haven program, opening their doors and their hearts to our homeless guests. Hundreds of dedicated volunteers have made it possible to offer our homeless neighbors thousands of overnight stays, providing shelter from the cold, relief from hunger and, just as important, renewed hope. By the end of each season, many of our guests find employment and/or permanent housing, giving us courage to carry on with our mission to serve the homeless.
In September 2009, we opened our long-planned Outreach Center to provide year-round help for the homeless during the day so that people will not be forced to seek shelter with us at night.
Helping Hands, Inc. is a not-for-profit, philanthropic corporation founded in 2004. We have been granted 501c3 status by the IRS and are a registered New York State charity. All donations are tax deductible.
EIN# 20-4362479       NYS Charity#40-58-49