Adlerstein Wins $200,000 Grant for Shelter Expansion

The funding supports a project to turn New York City religious institutions into a network of small-scale homeless shelters.

Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Religion — General

Bold vector editorial illustration of a stone archway with a warm lantern, representing community sanctuary in New York City. — Isaac Adlerstein received a $200,000 David Prize grant to scale his nonprofit model of turning New York City houses of worship into homeless shelters. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should faith-based organizations in your area expand their role in providing homeless shelters and services?

In October 2026, Isaac Adlerstein received a $200,000 David Prize grant to scale his nonprofit model of utilizing houses of worship for homeless aid. The initiative aims to restore and expand capacity lost during the pandemic.

Why it matters

This project revitalizes a critical community support system that saw widespread closures starting in 2020. By leveraging existing infrastructure within religious sites, the model offers a sustainable, decentralized approach to managing the city's homelessness crisis.

Broadway Community currently operates a 19-bed shelter at Broadway Presbyterian Church and a seven-bed site at Ansche Chesed, bringing the combined total to 26 beds. The nonprofit assists nearly 2,000 people annually through its existing services.

The players

Isaac Adlerstein

He is the lead organizer behind a project designed to integrate homeless support services into existing religious facilities.

Broadway Community

This nonprofit organization provides shelter and support services to thousands of individuals annually in Morningside Heights.

The David Prize

This organization annually distributes $200,000 grants to individuals working to improve life for residents of New York City.

Broadway Presbyterian Church

This congregation hosts a 19-bed homeless shelter that serves as a core site for Broadway Community operations.

Ansche Chesed

This religious institution partnered with the nonprofit in 2026 to open a seven-bed shelter on the Upper West Side.

The details

The program provides essential resources such as case management, housing navigation, and employment assistance within houses of worship. Adlerstein is now shifting his focus from managing daily shelter operations to replicating this small-scale model at new locations, including a Quaker meeting house and various congregations in the Bronx and on the Upper West Side.

Many house-of-worship shelters closed across the city in 2020.
A seven-bed shelter opened at Ansche Chesed in June 2026.
Isaac Adlerstein received the $200,000 David Prize grant in October 2026.

Culture Shift

The initiative marks a pivot toward decentralized, localized social support networks that rely on community-based volunteer infrastructure. It directly counters the post-2020 trend of house-of-worship shelter closures by formalizing these partnerships into a scalable institutional model.

Residents may see an increase in volunteer opportunities and support services integrated within their local houses of worship. As the project expands toward a goal of 50 locations, communities in the Bronx and Upper West Side will likely see new operational shelters and service centers.

The takeaway

The success of this model suggests that religious institutions can play a vital role in addressing urban homelessness through small, manageable increments. Local congregations interested in participating should focus on leveraging their physical space to provide both shelter and professional navigation services.