Martha Stewart Homeless Costume: What the Charity Said
On Halloween, Martha Stewart posted a photo of herself in a tattered sweater and jeans with smeared makeup, holding a sign that read "I AM HUNGRY HELP ME!!" TMZ reported that the Instagram post, since deleted, was promoting her QVC candles.
Her first response came in a statement to the press. She said the costume was meant to bring more awareness to homelessness and that she was "distressed" it had offended people, the Hollywood Reporter reported. On Sunday she went further on Instagram, calling the costume "insensitive and not funny," ABC News reported, and writing that her earlier statement had not gone far enough.
The criticism had a pointed edge. One commenter on her post, quoted by ABC, wrote that more people were angry about the costume than were angry enough to actually help someone who is homeless.
On Monday, the story moved to a charity. TMZ reported that God's Love We Deliver, a New York organization it said Stewart had cited, does not work with homeless people. A spokesperson told TMZ: "It does not serve people experiencing homelessness." The group provides free medically tailored meals to people with serious chronic illnesses. It confirmed that Stewart attended its annual gala this year and has been a strong supporter of its work.
A Getty Images caption places Stewart at the group's Golden Heart Awards on Oct. 19 at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York. TMZ noted that the clarification does not mean she has not backed other organizations that fight homelessness. The charity wanted its mission to be clear.
Halloween is a signature holiday for Stewart. Her magazine runs an annual costume cover, and in 2024 she appeared as a queen on it, inspired by Elizabeth I's coronation, Marie Claire reported. That history is why the 2026 post landed as it did: a lifestyle brand's most reliable seasonal moment turned into a public apology in about 24 hours.
TMZ's report includes no comment from Stewart on the charity's statement. The coverage reviewed shows nothing from her after Sunday's apology.
