Drop-In Center & Respite Bed Program

CAMBA also serves the hard-to-reach street homeless population that for various reasons may not want to be temporarily housed in a shelter environment. We serve over 500 single adults annually at the Gathering Place, and 150 clients annually in the Respite Bed Program. Both programs are funded by the NYC Department of Homeless Services.

The Gathering Place Drop-in Center

The Gathering Place Drop-in Center serves single men and women who are homeless, 18 and older, 24 hours per day, seven days a week, year round. The center provides a safe, sanitary and stable alternative to the street, using an individualized and flexible approach to serve the hard-to-reach street homeless population that for various reasons may not want to be temporarily housed in shelter environments. Available services include three meals a day, shower/laundry facilities and access to clothing, mail and phone services, therapeutic recreational activities, case management services/ entitlement(s) assistance, and comprehensive medical/mental health services and referrals to treatment resources.

Eligible candidates may travel to and from a respite bed site in the evening and in the morning back to The Gathering Place. The respite sites provide dinner and a temporary bed assignment.

The Respite Bed Program

“You could taste the love in the food.”   —CAMBA guest, 26 years old

CAMBA’s Respite Bed Program is a partnership between a network of faith-based respite sites, volunteers, and The Gathering Place clients. The respite sites provide temporary overnight beds to single men and women who are homeless, and receiving case management and housing placement services at The Gathering Place Drop-in Center.

CAMBA’s program staff work closely with the volunteer coordinators at the churches and synagogues that recruit and train volunteers to provide overnight shelter including a home cooked meal in a clean and secure environment. Our staff recruit and match volunteers with the respite sites that need their services. We provide on-site training in both shelter program operations and the dynamics of homelessness and trauma in NYC. We also ensure that the Respite Bed sites have personal care items, beds, bed linens, cleaning supplies, and additional supplies as needed at the churches and temples that open their doors to help every day of the year.

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