Mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts, friends. All these women deserve permanent homes and high-quality health care. Thanks to the generosity of friends like you, we have been able to not only continue delivering services, but expand them. Please enjoy these selected highlights and see how the kindness of donors like you supported solutions in 2021.

Over 3,600 Women Received Health Care Services in 2021

Women made up 47% of all patients served in 2021. They received care all over the city, including Staten Island, our newest health care delivery site.

CFH treated women for a variety of conditions, the most frequent being asthma, hypertension, diabetes, substance use disorders, and depression. In addition, over 400 women received Pap tests and nearly 200 received mammograms.

What’s more, the 320 women housed in our two shelters continued to receive excellent care as they worked towards achieving permanent housing.

Success in Housing

Nearly 150 women achieved permanent housing in 2021. One of them was Faye Brown.

Ms. Brown first experienced unstable housing in 2019. In 2020, after a stretch of sleeping on couches and on the street, she entered the shelter system. Finally, in the summer of 2021, Faye moved into her own apartment.

In response to this incredible achievement, she said, “My case manager, Mr. Jamal Sadler, (woot-woot, thank you so much) has been so patient with me over the past 8-9 months. I can’t wait to get into my apartment.”

She also expressed excitement about having friends and family over to visit.

Trauma Informed Care and Women’s Health

Every individual experiencing homelessness in New York City must first visit an Assessment Center before being placed in a shelter. For women, the process begins at the Franklin Women’s Assessment Center and Shelter in the Bronx ; which is co-located with a CFH health center.

These centers provide women with myriad services. Each of which are designed to put them on the best possible path towards permanent housing. One of those services is, of course, health care.

However, the CFH providers at Franklin know their job extends far beyond a physical. Assessing a woman’s medical and mental health needs when she arrives at Franklin is an especially sensitive process. Many women become homeless because of domestic violence or other significant traumas. So, in their time at Franklin, these traumas are fresh and raw.

Adequately addressing them is essential.

“Taking care of their health and mental health is key to their quality of life. And helping people adapt to the type of climate where [they’re going to be treated] with respect, creates that relationship and those mutual lines of trust. Because people, honestly, just want to feel like a human being.”

– CFH Nurse Practitioner, Judith Coffey

Empowering women

Empowering women is one of many ways you can support solutions to homelessness. To make your gift and designate it towards this cause, please visit our donation page.

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