Code Blue: How Project Connect is Helping the Homeless in Yonkers this Winter

On a freezing night this January, Westhab’s Project Connect street outreach team hit the streets of Yonkers to participate in the Point in Time Count (PIT), a massive, state-wide effort to establish an accurate count of homeless individuals in NY, including street homeless and those in shelters. PIT plays a big part in establishing the needs and the funding for homeless services throughout NY state. It affects the lives of thousands of individuals and families experiencing homelessness. 

Project Connect has participated in PIT on an annual basis since opening in 2021. The program delivers street outreach to the unsheltered in Yonkers and creates a clear entry point and a pathway to services for this vulnerable population. Street outreach workers conduct late-night visits in downtown Yonkers to build trust with unsheltered individuals while trained case managers assist individuals in receiving services and housing. Through persistent engagement, the team persuades individuals to engage in services – some for the first time in years – and come into the program space where they offer showers, meals, and temporary shelter. 

Project Connect has shown tremendous success from its pilot to a now well-established community resource with the goal of ending street homelessness in Yonkers. Since opening, Project Connect: has placed 354 unsheltered clients into shelters and on the path to permanent housing; had 2,869 overall client interactions and served 902 unique individuals; served 7,767 meals; and has placed 19 unsheltered clients into permanent housing. 

On that particular night in January, the outreach team stayed out until 1 am looking for unsheltered individuals. While they only encountered one person on the streets of downtown Yonkers, Project Connect’s drop-in center saw more than 24 individuals seek shelter for the evening. This winter has been particularly cold with a marked increase in Code Blue Weather Emergency notices. A Code Blue is issued when the temperature drops to 32 degrees Fahrenheit or less between 4 p.m. and 8 a.m. No one who is homeless and seeking shelter during a Code Blue will be denied. Project Connect is the only 24-hour drop-in center operating in Yonkers where people can seek shelter in the middle of the night.

“We have put in the time and effort and we are known now among the community. They know where to go in these situations.” shares Yanis Aviles, Director of Adult Housing & Services at Westhab and in charge of Project Connect. 

Westchester County’s PIT count of unsheltered homeless fell from 57 persons in 2023 to 50 persons in 2024, a decrease of 7 persons (12.3%). That decrease is due, in large part, to long-term street outreach efforts resulting in greater shelter utilization and direct moves to housing opportunities. In 2024 alone Project Connect helped four people into permanent housing, many of whom had been on the street for years. The official 2025 PIT data for Westchester County will be released in the spring.  

Garvis McClam is a Caseworker for the Project Connect team. He has found his new career eye-opening and rewarding. He shares “So before I was a security officer. I wanted to be more hands-on and help people. I like helping the clients, getting them into DSS (Department of Social Services), and getting them food stamps and other services they need like mental health. Some of these people have absolutely nothing, but, last week I had a client who wanted to go into detox and I connected him to a local hospital. It really hit a spot –maybe it could save his life?“

The team is proud of their work and is always spreading the word about Project Connect. Yanis says she gets the same question from community members all the time, ”‘What can I do to help?’” She says that while the drop-in has plenty of coats right now, they need winter accessories like warm socks, shoes, gloves, hats, and scarves. She said donations of food are always welcome. She also encourages anyone who sees a homeless individual in Yonkers to call Project Connect at  914-376-7617 or 914-376-7618. The team will go to any location and offer their resources to them. If you are interested in donating to Project Connect, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at [email protected].