“Homelessness can be very confusing for children, and it comes...

“Homelessness can be very confusing for children, and it comes with a lot of misconceptions. We try to untangle that confusion as soon as they arrive: ‘No, you’re not a bum. You don’t live in a cardboard box. You don’t stink. Mom is not a bad person. She isn’t crazy. This is not forever.’ We want to undo some of the trauma of homelessness because we don’t want children to view themselves as homeless for the rest of their lives.”

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This is one of a series of portraits featuring residents and staff of the Win Homeless Shelter for Women And Children. In addition to providing programs and services aimed at breaking the cycle of homelessness, Win provides shelter for 4500 people across NYC every night, including 2700 children.