The Chelsea Foyer at The Christopher
Are you aging out of foster care and not sure how to live on your own? Are you a young person who is currently homeless and needs a helping hand to get back on your feet?
The Chelsea Foyer works with young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 who are homeless, at-risk of homelessness, or aging out of foster care. Read the questions below until you can answer "yes," then read the bullet points for what to do next.
Live at the Foyer
APPLICANT GUIDELINES
Were you in foster care for at least one year after the age of 16? Are you going to age out of foster care soon?
If you answered yes, you meet the criteria for NY/NY III housing for "youth aging out of foster care" and may qualify for supportive housing.
- Talk to a staff member from your foster care agency and tell them you want a 2010E application be completed for you. The 2010E application is the application that can get you into the Chelsea Foyer and other supportive housing programs for young adults.
- To complete the application you will need to have a psychosocial report attached to the application and your TB test and results. Staff at the agency can help you to get a psychosocial report and your TB test and results.
- Once you have all the documents together, your application is submitted to the Human Resource Administration (HRA) for review.
- If you qualify, your agency will let you know and your application will be sent to supportive housing programs in the boroughs you would want to live in. The programs will contact you to set up an interview.
- If you choose Manhattan as one of your borough choices, your application will be sent to the Chelsea Foyer.
Are you in foster care and over the age of 18? Are you ready to try living on your own in a Supervised Independent Living Program (SILP)?
If you answered yes, you may qualify for a SILP placement.
- Talk to your case/social worker and ask for a referral to a SILP.
- Your case/social worker will fill out the paperwork and send it to the ACS Office of Placement (OPA) for review.
- The ACS Office of Placement needs a clinical packet, which includes a psychiatric evaluation, psychological evaluation, and full psychosocial. Your case/social worker can help you get these evaluations.
- If ACS finds you eligible for SILP, ACS OPA will forward your referral to the Foyer and other SILPs.
- Your referral will be reviewed by each agency and each agency will contact you separately.
- If you are eligible for the Chelsea Foyer, a Foyer staff member will call you to set up an informational meeting and interview.
Are you a young woman under the age of 21 who is homeless?
If you answered yes, you may be eligible for transitional housing for runaway and homeless youth.
- You must go to one of the following Crisis Centers in order to be formally referred to the Chelsea Foyer or another similar program: Covenant House Crisis Center, Streetworks Loft, or Ali Forney Center (see the resources page for contact and location information).
- The Crisis Center staff is responsible for working with you to figure out if you are ready/eligibile for a transitional housing program.
- If the staff thinks you are ready, they will refer you to the Chelsea Foyer or a similar program.
- Once the Chelsea Foyer receives your referral information, a staff member will call you to schedule an informational meeting and interview.
Please note: There is also runaway and homeless youth housing for young men under the age of 21 and for young parents and their children. Follow the directions above to access these resources.
Are you between the ages of 21 and 24 and homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless?
If you answered no to all of the other questions, but can say yes to this one, please call Wislene Charles, Program Coordinator at the Chelsea Foyer for intake information. Her contact information is listed below:
Wislene Charles
T 646-485-3949
E Wislene_Charles@goodshepherds.org
- Moses, Foyer alumni
