Shuttered middle and high schools have put video games at the center of many isolated teens’ social life across the city. But at two Bronx homeless shelters, gaming is opening the door to in-person collaboration for young people desperate for it.

Makeda, a senior studying drama at LaGuardia High School, is one of them. She’s not much of a gamer, but in late August a flyer inviting teen residents at her South Bronx shelter to join video game writers and creators for after-school writing sessions got her attention.

“It was in-person and you could actually interact with people which, you know, you don’t really get to do with COVID,” the 17-year-old said. At the encouragement of shelter staff, she said, decided to join.