Milagro Finds Hope at NCS

We are grateful to each and every Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter (NCS) donor for helping us to provide New Yorkers who are homeless or at risk of homelessness with a home, a community, and access to the services that they need to thrive.

But today, we want to introduce you to our favorite NCS donor, Milagro.

Milagro has lived at the NCS Residence for more than 30 years. And she has been an NCS donor for more than 25 of those years!

The NCS Residence is located on Manhattan’s Upper East Side and is home to 65 adults who have faced homelessness, often complicated by mental illness or substance use.  

For some, the Residence is home for a few years while they reset their lives. But many more will always need the services NCS provides. It isn’t unusual for residents here to stay for decades as they grow older in stable housing with easy access to the essential services they depend on to remain as independent as possible.

Milagro was in her 30s when she found herself in New York City without a job or home. She stayed first with family members, then slept in shelters for a year before moving into the NCS Residence in 1989.

At the NCS Residence, Milagro not only has a stable home but also access to on-site services like case management, mental health care, and a community with social activities, shared meals, and other fun outings.

Many residents use services like medication monitoring to help them remember to take essential prescriptions and money management to help them budget their funds. Recreational activities like bingo, birthday celebrations, and art groups foster a sense of community and help residents feel less lonely or isolated.

When Milagro broke her ankle last year, the NCS team sprang into action, helping her receive the medical care she needed, navigating insurance paperwork, and dealing with other administrative tasks. They also made sure she could still participate in social activities even while recovering.

But Milagro's journey is not just one of stability. It's a story of gratitude, hope, and giving back. She’s thankful that she not only has a place to stay but also a place she calls home.

This gratitude led to her first donation to NCS. Milagro wanted to make sure the services she counted on would always be available to help other residents, too. She put $2 in an envelope and sent it to the NCS office.

That act of generosity became a habit for Milagro. “Anytime I need a lift or hope for the future, I donate a few dollars,” she explained.

Today, Milagro is a member of Circle of Neighbors, our group of monthly donors, and over the past three decades, has donated 87 times!

We are so happy that we can provide Milagro and our other residents a home where they feel secure, supported, and have access to all of the services they need.