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Press Release: The New York Foundling Announces Jennifer March as New Chief Advancement Officer

January 22, 2025 (New York, NY)— The New York Foundling today announced the selection of Jennifer March as its new Chief Advancement Officer (CAO). For nearly two decades, March led the Citizens Committee for Children and prior to that served for eight years in City government. She brings deep policy and budgetary expertise, as well as extensive relationships with partners across government, foundations, and direct service that will strengthen The Foundling’s impact.

The Foundling serves more than 30,000 families each year across New York and Puerto Rico through data-driven and people-centered programs in foster care, supportive housing, mental health, juvenile justice and services for people with developmental disabilities.

The CAO is a new senior cabinet position that will lead The Foundling’s fundraising strategy and operations, with a focus on expanding its major donor program and corporate funding streams. March will oversee The Foundling’s entire Development team and will lead the board’s Development Committee. The Foundling leans heavily on innovative funding sources to pilot and develop new evidence-based programs that improve the lives of children, families, and communities. Many of the programs incubated at The Foundling go on to scale into public sector initiatives.

“Bringing Jen to our team was a remarkable opportunity to grow our impact and capacity. I have known and trusted Jen since the earliest days of my career here in New York City. No one knows this work or its partners in government, philanthropy, and the corporate sector better. Jen’s leadership and expertise will help us finance and develop a new generation of programs that could one day change the lives of tens of thousands of families across New York and Puerto Rico. I am so delighted to welcome her to The Foundling,” said Melanie Hartzog, President and CEO of The New York Foundling.

“From my first days working at the City Council, I’ve devoted myself to the mission of serving children and families. It’s in my DNA. And the opportunity to help support and innovate programs at an organization with The Foundling’s scale and reach is so exciting. I knew right away this was a challenge I had to pursue and I cannot wait to begin bringing partners across the city together so we can find new and better ways to make an impact for families in need,” said Jennifer March, incoming Chief Advancement Officer at The Foundling.

About Jennifer March

March comes to The Foundling after serving as the Executive Director of the Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York (CCC) for the last 17 years. A passionate advocate for children, youth, and families, she has led successful legislative, policy, and budget reforms, achieving historic victories across New York City and State.

Under March’s leadership, CCC expanded its staff and budget and leveraged the Keeping Track Online database to inform participatory research, a key resource for understanding and advocating for children’s needs. She has championed advocacy campaigns to address the wage gap for early educators, expand access to early childhood education and behavioral health services, and raise the age of criminal responsibility in New York.

March’s career in the social service sector began during graduate school, when she began working for the NYC City Council’s Finance Division. She spent eight years with the Council, rising to senior roles in Finance.

Originally from Upstate New York, March has lived in New York City since 1989 and is a longtime Upper West Sider and single mom. She holds a B.A. in History and French from LeMoyne College and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Political Science from Fordham University.

See a photo of Jen March here.

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January 22, 2025/by Elefant Design

Brooklyn Paper: Cypress Hills Group Home receives $500K for Upgrades from State Senator Julia Salazar

Brooklyn Paper reports on funding for one of our residences for people with developmental disabilities, which will modernize the facility.

“The New York Foundling celebrated a significant funding boost on Friday after State Senator Julia Salazar secured $500,000 to renovate a Cypress Hills group home for individuals with developmental disabilities.

The half-million-dollar grant will enable extensive upgrades to the row house, including modernized safety and security systems, a new HVAC system, and renovations to bathrooms, bedrooms, and the communal kitchen.

The improvements aim to enhance the quality of life for the five residents who receive on-site support to live independently, access health care, and participate in employment and community programs through the work of The New York Foundling — which provides services to more than 1,000 children and adults with developmental disabilities each year.”

“We are so grateful to State Senator Salazar for securing funding that will make a huge difference in the lives of our residents,” said Hartzog. “These renovations will make this home safer, more comfortable, and more beautiful — and our residents deserve nothing less. Working together, we can help people with developmental disabilities reach their full potential.”

