Nearly 65K NYC students lived
in a city shelter at some point
in 2024–25 — a record high.
Pack YourDREAM!
No kid should move their life in a trash bag.
In the 2024–25 school year, a record 65,000 New York City students spent time in a shelter.
When a family is transferred, they can get as little as a day's notice — and a child's whole world
gets packed into whatever black plastic bags are at hand.
BLACK BAG isn't a plastic bag. It's a package that's theirs, delivered the moment a move is
scheduled: a backpack, supplies for school, tickets for a day of fun, and letters from kids, for kids.
MOVING SHOULDN'T MEAN
START WITH NOTHING.
1 in 5 students in shelter
changed schools in 2024–25.
More than 4x their housed
peers.
48 hrs — all the notice the law
requires before a family is
moved to a new shelter.
Sometimes, they get less.
HOW IT WORKS?
- 1. RequestShelter staff or a guardian starts the request
- 2. VerifyA parent or caseworker uploads proof of the shelter transfer
- 3. Choose TogetherShelter staff or a guardian starts the request
- 4. Pack & DeliverThe adult and child select the appropriate bag
- 5. Arrived!
WHO ARE WE
PACKING FOR?
Complete this together with a parent, guardian, or
shelter staff member!
CHOOSE AN AGE GROUP
WHAT FEELS MOST LIKE YOU?
ARTIST BAG!
Partners We're Building With
Every BLACK BAG is made possible by partners who believe
a move shouldn't mean starting from zero.
Proposed partnerships. BLACK BAG is a student concept and is not affiliated with these organizations.