Restoring Dignity: A Blueprint for a Trauma-Informed Shelter System in New York City

Join us to learn more about the latest report from Volunteers of America-Greater New York, “Restoring Dignity: A Blueprint for a Trauma-Informed Shelter System in New York City.”

“Restoring Dignity” is a blueprint for how NYC can utilize trauma-informed design to mitigate stressors, preserve dignity, and improve outcomes across the shelter system. Trauma-informed design is not an aesthetic upgrade–it’s a means of creating environments where people feel safe enough to enter shelter in the first place, and supported enough to achieve long-term stability once inside.

Drawing on practical design ideas piloted at VOA-GNY programs, the report explains why quality improvements have been so difficult to achieve under current funding and ownership structures, and outlines how new City leadership can work with operators to make trauma-informed renovations possible at scale—resulting in higher-quality programs and real savings for the City over time.