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Clothing Room | Financial Assistance | Food Pantry | History with the Church | LSEP | Welcome Table
Clothing Room
For Guests
The usual number of clothing items at any given time is 2, plus one pair of socks. However, the item limit is subject to change at any time depending on clothing availability.
Because the Clothing Room depends on donations of clothing, we cannot guarantee that we will have any specific items at any given time. You are welcome to let the Coordinator know if you have a specific request and they will try to let you know if that item becomes available.
We often receive donations of men’s casual clothing, including pants, t-shirts, and sweaters/sweatshirts, and occasionally sneakers or boots. We also receive men’s professional clothing, including slacks, button-down shirts, suits, and ties for those who have proof of a job interview or employment. Occasionally we receive dress shoes as well. No item or size is ever guaranteed to be in stock!
We sometimes receive men’s professional clothing, including slacks, button-down shirts, suits, and ties. Please bring proof of your job interview or new employment and we will try to find something appropriate for you. No item or size is ever guaranteed to be in stock!
Beginning in December we distribute coats and warm winter items. We have a very limited number of these items and cannot guarantee that our stock will last throughout the winter months. Guests are limited to ONE COAT for the entire season.
We distribute travel size toiletries, including soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, lotion, etc., when in stock. On occasion we receive items such as backpacks/suitcases/duffle bags or household linens like sheets and towels. If you are looking for an item other than clothing, please ask the volunteers and they will check to see if we have it. We cannot guarantee any item at any given time.
For Volunteers
Yes, volunteers must sign up online in advance to ensure that we have enough volunteers but not too many: if too many come, people often feel they aren’t needed and that they’ve wasted their time. Please also note that we have the fortunate circumstance of being a very well-known volunteer site and that, especially during the school year, we often book weeks in advance. It is best to schedule your volunteer date as far in advance as possible.
Volunteers who require an agreement or signature from Xavier Mission BEFORE beginning community service MUST speak with the Director of Outreach. All other volunteers can sign-up through the links on the website. Volunteers should bring all service verification forms with them on the day of service to be signed. Xavier Mission can also provide a service verification letter if needed.
On the days of distribution (the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month), the shift begins with preparing the clothing room for service and continues with the distribution of clothing to our guests. On non-distribution Sundays, the entire shift is devoted to sorting through the donations that have come in during the week.
Our guests tend to be unhoused individuals that also visit our soup kitchen. Some need a fresh change of clothes because they don’t have a way to wash their clothing on a regular basis. Others are low-income individuals who don’t have the means to buy new clothing. Some have job interviews or have just gotten jobs and need appropriate clothing.
Of course! Please see the section here about donating clothing items.
For Donors
REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL DONATIONS:
- New or Gently-Used (unless otherwise noted)
- CLEAN
- In-season (we do not have the space to store winter clothes/coats in the summer and vice-versa)
- Do not donate ripped, faded, frayed, or stained items — if you wouldn’t wear it, neither should our guests!
- Please read the list of items that we do not accept, so that you don’t waste a trip!
ACCEPTED DONATIONS
- Men’s Clothing – Larger sizes especially needed
- NEW ONLY – Boxers
- Sweatshirts, Hoodies, Sweaters
- Jeans and Sweatpants
- Business/Professional (suits, ties, sport coats, collared shirts, formal overcoats)
- Shoes of any kind
- Women’s Clothing – LARGER SIZES ONLY
- NEW ONLY – Underwear
- Sweatshirts, Hoodies, Sweaters
- Jeans and Sweatpants
- Business/Professional (suits, collared shirts, blouses, formal overcoats)
- Sneakers
- Winter boots
- Children’s Clothing and Shoes – NEW ONLY
- Coats/Jackets
- Toiletries (preferably travel-sized)
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Soap
- Toothbrushes
- Toothpaste
- Deodorant
- Combs
- Disposable razors
- Sanitary pads & tampons
- Tide sink-detergent packets
- Diapers & Formula
- Duffle bags, backpacks, or carry-on sized luggage (see exclusions below)
- Sleeping Bags
- Throw/small Blankets and throw/small pillows (see exclusions below)
WE DO NOT ACCEPT:
- Used Underwear of any kind (including bras, tank tops, robes, and/or lingerie)
- Used Children’s Clothes or shoes
- Juniors or small sized women’s clothing
- High-heeled shoes
- Handbags, purses, laptop cases, briefcases, hat bags, dry-cleaning bags, laundry bags, etc.
