These People Didn't Recognize Their Own Family Members When They Saw Them On The Street - Here's Why

Six New Yorkers were brought in by a non-profit to answer questions about the importance of family.

Naturally, they gushed about their loved ones, telling stories about dressing up in funny costumes with their cousins and cooking Sunday dinner with their aunts and uncles.

Little did the interviewees know, they had walked right past these very same loved ones earlier in the day, without so much as stopping to say hello.

That's because their loved ones had been dressed up as homeless people earlier in the day by the New York City Rescue Mission, a group that works to provide food, shelter, and services to the city's homeless population.

The interviewees were stunned to see the hidden-camera footage of themselves walking right past their family members.

YouTube/New York Rescue Mission

And they couldn't help thinking differently about homelessness, knowing that the people they ignore every day have husbands and mothers and cousins just like them.

YouTube/New York Rescue Mission

Finally, the family members were reunited.

Here's the complete video, made by the ad agency Silver + Partner:

To learn more about the New York City Rescue Mission's campaign to humanize the homeless, visit MakeThemVisible.com. There, you'll find photos of real members of NYC's homeless population and learn about their passions and hobbies.