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Pumpkin Picking at Demarest Farms – October 28th, 2009

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A perfect day for pumpkin picking!  Our very special friends at The Bank of New York Mellon hosted a trip for the East Harlem Head Start program to go visit a farm out in New Jersey.

pumpkin230 preschoolers were treated to a morning of hay rides and pumpkin-patch frolicking.  Everyone got to take a pumpkin home.

wedpumpkin3Thanks to The Bank of New York Mellon, our Volunteer Services, the East Harlem Head Start staff, Demarest Farms , and everyone who made this wonderful adventure possible for the children.

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We can’t wait to do it again next year!

Photos Courtesy of Children’s Aid Society

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Bridging the Digital Divide at The Children’s Aid Society – October 23rd, 2009

Many of us remember the days when we used to write our school essays in painstakingly neat longhand….or spending the night two-finger typing on the old electric typewriter! Well, those days seem to be gone forever. In the digital era we now live in, our children can’t imagine what it would be like to function in a B.P.C. (Before Personal Computers) world!

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But Children’s Aid Society students do not typically have access to a home computer. Our community schools give these economically disadvantaged kids full exposure to technology by enabling them to not only learn how to use computers, but also to advance themselves in many computer-related skills.  Thanks to our technology centers and dedicated team of professionals, Children’s Aid is able to arm students with the computer knowledge and the skill set needed to compete and succeed in this technologically advanced world of ours.

On Manhattan’s Upper West Side, the Frederick Douglass Center is home to the innovative Intel Computer Clubhouse, a creative space where students learn all aspects of computing – from exploring the Internet to learning about 3-D modeling, multimedia, digital music recording and even animation. It’s a fabulous environment for kids to become computer literate and to be inspired to explore technology-specific careers, in fields like engineering, computer programming, architecture, and film animation. Through this exposure to the world of high tech, our students quickly learn that there are endless opportunities for them out there – all within their grasp.  Knowledge is a powerful thing!

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Next Generation Center and the Radio Rookies – October 19th, 2009

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Rookie Reporter Victoria “Vikky” Cruz: Photo by WNYC Radio

Imagine tackling issues having to do with homosexuality, incarceration, caring for an ill parent or wondering where your next meal is coming from…and being a teen. These and other moving stories of teenagers of The Children’s Aid Society’s Next Generation Center in the Bronx are where they broadcasted on WNYC radio October 5 th through 9th during the morning news which is also posted on the radio station’s website.

Radio Rookies is a program of WNYC radio that runs one to two workshops a year throughout New York City. The program trains teenagers on all aspects of radio, from how to use recording equipment to developing stories, conducting interviews, and editing digital audio.  At the completion of the workshop, the teens have created stories that not only show off their newly acquired journalism skills, but also allows them to open the doors for the world to get a glimpse of their lives, which is not always about iPods, gossip or the latest fashion.

“I heard it on NY Public Radio and loved it so I contacted the Senior Producer, Kaari Pitkin, and invited them to do it at NGC…a year later, they contacted us because they were looking for a Bronx site and we agreed!” said Lynne Echenberg, Director of the Next Generation Center.

In a brave segment called “Best Couple,” which won her the First Hillman Foundation Sidney Award in June for socially conscious journalism, Rookie Reporter Victoria “Vikky” Cruz, a Next Generation Center participant, reports on how she and her girlfriend became the first same-sex couple to win “Best Couple” for their high school yearbook all the while keeping her sexuality a secret from her judgmental grandmother. “Not only was Vikky Cruz brave enough to tackle teenage homosexuality on public radio, she also took it on in a far more intimidating environment—high school…her commitment to honesty and justice in both of these settings earned her The Sidney,” said Charles Kaiser, Sidney Award Judge. Vikky also shared with us her journey of learning to live and cope with her mother’s physically and mentally debilitating disease Neuroacanthocytosis in her story called “My Mother’s Disease.”

If they didn’t before, these teens now know they have a voice worth listening to and stories worth sharing. Follow the link to find out more about and listen to five of the Next Generation Center Radio Rookies

Giany Mejia, Marketing and Public Relations Development, Children’s Aid New York

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Macy’s at its Best! – October 12th, 2009

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Sorting and Cleaning Books for the Library

On September 28-29, over 200 corporate volunteers from Macy’s partnered with The Children’s Aid Society and The United Way to revitalize CAS’s Dunleavy Milbank Center in Central Harlem.  The project enabled Macy’s employees to select projects that interested them such as reading with our daycare students, refurbishing rooms, planting in the courtyard, exercising with our recreation participants, or reorganizing the library.

