The people behind the path
About WayMakr
The system is complicated. Asking for help shouldn’t be.
A note from the founder
I built WayMakr because I couldn’t unsee it. Neighbors sleeping on trains. Mothers choosing between rent and food. People in crisis with nowhere to turn. The help exists in this city — but it’s buried, and the people who need it most are the ones least able to dig. Everyone deserves dignity, not a maze. So I built what I wished existed: something calm, something honest, something true — built with love, for the ones this city overlooks.
One New Yorker's small act of gratitude — to the city that raised her, the country that holds her, and the God who sees everyone and leaves no one behind.
— Amanda Maria Baly Bonilla
Dignity first
No jargon, no judgment, no hoops. We describe help in plain language.
Private by default
Search without an account. Your location is optional and used only to find nearby options.
Data is the source of truth
When a detail is not available, we say so rather than fill the gap.
Transparency
Why WayMakr exists
WayMakr exists because the help is out there — but too many New Yorkers cannot find it.
Navigation
Each figure = 10% of eligible New Yorkers
4 enrolled · 6 not enrolled — the 60% gap
Only 40%
of eligible New Yorkers are enrolled in Fair Fares (half-price transit), out of ~1.3 million eligible.
“underutilized because of a lack of awareness and a complicated application process”
NYC Council press releaseSeptember 24, 2026Source (opens in a new tab)
Each handset = 500,000 calls
7 handsets ≈ 3.5 million calls · illustrative scale
3.4M+
calls to NYC 311 in 2024, up 7% from 2023 — millions of navigation attempts by residents trying to find the right city service.
NYS ComptrollerMay 2025Source (opens in a new tab)
Scale
Each figure = 10,000 people · rounded illustration
Pale gold: 28,621 children (about 3 figures)
88,016
people slept in NYC shelters each night in August 2026, including 28,621 children.
Coalition for the Homeless (DHS/HPD census data)August 2026Source (opens in a new tab)
Each figure = 10,000 petitions · rounded illustration
Petitions filed, not unique people affected
114,837
residential eviction petitions filed in NYC Housing Court in 2025.
NYC HRA Office of Civil Justice FY25 Annual Report Addendum2025Source (opens in a new tab)
Adults · 36% — nearly 4 in 10
Families with children · 42% — about 4 in 10
Each figure = 10% of its group · approximate rows
36% / 42%
of adult New Yorkers — and of families with children — reported needing more money to meet household food needs. Nearly 90% of struggling families have a working adult.
Robin Hood + Columbia UniversityNovember 2025Source (opens in a new tab)
Our data promise
Unknown is better than invented.
AI understands the request, not the facts.
AI extracts intent only. It never invents programs, providers, addresses, phone numbers, hours, or eligibility rules. Missing information is labeled as unavailable; a possible match is not a promise that you qualify.
Sample data is always labeled.
Demonstration records carry a “Sample data” label. They are not authoritative listings.
Shelter addresses are never reconstructed.
We never infer a shelter address from other records or location clues. An address withheld by the source stays withheld.
Survivor safety comes first.
Domestic-violence safety flags are always honored, including restrictions on displaying physical addresses. Crisis guidance and specialist domestic-violence help stay prioritized.
Announcements
What's changing
Updates that might affect you
Recent videos about City services and programs from official NYC channels and NY1 News. Refreshed automatically twice a day. Always confirm details with the agency.
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