Local nonprofit sees growing need among homeless children

RAVENA―Homelessness surged across Greene, Columbia, Rensselaer and Schenectady counties between 2024 and 2025, with the four counties recording the largest increases in the state. For local organizations like Justice for Orphans, that works to support vulnerable children and families, the trend is more than a statistic. It is a reality they are witnessing firsthand.

Through the digital platform CarePortal, the Ravena-based nonprofit links those in crisis with local churches, businesses and individuals willing to help. This week, Justice for Orphans reported a sharp increase in requests for assistance on behalf of unhoused children across the ten counties it serves.

“We see this reflected in the vetted requests for bedding, clothing, food, school supplies, and other items that have come from child welfare professionals in our CarePortal Network,” said Justice for Orphans Executive Director Kathi Sewak.

Justice For Orphans compared CarePortal requests submitted from January 1 through October 1 in 2025 and in 2026. As a percentage of overall requests, those submitted for children affected by homelessness increased from 13.4% to 18.5% in Columbia County, 23% to 31.8% in Greene County, 9.5% to 11.6% in Rensselaer County, and 14% to 18.8% in Schenectady County.

This past July, the New York State Comptroller’s Office shared a report that cited U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) data on homelessness, which dropped by about eight percent statewide from 2024 to 2025. But that wasn’t the case for many upstate regions. The data showed the largest increases were in Columbia and Greene counties (58.9%), Rensselaer County (55.2%), and Schenectady County (41.7%).

Children continue to make up a disproportionate share of New York’s homeless population at 31.7%, which is double the share in the rest of the country, the report noted.

“Poverty is the underlying cause of increased homelessness in the Capital Region, and it is a very complex issue,” said Sewak.

A staggering number of children―nearly one in five―live in poverty in New York, another Comptroller’s Office report found. And almost half of all children living in poverty in the state are in deep poverty, meaning they are in a household with income that is 50% below the federal poverty line.

Justice for Orphans brought CarePortal to New York State in November of 2018 and began working in Greene County, through the Department of Social Services, in October of 2021.

Agency workers identify children and families in need and enter requests into the online CarePortal. Churches and communities see these needs and, with the click of a button, are connected to the family in real time. Those who respond are trained in safety, confidentiality, and the impact of trauma on families.

In its first three years in Greene County, CarePortal served 560 children, meeting 254 requests with an economic impact of $177,196.

Every situation is different but the most requested items include beds, bedding, clothes, tables and chairs, dressers, car seats, baby gates, and food. Items like furniture do not necessarily need to be brand-new and can be gently used.

In 2023, Justice for Orphans opened ReFurnishings, a furniture thrift store on Route 9W in Ravena. In addition to offering quality furniture to the public, the store provides free furnishings to CarePortal churches assisting families in need. Proceeds from sales help fund the nonprofit’s other initiatives.

“By meeting practical needs and connecting families to community support, Justice for Orphans CarePortal Network tackles poverty from many angles,” said Sewak, making a plea for help from the community.

“We can’t do the work alone―we need community members, local businesses and churches, and even other organizations to take part,” she said.

More information about CarePortal technology and Justice For Orphans’ CarePortal Network is available at justicefororphansny.org/careportal or by emailing info@justicefororphansny.org.

“Whether they’re interested in donating items, money, or time, Justice for Orphans has a place for everyone in its CarePortal Network,” said Sewak.