Macy’s participants were able to use their specific talents to enhance their work at Milbank; for example, members of Macy’s Design Team put their creativity to good use by designing, painting and decorating the multi-purpose room and the arts & crafts studio.

We are very grateful to Macy’s for contributing to The Children’s Aid Society in such a dynamic and hands-on fashion. Like all of our corporate volunteer projects, the two-day event was mutually beneficial for Macy’s and Children’s Aid— it gave volunteers the opportunity for fun and team-building and taught them about their city and provided Milbank with the needed resources for capital improvements and engaging activities for our after-school program. The Macy’s project breathed new life into our center—the Milbank staff and students were thrilled to have Macy’s visit!

For information how you or your company can get connected with volunteer opportunities, contact Scott McLeod at 212-381-1173.

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Children’s Aid Supports Juvenile Justice Programs – October 9th, 2009

From the New York Times to Georgetown University, voices in the policy arena are calling for new ideas for the juvenile justice system. The Children’s Aid Society has been a leader in operating its juvenile justice programs, and is helping build a system that supports adolescents’ emotional, educational, and physical well-being, with rehabilitation and re-entry as hallmarks of success.

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To help keep children out of the justice system in the first place, The Children’s Aid Society provides educational support services for students seeking a general equivalency diploma (GED). The Children’s Aid Society also helps youths train for and obtain employment. Children’s Aid Society, through its Persons in Need of Supervision – Designated Assessment Services program also intervenes directly in delinquent children’s lives, assigning social workers to help families uncover and remedy the causes of behavioral problems.

And even when prevention falls short, the Children’s Aid Society keeps working. Through its Legal Advocacy program, Children’s Aid advocates for children’s interests in court. And once children have exited the system, Children’s Aid Society helps them re-enter their communities, avoid situations that could prompt a return to crime, and adjust back into their family lives.

Through such preventative measures and re-entry services, Children’s Aid is a leader in helping to bring about a juvenile justice system that prevents and remediates the harsh effects of juvenile delinquency.

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Safe Spaces: Children’s Aid Provides New York Youth’s Places to Play And Develop Important Skills – October 7th, 2009

Play is an important part of every child’s development – and it’s no secret that many of New York’s neighborhoods lack safe places for children to play. The problem is so acute in some neighborhoods, like the Foxhurst section of the Bronx, that families are banding together to close streets for use as impromptu playgrounds.

swim107To give children what many take for granted – a place to play – The Children’s Aid Society provides New York’s youths with a wide and varied array of recreational opportunities. These recreational opportunities provide a venue for this critical aspect of children’s psychological and social growth.

Scientific American reports that a lack of opportunity for free play may prevent children from growing into happy, well-adjusted adults. Studies show that playtime provides children with a way to learn and practice important life skills, like teamwork and leadership. Without this practice, children cannot become socially adept, cope with stress or build problem-solving skills. Through a wide array of opportunities like swimming, basketball or the arts, Children’s Aid helps children in building these critical skills.

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NPR reports that playtime also helps children to develop a cognitive skill called executive function. Executive function helps children to control their emotions and behavior, resist impulses, and exert self-control and discipline. This research shows that poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates, drug use and crime. The Children’s Aid Society’s structured and unstructured activities provide youths a place to develop this important self-control and discipline, along with “letting off some steam,” and just having a great time!  Just another way that The Children’s Aid Society leads by innovation in youth growth and development.

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The Children’s Aid Society Helps New York’s Newly Homeless Families – September 21st, 2009

Every year, waves of newly homeless families are put out onto New York’s streets. This last July The New York Times reported that due to the economic downturn, city officials expect a larger surge this year than ever before.

Image courtesy of The New York Times

Image courtesy of The New York Times

The city’s homeless population is already up more than 20% over 2008, and officials soon expect an all-time high of 10,000 families in the city’s shelters. This severely affects children, who comprise nearly 40% of homeless New Yorkers.

In 1854, Charles Loring Brace was so moved by the epidemic of child homelessness that he founded New York’s Children’s Aid Society to provide shelter for children in need. Today, Children’s Aid works tirelessly with its family support services, on the same principle: that stable families foster stable children and a better future!

Children’s Aid supports families through our Carmel Hill Project, which serves families in three renovated apartment buildings. The Pelham Fritz Transitional Apartments are a Tier II shelter for homeless families. Since 1990, the complex has sheltered more than 900 families while acting as a neighborhood anchor for social services. And housing assistance is just one piece of the puzzle – our Office of Public Policy and Client Advocacy helps families resolve housing issues through legal assistance, financial help, and public advocacy.

Want to help build stable communities and stable families? Help The Children’s Aid Society continue its work to make sure every child has a safe home. Donate today.

