According to estimates from November of 2013, there are around 64 thousand people that are homeless in New York City, including 22 thousand children; an increase of 13 percent compared to the beginning of 2012. The New York City Rescue Mission is trying to raise awareness about homelessness through a social experiment where they dress people to look homeless, and see if their family members recognize them while they’re walking down the street.
According to estimates from November of 2013, there are around 64 thousand people that are homeless in New York City, including 22 thousand children; an increase of 13 percent compared to the beginning of 2012.
The New York City Rescue Mission is trying to raise awareness about homelessness through a social experiment where they dress people to look homeless, and see if their family members recognize them while they’re walking down the street.
Participants agreed to be dressed and made up to appear to be homeless, and sit in a spot where they knew a family member would walk by during the day.
All of the subjects of the experiment unknowingly walked by their family members without recognizing them, and some didn’t even look at the person sitting on the sidewalk.
The video and experiment were created by the New York City Rescue Mission, which opened in 1872 as the first rescue mission in America that continues to provide room and board for the homeless, along with job training, career placement, internet access, and GED prep classes.