Read more at Brooklyn Paper

January 20, 2025/by Elefant Design

Leadership, Media Coverage

Pix 11: Monica Morales Honors Melanie Hartzog

Our CEO & President, Melanie Hartzog, appeared on Monica Morales’ Pix 11 show – Monica Makes it Happen – to discuss The Foundling’s three new supportive housing developments. Monica also recognized Mel with a PIX11 Legends Award for her commitment to meaningful change in the communities we support.

Watch the full interview below:

December 30, 2024/by Elefant Design

Blog, Child Welfare

Help Young Children Succeed – from The Bronx to Puerto Rico

In New York and Puerto Rico, we’re committed to helping new parents and their young children thrive.

The Foundling draws on decades of expertise to provide research-informed care that not only assists children in reaching developmental milestones but also provides parenting resources to help create family stability. New construction projects over the last year have greatly increased our capacity to serve families in two of our vital programs – our Mother and Child program in the Bronx and our Head Start program in Puerto Rico:

Our Mother and Child program houses adolescent mothers in foster care and their infants, and employs round-the-clock staff to provide childcare, parenting education, and holistic supports. Children receive high-quality care while mothers finish their education, pursue career goals, learn parenting and life skills, and ultimately independently support their families.

“I’m comfortable that my baby can grow up and as she grows, she’s in a safe, clean place,” says Safia, a parent in the program.

Our Head Start and Early Head Start programs work hand-in-hand with families to support parents and children during the critical early years of life. Operating in five municipalities in Puerto Rico, our centers support parents and children from pregnancy through pre-K. The Foundling’s highly trained staff, quality curriculum, and holistic approach provides early education and parent support that equips the entire family for success.

“It’s positive all the time; we are always moving forward. He’s not behind, and he hasn’t gotten stuck. I’ve seen a lot of change,” says Ileana, a parent in the program.

The Foundling is dedicated to investing in families and supporting our youngest neighbors as they grow and thrive. Your gift can help more parents like Safia and Ileana give their children a bright future. With your help, we can ensure that the next generation receives the tools to succeed.

Donate Now

December 18, 2024/by Elefant Design

Blog, Education

Service Day and a Grand Re-Opening: Celebrating our John Cardinal O’Connor Head Start and Early Head Start Center

On November 8, 2024 underneath a tent in San Juan, Puerto Rico, an audience was filled with smiles as a group of small children took center stage to perform. The kids were all members of The Foundling’s Head Start program, which serves children and families in the early stages of life. Their song was just one component of a two-part service day and re-opening event, held during the week-long SOMOS conference.

The conference itself brought together Foundling staff alongside elected officials and nonprofit executives from across New York and Puerto Rico. It was a bustling, high-energy week; attendees from across the metropolitan region spent time exchanging ideas in workshops and conversations, with the shared goal of improving services for local communities.

Friday morning’s event started with a hurricane readiness packet giveaway for the approximately 140 children and their families who receive services at The Foundling’s John Cardinal O’Connor center in San Juan at a celebration of the center’s official re-opening. The center had to be renovated following significant damage sustained during Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The $4.5 million project – which unfolded in two major phases over the course of about two years – culminated in a state-of-the-art complex that will better meet the needs of the children, families, and communities The Foundling supports.

Speakers at the event included Foundling President and CEO Melanie Hartzog along with elected officials including City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, State Senator Robert Jackson, City Council Member Rita Joseph, and Puerto Rico Representative Eddie Charbonier. There was a blessing from Fr. Nicolás Colacho Navarro as well as a ribbon cutting and additional blessing of the new center by Fr. Enrique Camacho, director of Caritas Puerto Rico. The Foundling also welcomed State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, Msgr. Kevin Sullivan, Catholic Charities, and families who receive services at the center.

The Head Start and Early Head Start program at the O’Connor site provides opportunities to 141 children as well as five expectant mothers. There are a total of 13 classrooms; three for Head Start and ten for Early Head Start. The facility also doubles as a storm shelter, complete with a kitchen, shower and a washer/dryer that are available to the community during hurricanes or other emergencies. The center’s reinforced concrete structure was designed to withstand both hurricanes and earthquakes, and solar panels were installed to provide electricity in the event of an outage. The gamut of renovations is a physical manifestation of The Foundling’s commitment to respond to the needs of the communities they support.