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Children’s Aid NYC Goes Fresh in NYC! – September 9th, 2009

fresh1Food, glorious food!  It’s amazing how easy it really is to get children excited about healthy, organic food!   Bring them to the farmer’s market, encourage them to grow their own window sill herb garden, or teach them how to cook a meal from scratch – the bright colors, fresh smells and wonderful flavors will stimulate their senses and you’re giving junk food a run for its money!  You may be shaking fresh2your head in disbelief but, at The Children’s Aid Society in New York, we’ve seen this green mania with our own eyes!

At our community schools throughout the city, we teach children and their parents all about good nutrition.  We challenge them to try it out and, much to their surprise they learn that healthful food actually tastes good!  At a youth green market in East Harlem, Children’s Aid’s kids are even sharing tips on nutrition, food prep and recipes.  And these youth green markets are popping up all over. In July 2008, The Children’s Aid Society launched the South Bronx Youthmarket.  fresh3

We operate these markets in close collaboration with the Council on the Environment of New York City (CENYC) to bring fresh, delicious and healthful foods to families in low-income communities,  and showing children where their food comes from and how. The markets are run by the students themselves, at their school.  The kids are eager to learn and to taste!  Suddenly, that bag of preservative-filled potato chips seems less appetizing to them.  And, of course, that’s the idea.

And, every so often, a master chef is born. Just check out some of the culinary delights made by our very own young Next Generation Caterers. Bon Appétit!

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Promoting Safe and Stable Families: The Children’s Aid Society Provides Legal Advocacy Services for Children and Families in Crisis – August 31st, 2009

cas931We all need a guardian angel from time to time – to protect and guide us, to help us get back on track.  At The Children’s Aid Society, children and families have access to a fabulous team of dedicated guardian angels, formally called legal advocates, in the Office of Public Policy & Client Advocacy (OPPCA).

Serving all 150,000 children, youths and families at Children’s Aid in NY, OPPCA provides a wide spectrum of integrated legal, social and educational services and programs, such as assistance with domestic violence, child support and custody, juvenile justice,teen rights, immigration issues, housing, landlord/tenant issues, low-income subsidies, credit and consumer counseling, and basic “know your rights” training.

OPPCA “guardian angels” Back row, L to R, Katherine Eckstein, Cathleen Clements, Esq., Sharone Vaughn, Keyla Espinal, Front row, L to R, Johnnymae Williams-Gales, Lorena Jimenez-Castro, and Jessica Schachter.

OPPCA “guardian angels”: Back row, L to R, Katherine Eckstein, Cathleen Clements, Esq., Sharone Vaughn, Keyla Espinal, Front row, L to R, Johnnymae Williams-Gales, Lorena Jimenez-Castro, and Jessica Schachter.

Tapping the expertise and availability of the Children’s Aid’s dynamic staff of professionals and well-established programs in all 50 sites, the OPPCA works hard to stabilize families by protecting their rights and providing them with advocacy training, so that they will be empowered  to stand up for themselves.  In cases where litigation is inevitable, the OPPCA draws from a pool of over 25 pro bono lawyers to assist their clients with legal representation.

The concept of “family” is something that many of us take for granted.  The reality is that in New York City alone, there are hundreds of thousands of families in crisis. Many of them seek assistance from The Children’s Aid Society who, in turn, is totally committed to the preservation of family. Progressive programs such as Families with a Future help families to set and achieve lifelong goals, providing them with encouragement, skills and – above all – hope.

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Summer Frolic and Theater Camp at Children’s Aid Society Philip Coltoff Center – August 24th, 2009

bestsummer2007Summer fun and children’s theater come together each year at the Philip Coltoff Center’s New Acting Company Summer Camp. The two-week intensive theater camp, scheduled in July, attracts theatrically-inclined children (age 7-14). In the course of each two week camp, students will create an original play with their fellow campers.

A wonderful way to channel their energy and creativity, the camp encourages self-expression and a sense of community between young acting peers.  The children are taught everything from acting, set design/building and sound/lighting to costume design and stage make-up.  The pièce de résistance of each camp is the final performance which family, friends and Village locals attend —and a fabulous time always is had by all!

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Philip Coltoff Center

The Philip Coltoff Center at Greenwich Village plays a vital role in providing educational, recreational and service programs for Village families since 1892.  The Center, which proudly operates under the auspices of the The Children’s Aid Society, offers a wide range of social services that include early childhood education, after-school programs and summer camp, teen and adult classes, and children’s theatre and art programming.

The Center’s mission is to be a center of Village community life, to provide dynamic, high-caliber programs and sponsor events – all with the central aim of enriching the social, cultural, creative and intellectual lives of the children, families and the Greenwich Village community at large.

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