This Is How We Roll!

The Relief Bus outreach consists of two former school buses now customized into mobile resource centers to help the poor and homeless. Friendly faces serve up a delicious, hearty vegetable soup that truly tantalizes the taste buds, fresh Portuguese rolls and hot chocolate or iced tea (depending on the season) complete the menu.

Over 20 years time, The Relief Bus has:

  • Served over 4.5 million servings of food and beverage.
  • Connected 191,000 people to help and hope.
  • Mobilized over 48,000 volunteers to serve with our outreach.

People on the streets show up for the great food, but come away with so much more. Staff and volunteers go out of their way to really LOVE people. Many people on the streets are in a hard place in life and need a friend- someone to talk to who will really listen.

When we discover the needs in people's lives, we go to work to actually help meet those needs. We connect people to shelter, job training, medical care, detox and faith-based drug/alcohol rehabilitation centers. This kind of helping hand can literally transform someone's future and can many times make the difference between life and death. We have seen men and women totally turn their lives around because someone they met on the bus took the time to care. It was the first step to freedom and a new life.

Come join us won't you? Get involved by making a donation or signing up to volunteer today!


 

 

 


Take a look at our online brochure.

 

 

 


The Relief Bus is an outreach of New York City Relief, a non-profit organization.

Mission: Life Transformation
The Relief Bus exists to respond to God’s heart for the poor and broken by going to the streets to offer food, compassion, and connections to resources that lead to life transformation. To accomplish this mission we partner together with volunteers and care giving organizations.

Method

  • CATER
    The Relief Bus meets some immediate felt needs of people on the streets such as food and clothing in order to connect with the poor and homeless.

  • COMPASSION
    As staff and volunteers meet the needy, we strive to instill hope by building relationship and trust through conversation, compassion and prayer.

  • CLUES
    Out of relationship we discover other needs such as shelter, jobs, medical help and recovery from life- controlling issues such as alcoholism and drug addiction.

  • CONNECT
    Our next step is to connect the person in need with a resource that will help meet that need and ultimately lead to life transformation.

  • CONTINUE
    We endeavor to follow up on the person we are assisting to continue connecting them to more resources on their pathway to life and freedom.

  • CHRIST
    Ultimately we believe that God is the life giver and will give those in need the strength to walk through the process of transformation.

  • COMMUNITY
    As we go through this process together, our staff will not endeavor to come as those who have all the answers, but as humble companions in the journey.

Motto
“These things we do…….that others may live.

Mandate
Isaiah 58:6-12 (New International Version)
6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. "If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, 10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. 11 The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. 12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.