WIN - Junius Family Residence — Local services in New York

Title: Unsafe and Discriminatory Conditions at WIN – Junius Family Residence

Review: My family and I had a deeply distressing experience at the WIN Family Residence located at 25 Junius Street, Brooklyn, NY. From the first day we arrived, we were not given basic necessities such as sheets or pillows. No one came to speak with me or check on us for an entire week. Only after I personally went downstairs to ask for help did someone tell me I would have an intake interview.

When I finally went to that interview, the staff member assigned to me behaved in a violent and completely unprofessional way. He verbally mistreated my children and me, yelling at all of my kids — even my 2-year-old baby, who only made a small tongue sound. He stood up angrily and almost physically assaulted us. My children were terrified. Several other staff members, including the director and the shelter president, arrived but did nothing to stop him. Instead of holding him accountable, the director quietly sent the worker home right before the police arrived.

Throughout my stay, I also experienced clear discrimination and neglect. They refused to process my transfer quickly, even after the violent incident, leaving my family in an unsafe environment.

The only professional and respectful staff I encountered were a Puerto Rican security guard at the front desk and two kind women — one also Puerto Rican who worked in the school area, and another whose role I did not know. Those three people were caring and professional. Everyone else showed no compassion or responsibility.

This shelter should be fully investigated and possibly shut down until it can ensure the safety, dignity, and fair treatment of families — especially children. No family should ever go through what mine...

So, last night , we became newly homeless, so we went to this center thinking we were going to have a safe, warm, secure place to sleep... upon arrival, we were processed & asked a bunch of questions, and we answered everything honest & thoroughly. When the night shift guy came around (judgey fella I'd say), he told us they don't take couples & that we came in late & that there's no place for us to rest our feet & eyes, that he could get us breakfast and coffee at 7 am if we'd like. Now mind you, it was 5:50 am & and it took 1 hour and 40 minutes to get to the center from where we were. I was so disheartened. I couldn't believe that he's turning people away in the cold because we were a couple... that's the MAIN reason. We took turns going to the bathroom & there were a bunch of people in the cafeteria. I assume they were just waking up. There were several open tables. I saw well more than several, so I know there were open spots we could have sat at... so why tell us no. We are willing to cooperate, sit at separate tables, in separate chairs... like, come on, it's not that difficult to say yes to two people who are cold as h*ll & would be quiet homeless folk in the facility who would be minding their own business. All I can say to that man ,though, is judge someone for WHATEVER reason (situation, addict or not, what the look like skin color).... is really not the best thing you can do in this field... you don't know where people are coming from were newly homeless living on the streets for the first time ever and are nervous & scared at times & are having trouble trusting people looking for a safe place to sleep. You set the stage for places like this. You should work on representing your company a little better....

So this shelter had roaches running across my bed, I got no help from staff security was cool. I needed a handy cap shelter my case worker told me she called dhs and never did for 6 MONTHS, when I called we were transferred in a week. They told us we can only take 6 bags amongst 4 ppl, they told me they would leave my remaining things in the unit for 7 days and I returned the next my stuff was packed and in they storage and when it was returned to me, I was miss so many items (jewelry included)….long story short they need to close this building immediately PEACE...