Malta Walks
Begun with the support of the St. John Committee, the Area's Malta Walks delivers food and care packages to our homeless neighbors. Thanks to the generosity of guests at Spring Knights, the St. John Committee helps fund supplies for the monthly volunteer service.
Walking Alongside Our Neighbors
New York City is home to more people experiencing homelessness than at any point in recent history. In April 2026, nearly 97,500 people slept in NYC shelters each night, and in 2025 alone, over 194,000 unique individuals passed through the city's shelter system — the most in its history. Beyond the shelter system, this year's annual street count found nearly 5,000 people sleeping unsheltered on the city's streets and subways, the highest number recorded since the survey began in 2005.
Each month, our volunteers gather to pray together, assemble care packages, and then walk into the streets of midtown Manhattan to distribute them directly to people in need. Since its founding in 2014, Malta Walks has become one of the NYC Area's longest-running and most consistent hands-on service works, engaging volunteers of every age in direct, face-to-face outreach rather than distant charity.
As the city's homelessness numbers continue to climb, Malta Walks remains a steady, monthly commitment: proof that even amid a citywide crisis, consistent, personal care can still reach the people who need it most.
Your Call to Serve
Today, the Order of Malta cares for people in need in 120 countries through medical, social, and humanitarian works, including right here in New York City. The Order’s work is grounded in our Catholic belief that every person possesses inherent dignity.
In NYC, volunteers of all faiths, ages, and backgrounds work alongside over 180 Knights and Dames to honor this dignity through faith and hands-on service. We gather for monthly Mass and special liturgies, deepening our spiritual lives to witness God's love through our service. We bring meals and medical care to the homeless, joy to children with disabilities, and companionship to the elderly and isolated.
Volunteers play a critical role in our work. If you have felt the call to serve, the first step is joining the Affiliates, the official volunteer corps of the Order of Malta. Joining as an Affiliate is a wonderful way to learn more about the Order and meet our community, as well as to explore membership—becoming a Knight or Dame of the Order.