- Comforters
- Bed sheets
- Toys
- Electronics
- Household Items
Bring all donations to 55 West 15th St.
- Place all donations in the large white bin on the basement level (to the left as you exit the elevator). Please do not leave donations on the floor.
- All donations MUST be secured in plastic or paper bags. Please do not throw loose items into the bin; they take longer to sort and also make lovely bedding for rodents!
- See the receptionist for a donation receipt. Please note that Xavier Mission cannot estimate the value of your donation.
- DURING DECEMBER: Please visit our website for information on our winter Giving Tree collection.
Clothing Drop-Off Times:
Sunday: 8:00am–6:00pm
Mon–Fri: 10:00am–6:00pm
Saturday: 11:00am–6:00pm
Absolutely! Please visit our Donation page for information about monetary donations.
Financial Assistance
For Guests
Payments are made to creditors directly by business check or credit card. Money orders and cash are not provided.
Assistance is provided for overdue or pending rent, first month rent on an apartment for families moving out of shelter, utilities, phone bills, Internet, and other necessities. We do not pay for cable.
Applicants must fill out an online application by clicking on the appropriate link on the Financial Assistance page. Walk-ins cannot be accommodated. If you do not have access to the Internet, please contact the Executive Director.
Rental assistance is generally given once. In rare occasions, assistance may be provided more than once, at the discretion of the Executive Director.
Round-trip MetroCards are given with proof of appointment (doctor, government benefits, job interviews, etc.). A maximum of 4 round-trip cards are given per month. Please contact the Director of Outreach, who handles MetroCard distribution.
Monthly MetroCards are given on a limited basis, usually for those who have just begun work or an educational/training program. Documentation is required. Monthly cards are one-time and are not ongoing, regardless of the length of the educational/training program. Please contact the Director of Outreach, who handles MetroCard distribution.
Train/bus tickets given on a case-by-case basis. A screening with the Director of Outreach and documentation is required.
For Donors
Absolutely! Please visit our Donation page for information about monetary donations.
Food Pantry
For Guests
There are no geographical limitations for the Emergency Food Pantry.
All new customers for the Customer-Choice Pantry must live in one of the following zip codes: 10001, 10002, 10003, 10009, 10010, 10011, 10012, 10013, 10014, 10016
For the Emergency Pantry, guests must bring ID for all members of their household. Guests may receive groceries once every six months and will receive a referral to our customer-choice pantry, if applicable, or other food pantries in their neighborhood.
New customers must bring:
- ID for every person in the household (no photocopies)
- Proof of address (dated within six months) for all adults in the household
- All households must re-register every six months.
All registered customers can make their appointment for the following month in one of three ways:
- By using the Plentiful app, which can be downloaded for Android phones.
- By texting ‘START’ from any phone to 646-257-2520 and following the prompts
- When you check in at the registration table at your current pantry visit
The Customer-Choice Pantry is open on the 2nd Saturday of every month. Re-Registration happens every March and September.
The Emergency Pantry is open Monday-Friday. Guests may only receive emergency food once every six months. Guests in need of emergency food will also receive referrals to food pantries in their area.
You can have a proxy pick up your food for you. They must bring a note written by you stating that they have your permission to pick up their food and they MUST bring your ID. A proxy who does not have the guest’s ID will not be allowed to pick up the food. You cannot have a proxy pick up your food at registration in March and September.
No. A ‘household’ is determined by location. Two families living in the same apartment will be considered one household, and must all register together.
