The Relief Bus is a mobile resource center that serves the homeless, destitute, substance abuser, unemployed, and anyone in need. The Relief Bus, a converted school bus, is equipped with a food service unit and a counseling / referral office. We are prepared to meet people's basic needs at the first point of contact.

The Relief Bus team starts the day at 7 a.m. by cooking the vegetable-rice soup, which people in the street rate as "the best", and the hot chocolate in the winter or lemonade in the summer. After loading the bus, the team stops

Sometimes the soup on the Bus is the only hot meal people eat the whole week.

by Teixeira's Bakery in Newark which has donated fresh bread to us since 1991. As The Bus pulls into "that day's" location, the team opens the windows on the side of the bus and starts serving food to people who are usually already waiting on the sidewalk. Part of the team hangs out with the people eating and through conversation identifies their immediate needs. Then they direct these people to the team members who are equipped to give referrals or to the counselor inside The Bus for more in-depth evaluation.

From our Bus office we can place people immediately into various programs with the help of our cellular phones and database of resources. We have developed strong relationships with many service providers. Our years of experience on the streets help us make sound referral decisions. We have seen many people receive new hope and direction right in our bus office.

At the end of the day, after The Bus gets back to our home base in Elizabeth, New Jersey, the team cleans up The Bus and the soup and drink containers. The number of food servings and people connected is reported weekly.

	We connect people in need to resources directly from the Bus.

The Relief Bus is like a bridge linking those in need to life-changing resources includingindividuals with time, compassion, and funds. The benefit of being mobile is the ability to change locations as the population of homeless and substance abusers move to new areas. It is wonderful to be able to bring real help to hurting people!

[+] Read Relief Bus Testimonies
[+] View Relief Bus Photos

Read about how God is changing and growing both clients and volunteers through the Relief Bus ministry.

Relief Bus Clients:
» Larry Taylor
» Melvin Henderson
» Nathaniel Bowie
» Robert Gutierrez

Relief Bus Volunteers:
» The Bagnolli Family
» Kirsi & Juha Sippola
» Mark Britt
» The Ohio Team
» Patrick Fortemps

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Phone: (800) 736-2773
Email: hope@nycr.org