BronxWorks Homeless Outreach Team Perseveres Through NYC's Extreme Weather | | With extreme heat in the forecast and the summer months upon us, the BronxWorks Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) is prepared to respond to all Code Reds that may occur this season. A Code Red is enacted when temperatures reach above 90 degrees, and homeless outreach services across the city prioritize getting people out of the heat and into cooling centers. | | |
"Throughout the year, we are constantly assessing which individuals could be more impacted by severe weather. So when those circumstances happen, we already have a list of folks who may be at most risk and can conduct outreach accordingly.”
- Juan Rivera, Associate Vice President, Homeless Outreach Programs
| | The BronxWorks HOT team is the main provider of street outreach services in the Bronx. Every day, they conduct outreach to connect with individuals experiencing homelessness and offer them services to support their progress towards permanent housing. HOT offers immediate assistance with medical care, distribution of essential items, and welcoming them to the BronxWorks Living Room Drop-In Center. At the Living Room, clients can receive a hot meal, use the shower and laundry facilities, and connect with other services. HOT also works with clients long-term, providing mental health services and other care to set them up for success in permanent housing. All HOT staff are trained to provide life-saving interventions and administer Narcan. | | HOT has been a trusted and continuous presence within the Bronx community for over 30 years. The trust built over time through consistent support and communication is especially vital in times of crisis such as extreme weather. Community members in need know who they could reach out to for support in these extreme situations because of the trust built by HOT. | | |
"They understand the situation, some of them call us and ask to be picked up because it’s too cold. That happens because we outreach to them all the time, they know where to find us… they want a safe place to go. It’s because of our consistency of our work.”
- Pascal Jean Louis, Housing Specialist, HOT
| | This past winter, HOT faced extreme weather and continuous low temperatures that has not been seen in New York City for years. Despite these challenges, the team remained incredibly consistent and dedicated, especially when Code Blues were declared (when temperatures dropped below freezing). During the blizzard-like conditions, the HOT team persevered through their own travel and transportation challenges to ensure that services continued at a high level. | | BronxWorks is so proud of all the staff who make up the Homeless Outreach Team for their commitment to supporting the most vulnerable in our community. Their efforts save dozens of lives each year, with both immediate support and long-term assistance for clients to achieve stability. Thank you to everyone who supports our outreach work. | | The BronxWorks HOT Team enjoy dinner hosted by senior leaders in recognition of their tireless efforts this winter. | | In 2025, BronxWorks outreach efforts contributed to the placement of 313 individuals into permanent housing. | | In 2025, BronxWorks staff saved 114 lives by successfully administering Narcan to those experiencing an overdose. Many of these occurrences happened during street outreach. | | |
Pascal Jean Louis
Housing Specialist, Homeless Outreach Team
| | | | Over 10 years ago, Pascal settled in New York City with the desire to help the less fortunate in his community. Having grown up in Haiti and living in several other Caribbean countries, Pascal has seen first-hand underserved communities that do not have resources to meet their needs. After graduating from college, he was determined to enter a field in which he can use his voice to advocate for others. In 2023, he joined BronxWorks as a Housing Specialist for the Homeless Outreach Team (HOT). In this role, Pascal works with unhoused individuals who have accepted assistance from BronxWorks HOT and are going through the process of obtaining permanent housing. | | “Each day I go to work, it is a new day. I give my best to every client every day… If you have the chance to help others, do it with all your heart.” | | BronxWorks Offers Aquatics Programs for Youth | | Did You Know? BronxWorks offers swim lessons and other aquatics programming to children and families! Learning how to swim is a vital, life-saving skill and BronxWorks is proud to offer programs in the BronxWorks Indoor Pool at the Carolyn McLaughlin Community Center. Swim lessons are offered weekly in partnership with Physique Swimming for children, teens, and adults. Participants from various BronxWorks programs such as after-school and summer camps also have the opportunity to enjoy the pool and learn water safety skills. | |
Community Health Summer Fridays
BronxWorks Community Health programs are once again hosting Summer Fridays in the South Bronx! Every other Friday at St. Mary's Park, programs offer games, health workshops, raffles, wellness activities like yoga, and more for the whole family to enjoy!
