Tips For Helping The Homeless This Holiday Season
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The holidays can be especially hard for those who are less fortunate.
In New York City alone there are thousands of homeless people. The Toussaint family is among that group -- they consider themselves homeless after they moved into a shelter with their daughter, Selina, Monday night.
As CBS2's Emily Smith reported, there are 62,000 homeless people on the streets of New York City -- 23,000 of them being children.
According to Bob Mascali, former Deputy Commissioner at the City Department of Homeless Services, half of those children are under the age of five.
Mascali says once a family gets into a shelter, the average length of stay is about one year.
Experts say you can't just show up at a shelter and donate for the holidays. Addresses for homes are not disclosed online and volunteers are even urged to turn away unexpected donations.
Christine Quinn, who founded the shelter organization Women In Need, says the best approach is to go online and become a volunteer yourself.
"They're wrapping, they're packing, they're schlepping -- you can see the joy and they know they are going to help a child," she said.
CBS2 visited the St. John's Place Family Center in East New York last spring. Many of those shelter children are also wondering if Santa will find them.
The Toussaints plan to be in the Queens shelter for Christmas and expect it to be like any other day -- but they say if presents do make their way to them, it will undoubtedly revive their holiday spirit.