For Volunteers
Yes, volunteers must sign up online in advance to ensure that we have enough volunteers but not too many: if too many come, people often feel they aren’t needed and that they’ve wasted their time. Please also note that we have the fortunate circumstance of being a very well-known volunteer site and that, especially during the school year, we often book weeks in advance. It is best to schedule your volunteer date as far in advance as possible.
Volunteers who require an agreement or signature from Xavier Mission BEFORE beginning community service MUST speak with the Director of Outreach. All other volunteers can sign-up through the links on the website. Volunteers should bring all service verification forms with them on the day of service to be signed. Xavier Mission can also provide a service verification letter if needed.
Volunteers spend the first part of the morning preparing for the pantry by setting up tables, stocking food and clothing, and bagging vegetables and bread. During food distribution, volunteers are assigned to a food group table where they assist the guests as they shop for those particular food items. Volunteers may also be asked to assist with line procedures, registration, and clothing distribution.
Be comfortable! T-shirts and jeans are fine. Please do not wear:
- Clothing with inappropriate or offensive sayings, characters, pictures or designs.
- Very short shorts/skirts, or shirts that expose your midriff.
- Sandals or other open-toe shoes—every once in a while, cans of food are dropped!
We’ll provide gloves, which everyone working with food must wear.
Yes! The maximum group size is 10, unless the volunteer coordinator is short-staffed and makes the decision to allow a larger group. Groups of teenagers under 17 MUST be accompanied by 1 adult for every 5 teens.
Group leaders should be prepared with contact information for each person in their group on the day of service. Also, group leaders MUST give the volunteer coordinator a number where they can be reached on the day of service so that we can get in touch with you if you are delayed, etc. If you do not have a cell phone, the volunteer coordinator can work out an alternate means of communicating with you on the day of service.
For Donors
We accept donations of non-perishable food items for the pantry. Please contact the Director of Outreach to find out what items are particularly needed.
Yes! It helps to offset our out-of-pocket costs for the pantry when we receive the proceeds of a food drive. There are two ways to do a drive:
- Set up an online drive at www.YouGiveGoods.com (preferred method)! An online drive has many benefits to the organizer, the donors, and to Xavier Mission. They include:
- Ease of communications: Information about our organization can be included on the food drive website so people can learn about who they are donating to. A link to the online drive can be easily disseminated to your entire email listserv for maximum participation.
- Convenience: An online drive allows people to make a donation to cover the cost of specific food items without having to actually go out and buy the items, and without the organizer having to transport all of the items at the end of the drive. YouGiveGoods will deliver all of the food that was purchased directly to Xavier Mission!
- Maximum effectiveness: An online drive allows the organizer to specify what food items are needed. This greatly helps Xavier Mission to manage our inventory and not end up with food items that we cannot use, that are damaged, or that are expired. Organizers can contact Xavier Mission to find out what items are most needed and include those items on the online list.
- A traditional in-house food drive, where people drop off donations to a specified location.
Please contact the Director of Outreach if you would like to organize a food drive for Xavier Mission.
Absolutely! Please visit our Donation page for information about monetary donations.
History with the Church of St. Francis Xavier
For Guests
Xavier Mission began in 1983 as a community outreach arm of the Church of St. Francis Xavier. In 2012, Xavier Mission was established as an independent, secular, non-profit organization. We welcome guests of all backgrounds. We do not require disclosure of guests’ religious beliefs, proselytize, or discriminate on the basis of creed. Read our Code of Conduct Regarding Discrimination here.
For Volunteers
Xavier Mission began in 1983 as a community outreach arm of the Church of St. Francis Xavier. In 2012, Xavier Mission was established as an independent, secular, non-profit organization. We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds. We do not require disclosure of volunteers’ religious beliefs, proselytize, or discriminate on the basis of creed. Read our Code of Conduct Regarding Discrimination here.