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BronxWorks Center for Achieving Future Education (CAFE) Celebrates College Acceptances
BronxWorks is so proud of all the CAFE participants heading off to college this fall! CAFE provides college preparation services to juniors and seniors in high school, as well as continuing to support students once they have gone off to college. This year, over 50 participants will be attending dozens of different universities, including SUNY Maritime, SUNY Binghamton, University of Mount Saint Vincent, Iona University, and Ithaca College. Congratulations to all the high school graduates and to those continuing their education!
For a complete list of colleges being attended by the CAFE Class of 2026, click here!
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BronxWorks Joins Rally In Support of NYCBenefits Funding
BronxWorks joined with United Neighborhood Houses of New York (UNH) and other NYC settlement houses to rally for the funding of the NYCBenefits program, which was excluded in the current FY27 Executive Budget. The NYCBenefits program provides assistance to the Bronx community with applying for multiple New York City and State benefits, specifically HRA benefits, SNAP benefits, tax assistance, Medicaid/Medicare, and more. BronxWorks is one of many providers of this program across the city. Advocates and providers called for the mayor, the DSS Commissioner, and the City Council to fund and baseline NYCBenefits at $9.75M for FY27 and beyond.
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BronxWorks CEO Eileen Torres Joins Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani for the NYC Puerto Rican Day Parade
BronxWorks CEO Eileen Torres shared her pride for her Puerto Rican heritage and marched in the NYC Puerto Rican Day parade! Eileen and Alex Soto, Director of Training & Learning Management Systems, represented BronxWorks and joined Governor Hochul, Mayor Mamdani, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, and other community leaders for this day of celebration.
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Summer Youth Employment Program Hosts Job Fair for Participants
Every summer, BronxWorks connects over 1,300 Bronx youth with paid employment experience through the NYC Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). Prior to the start of the 2026 program, BronxWorks hosted a Job Fair for participants to connect with potential employers. Representatives from a variety of local employers, as well as several BronxWorks programs, attended.
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Riverdale Nursery School and Family Center Supports Bronx Pets
The Riverdale Nursery School and Family Center held a pet food drive in support of our four-legged community members. Pets are a beloved part of BronxWorks families, and these donations truly make a difference during these tough economic times. Thank you Riverdale Nursery School and Family Center for your continued partnership and support! If you would like to donate pet food, please visit our wishlist: Emergency Needs Wishlist
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BronxWorks Participants Attend Knicks NBA Finals Watch Party at MSG
BronxWorks program participants had the opportunity to attend two Knicks post-season watch parties at Madison Square Garden! Like many New Yorkers, our participants are dedicated Knicks fans, and they were thrilled to be able to celebrate the Knicks' historic championship run. Thank you to MSG for your support in making this possible!
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National Junior Honor Society Students from the Bronx Visit BronxWorks Older Adult Center
The BronxWorks E. Roberts Moore Older Adult Center recently welcomed National Junior Honor Society students from the Hostos-Lincoln Academy of Science in the South Bronx. The students were excited to learn more about services for older adults at the center and enjoyed spending time with the participants. They also donated throw blankets and provided funds to support the pantry at the center. Thank you to the NJHS students who visited and supported the center!
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BronxWorks Annual Employee Wellness Fair
BronxWorks recently hosted our Annual Employee Wellness Fair. Staff had the opportunity to meet with representatives from our health insurance and other related providers. In addition, all were encouraged to participate in various wellness activities and workshops. Thank you to all who attended and made this event possible!
| | Support #TeamBronxWorks in the TCS 2026 NYC Marathon! BronxWorks is proud to once again be a charity partner for the TCS NYC Marathon this year. As a charity runner, members of #TeamBronxWorks each have a goal of raising $3,000 for BronxWorks Children and Youth programs. Support our runners here! | | |
Here are other ways you can join BronxWorks and support our mission this year:
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