Our Mission
At projectUmbrella, our mission is to lend a helping hand to the unhoused communities of New York City, Seattle, Phoenix, and Austin. Starting from 2015 in New York City, we've been handing out care packages containing seasonal essentials, such as umbrellas for the winter and sunscreen for the summer, as of 2021, we expanded to helping the unhoused community in Seattle as well. In 2024, we furthered our reach to the Greater Phoenix Area's houseless community; as of 2025, we have expanded our mission to Austin, Texas. While handing out care packages, we do our best to go beyond giving by focusing on getting to know our unhoused community and listening to their stories. Through our mission, we hope to inspire others to appreciate how much acknowledgment and a simple conversation can mean to our unhoused community.
We believe that everyone deserves to have their story heard.
Meet The New York City Team
Amro Harb
Maxwell Levi
Jordan Salvato
Eleazar Garza
What have we done recently?
Summer 2025
To close out July, the projectUmbrella NYC team distributed 20 care packages to those in need. With the support of our dedicated volunteers and generous sponsors, we provided not just basic necessities but also moments of dignity and hope—reminding us that even the smallest acts of compassion can make a lasting impact.
Spring 2021
With the help of the Spanish Community Center - Shore AHEC, we handed out 175 care packages—our largest number yet!—to the nearby Spanish-speaking, underserved, and unhoused communities as they received their COVID-19 vaccines at Saint Joachim Parish Annunciation Church in Bellmawr, New Jersey.
Winter 2020
With the help of Drs. Anna Ayum, Rebecca Hellmann, Fanny Mantilla, and Tiruwork Wondemunegne, we delivered 48 care packages to St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx to be given to houseless patients upon discharge. In light of COVID-19 precautions, we included a personal letter, postcard, and pre-stamped envelope with our return address so whoever received a package could feel that they had someone to talk to.
Summer 2018
With the help of TD Bank, we handed out 44 bags to our houseless neighbors near Grand Central Station, Bryant Park, and Times Square. We met a professor, a poet, a published author, and many more amazing people!
Winter 2017
We were able to lend a hand to 50 of our houseless neighbors and provide companionship to them as they told us their stories. We met a comedian, a chef, a singer-songwriter, and many more!