For Donors
Xavier Mission began in 1983 as the community outreach arm of the Church of St. Francis Xavier. In 2012, Xavier Mission was established as an independent, secular, non-profit organization. While we are still located at the Church, we are not a part of the church or a religious organization. We welcome people of all backgrounds. We do not require disclosure of religious beliefs, proselytize, or discriminate on the basis of creed. Read our Code of Conduct Regarding Discrimination here.
LSEP
For Guests
Please fill out the PARTICIPANT INTEREST FORM and the Director of LSEP will reach out to you.
Potential participants must:
- Be referred by a case manager or program director for admittance. Unaffiliated persons may inquire individually and will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
- Complete an intake and interview with the LSEP Director and/or facilitator(s).
- Have at least 3 consecutive months of sobriety (and in a maintenance program if applicable).
- Be 21 years of age or older.
- Possess mental acuity consistent with the level of functioning necessary to participate in all elements of L-STEP.
- Have a desire to move forward in life; eager to set goals and create a plan to achieve those goals.
- Have a willingness to share one’s story and be supportive of others in similar situations.
- Not be in an intimate relationship with or family member of another participant.
Participants receive the following in support of their participation:
- A home-cooked meal shared with the group each evening
- A $10 stipend for each session attended (participants are required to bank half of the stipend and receive the balance upon graduation)
- A round-trip MetroCard for each session attended
- A supportive, compassionate, and safe group environment
- Workshops on pertinent life-skills with professionals in the field
- One-to-one mentoring
- A trauma-informed storytelling experience
- Assistance with goal-setting
- Connections to programs for further achievement
- A decrease in trauma levels and an increase in coping skills
For Volunteers
All mentors are interviewed by the Director and/or Facilitator for certain characteristics and a good match with an accepted participant. Mentors must:
- Demonstrate commitment, concern, and compassion
- Attend scheduled Mentor Sessions, Mentor Meetings, and Stepping Stones & Graduation
- Arrive on time, by 6:00pm
- Keep in touch with the participants between sessions
- Make up any missed sessions with the participants
- Help participants with goal setting & goal completion
- Follow-up with participants if they do not show up for a session
Mentors’ main responsibilities are to:
- Assist the participants with defining and developing clear, specific and attainable short-term and long-term goals.
- Support and assist participants to fulfill their goals by listening, suggesting ideas, and finding resources.
- Review the material covered in the workshop sessions and assist the participants with integrating the information into their own lives.
- Assist the participants with developing and writing their stories for graduation.
Please contact the Director of LSEP to inquire about mentoring.
Anyone interested in presenting a workshop should contact the Director of LSEP to discuss. As our workshops are generally scheduled in advance and cover topics that have been shown to be most effective for participants, please do not take it personally if we cannot accommodate your ideas for a workshop.
For Donors
The cost for one participant is $700. This covers stipends, MetroCards, food, supplies, and administrative expenses. Please visit our Donation page for information about making a gift.
Absolutely! Any amount helps to offset the expenses of the program. Please visit our Donation page for information about making a gift.
Please contact the Director of LSEP to discuss meal donations.
Welcome Table
For Guests
No! Everyone is welcome. There are no geographical limitations for the Welcome Table.
No, we do not require ID or a sign-in.
Disabled individuals, seniors, women, and families with children should line up on 16th St., between 5th and 6th Aves., at the east gate of the Church of St Francis Xavier (46 West 16th St.). Doors open at 12:45pm.
All other able-bodied adults should line up on 15th St., between 5th and 6th Aves., at the gate located to the right of 55 West 15th St. Doors open at 1:00pm.
Our chef works diligently to create meals that are delicious, filling, and nutritious. Each meal consists of a protein main course, vegetable, house salad, soup (during the winter), fruit, and bread or bagel.
Coffee, juice and water are also offered.
A vegetarian option is provided upon request.
For Volunteers
Be comfortable! T-shirts and jeans are fine. Please do not wear:
- Clothing with inappropriate or offensive sayings, characters, pictures or designs.
- Very short shorts/skirts, or shirts that expose your midriff.
