Meet the Team Behind: Miracle Messages

Miracle Messages helps people experiencing homelessness rebuild connections with loved ones and their communities through family reunification, direct financial support, and one-on-one companionship. Learn more about their work here! 

Can you tell me about the need for your work? 

As many as 1 in 3 people experiencing homelessness have lost their social support systems. This leads to nearly unimaginable levels of isolation, stigma, and shame. Relational poverty is a deadly, often-overlooked form of poverty that is pervasive among people experiencing homelessness. That’s where we come in. We are on a mission to end relational poverty on the streets and, in the process, inspire people everywhere to embrace their unhoused neighbors not as problems to be solved, but as people to be loved. 

What do your programs entail? 

Reunion messages are when a person isolated by homelessness records a short message to a loved one, or vice versa. Then, our volunteer "digital detectives" attempt to locate the loved one and deliver the message. Miracle Friends matches unhoused neighbors with caring volunteers for weekly calls and texts, to provide general wellness checks and lightweight problem solving support. Miracle Money is a direct cash transfer program. In our proof of concept, 50% of recipients secured housing as a direct result of their $500 a month.

Can you tell me about your reach? 

To date, we've reunited over 1000 families worldwide through our Miracle Messages, and facilitated over 277,000 minutes of conversations between unhoused neighbors through Miracle Friends. We’ve distributed over $1.1 million in Miracle Money to those experiencing homelessness, helping to pull them out of poverty and land on their feet. Every year, we open new chapters across the country, each driven by people who are committed to showing up for their neighbors in need. 

How can individuals get involved in your work? 

Our network of volunteer digital detectives works on cases, learns best practices, shares updates, and mentors newcomers, and we’re always looking for volunteers to help us connect more families and friends. We work closely with corporate sponsors to develop unforgettable employee service events, storytelling, and campaigns that matter. You can help us rebuild social support and financial security for our unhoused neighbors by donating online.