TPS Overview and Backstory

In the winter of 2005, as LGBTQ+ youth homelessness in New York City reached a crisis point, four people from Trinity Lutheran Church of Manhattan— the pastor, a seminary intern, a social worker, and a teacher—recognized the urgent need and a generative possibility. They had no funding, no formal infrastructure. What they did have was a deep conviction and resolve to be part of the solution and the knowledge that Trinity Lutheran Church of Manhattan had underutilized space at night. Organized and staffed entirely by volunteers, they opened the church doors at night to unhoused LGBTQ+ youth for a wonderfully successful three-week pilot program.

The effort was rooted in honest reflection. Many mainstream religious teachings had contributed to family rejection and youth homelessness and this was an opportunity to offer something different—to practice repair, to be part of the healing, to restore hope.

A year later, Trinity Place Shelter was formally established as a program of Trinity Community Connection, a non-sectarian nonprofit. The shelter officially opened on June 12, 2006, and has remained open every night of the year since.

At Trinity Place Shelter, our mission is rooted in dignity, belonging, and opportunity – LGBTQ+ youth and young adults experiencing homelessness in New York City find more than a safe place to sleep, they find a community that sees and celebrates who they are. Residents can live at Trinity Place Shelter up to 18 months where they can access holistic supports like case management, work readiness programs, and therapeutic care. Residents are empowered to build the skills, confidence, and connections they need to step into stability. The results are profound and the vast majority of residents move into stable housing, gain employment, access culturally competent healthcare, and continue on a path of personal growth and healing.