- Sandals or other open-toe shoes—hot soup can be spilled or heavy items dropped!
We’ll provide aprons, hairnets, and gloves, which everyone working with the food must wear; if you don’t want to wear a hairnet, you can bring your baseball cap, bandana, or some other type of hat.
Volunteers who require an agreement or signature from Xavier Mission BEFORE beginning community service MUST speak with the Director of Outreach. All other volunteers can sign-up through the links on the website. Volunteers should bring all service verification forms with them on the day of service to be signed. Xavier Mission can also provide a service verification letter if needed.
Yes, volunteers must sign up online in advance to ensure that we have enough volunteers but not too many: if too many come, people often feel they aren’t needed and that they’ve wasted their time. Please also note that we have the fortunate circumstance of being a very well-known volunteer site and that, especially during the school year, we often book weeks in advance. It is best to schedule your volunteer date as far in advance as possible.
For the morning shift, volunteers of all ages are welcome. For the afternoon shift, we require that volunteers be at least 14 years old.
The AM shift is meal prep for the 1000+ meals that we’ll be serving in the afternoon. You won’t be cooking food. Instead, you’ll be:
- Pouring cups of juice, buttering slices of bread, chopping fruit and vegetables
- Rolling utensils in napkins
- Setting up and cleaning tables and chairs
The PM shift is the meal service. You’ll be performing tasks such as:
- Putting hot meal items (entrée, bread, juice, coffee, dessert, etc.) on trays
- Working at food stations giving out extras—e.g., coffee, bread, water, etc.
- Washing, rinsing, and drying trays
- Cleaning tables and chairs and sweeping the floors
Yes! For the AM shift, the maximum group size is 5. For the PM shift, the maximum group size is 15, unless the volunteer coordinator is short-staffed and makes the decision to allow a larger group. For the afternoon shift, all volunteers in the group must be at least 14 years old. Groups of teenagers under 17 MUST be accompanied by 1 adult for every 5 teens.
Group leaders should be prepared with contact information for each person in their group on the day of service. Also, group leaders MUST give the volunteer coordinator a number where they can be reached on the day of service so that we can get in touch with you if you are delayed, etc. If you do not have a cell phone, the volunteer coordinator can work out an alternate means of communicating with you on the day of service.
For the AM shift, group leaders should arrive by 8:15am and team members should arrive by 8:30am. For the PM shift, group leaders should arrive by 11:30am and team members should arrive by no later than 11:45am. Even though we don’t start serving until 12:30, there are multiple tasks that need to be accomplished before we serve and we need our entire volunteer crew available to do so.
Please stress to your volunteers the importance of arriving on time and staying for the whole shift!
For Donors
We do accept donations of food items for the Welcome Table, but we request that you contact us before dropping off any food. Please contact the Director of Outreach to find out what items are particularly needed.
Yes! It helps to offset our out-of-pocket costs for the Welcome Table when we receive the proceeds of a food drive. There are two ways to do a drive:
- Set up an online drive at www.YouGiveGoods.com (preferred method)! An online drive has many benefits to the organizer, the donors, and to Xavier Mission. They include:
- Ease of communications: Information about our organization can be included on the food drive website so people can learn about who they are donating to. A link to the online drive can be easily disseminated to your entire email listserv for maximum participation.
- Convenience: An online drive allows people to make a donation to cover the cost of specific food items without having to actually go out and buy the items, and without the organizer having to transport all of the items at the end of the drive. YouGiveGoods will deliver all of the food that was purchased directly to Xavier Mission!
- Maximum effectiveness: An online drive allows the organizer to specify what food items are needed. This greatly helps Xavier Mission to manage our inventory and not end up with food items that we cannot use, that are damaged, or that are expired. Organizers can contact Xavier Mission to find out what items are most needed and include those items on the online list.
- A traditional in-house food drive, where people drop off donations to a specified location.
Please contact the Director of Outreach if you would like to organize a food drive for Xavier Mission.
Absolutely! Please visit our Donation page for information about monetary donations.