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Credit:
Ana Gambuto
Giselle Burgess, one of Troop 6000's original leaders, is a mom of five who lost her home in August of 2016. She helped create the Girl Scouts troop in February 2017 with the help of the Department of Homeless Services. "My family lives here in the shelter with the rest of the girls," she explained. "We all share the same feeling of constantly wondering when we will have a home again."
They're not alone in that feeling. According to the Coalition for the Homeless, homelessness in New York City has reached the highest levels since the Great Depression. In November 2020, there were 57,016 homeless people—including 18,368 children—in the shelter system.