One hundred percent of the funds raised by Homeless For One Week goes to a non for profit charity.
Every year we partner with a different reputable charity. All selections are researched online and through Charity Navigator, which is the nation's largest and most-utilized evaluator of charities.
Although we here at Homeless for One Week are all volunteers, our reward comes from the lives that we change and hearts that's affected by our actions.
We're all passionate about helping the homeless. Ultimately we just want to make a difference in any way we can.
If you're interested in volunteering or supporting us, please send an email to homelessforoneweek@gmail.com.
Homeless For One Week Members:
Founder and Project Director:
Yusef Ramelize currently works as the Production and Creative Manager
of Informa plc, one of the largest publishing companies in the world.
He holds a BFA in Electronic Design and Multimedia from the City College of New York. In his spare time, Ramelize does freelance marketing projects ranging from print ads for pop culture magazines, catalogs to business logos.
Going above and beyond passionate talks of wanting to make a difference, Ramelize took action and is the Founder and Project Director of Homeless For One Week, an annual initiative he started in 2009 to raise awareness about homelessness in New York City. His plan is to be homeless for a week every year, while raising money and awareness about homelessness through video blogs and interviews.
As a result, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer honored him with a proclamation as Artist and Activist against Homelessness and he was nominated as NY1 News’ “Queens, NY Person of The Week” for his charitable spirit and promoting awareness through his Homeless For One Week project. Homeless For One Week has been featured in NYDaily News, NY Post, RT News, The Village Voice, ELAN Magazine, Arabnews.com, America.gov and DNAinfo.com.
In addition, Yusef Ramelize works on community projects such as being the Community Outreach Director at CAMP (Council for the Advancement of Muslim Professionals), and as a Creative Consultant for Elan Online Magazine (A Muslim lifestyle online magazine).
Project Manager:
Matt grew up in Ithaca, NY and attended a small liberal arts college in Ohio. He has a love for big cities, and studied in Tokyo, Japan where he first developed his love for urban development and social policy.
In 2009, Matt moved to New York City to earn his Master's degree in urban policy from The New School. Since graduating, Matt has worked with a variety of advocates and nonprofit organizations throughout New York.
Matt is passionate about media and politics, and loves to connect people to issues they care about through new media. Matt works in City Hall.
Matt has been a member of the Homeless for one week team since 2010.
Communication Manager:
Samira Abdul-Karim is a native New Yorker, raised in Harlem, NY. She is passionate about social justice work and welcomes opportunities to help create a more just and equitable world.
Samira enjoys editing and writing original pieces that explore lived realities of people, how we become how we are and how we engage with world around us.
She was moved by the mission of Homelessforoneweek and joined the team in 2011.
Samira obtained her BA from Wesleyan University in Anthropology. Professionally, she lived and worked in Oman in the field of higher education and student affairs in 2010 and 2011 and currently works as an Administrative Assistant in the Office of Student Affairs in SIPA at Columbia University.
Volunteers: (2011 Volunteers TBA)
— For more information about my 2012 experience please click here or send an email to homelessforoneweek@gmail.com