The Foundling commenced operations in Puerto Rico back in 1973, as a way to continue partnering with families that were returning to the island from New York City. The Head Start and Early Head Start programs arose out of these family services in 1984 and today support more than 1,450 families in 39 centers across five municipalities of Puerto Rico: San Juan, Cataño, Vega Alta, Coamo, and Toa Baja. These programs serve children under the age of five, with a commitment to promote cognitive, social, and emotional growth and foster family well-being.

While the re-opening of the O’Connor Center was the most recent milestone for our Puerto Rico chapter, there are other exciting projects in development: brand new centers are being constructed in Cataño and Coamo. The construction of these centers will expand our reach and enhance the quality of programs that are offered on the island.

The Head Start and Early Head Start programs are uniquely designed to take an in-depth, comprehensive approach to fundamental skill-building. Our services cultivate opportunities to learn a range of subjects, such as linguistics, mathematics, sciences, creative arts, and more. We also assembled a team of social workers, nurses, mental health professionals, and teachers in order to equip families with the tools needed to ensure success for their children upon entering school. If you are interested in learning more about how to support the expansion of this work, please visit the pages for our Head Start and Early Head Start programs.

December 17, 2024/by Elefant Design

Health and Behavioral Health, Media Coverage

BronxNet: OPEN – Dr. Kristy-Lee Jean Pierre Discusses Mental Health Services at The Foundling

On the Tuesday, December 17 episode of BronxNet Community Television‘s OPEN, Senior Vice President of Mental Services Dr. Kristy-Lee Jean-Pierre, Ph.D, sat with host Kibin Alleyne to discuss the importance of mental health during the holiday season.

She discusses our array of programs targeting young people in foster care, attending NYC schools, as well as the general New York community, and how our mental health services focus on individualized care to create impactful and effective change.

Watch the full interview below, or read more on BronxNet:

December 17, 2024/by Elefant Design

Developmental Disabilities, Media Coverage

Help Kathy Advocate for Herself and Others

In addition to receiving housing and daily support through The Foundling, Kathy has had the opportunity to make her voice heard and refine her leadership and advocacy skills.

Kathy, who lives in one of our residences for people with developmental disabilities, enjoys the opportunities that The Foundling provides. Our person-centered approach assists each person in achieving their own personal goals, and Kathy’s interest in self-advocacy has led her to spearheading the Developmental Disabilities Peer Advisory Board.

“We have one mission and one mission only: to speak up for ourselves and to speak up for other people who can’t speak up for ourselves,” says Kathy.

Created by Foundling staff so participants can have input on the services they receive, the Peer Advisory Board provides Kathy a space to advocate for herself and her peers, while honing her leadership, public speaking, and organizational skills. As President, she has had the opportunity to rally in Albany, create a voter registration initiative, and directly address The Foundling’s Board of Trustees about the issues that impact her and others with developmental disabilities.

“I motivate my peers, I motivate my housemates, I motivate the people in other residences to speak up. It makes my heart so happy to bring self-advocacy into The Foundling,” Kathy shares.

Since 1869, The Foundling has been committed to providing resources and tools so New Yorkers of all abilities can grow, thrive, and reach their full potential. Your gift can make a big difference, allowing us to support more people like Kathy. Help us give our neighbors the support to make a difference in their community.

Make a Donation

December 10, 2024/by Elefant Design

Leadership, Media Coverage

City & State NY: The 2024 Responsible 100

Our CEO & President, Melanie Hartzog, was named to City & State NY’s 2024 Responsible 100 list. This list spotlights leaders that exemplify what it means to be socially responsible – whether it’s through community engagement and volunteerism, diversity, equity and inclusion, ethics and transparency, or philanthropy and charity.

“Social responsibility is about leading with community – meeting people and communities where they are, understanding and then being responsive to their needs,” Mel shares.

Read more at City & State NY

December 9, 2024/by Elefant Design

Blog, Child Welfare, Education

Thank You for Supporting Young People Like Venessa

With the help of The Foundling, Venessa completed college, moved into a beautiful home, and has begun her transition into adulthood.

Venessa joined our Fostering College Success Initiative program, which provides academic, emotional, vocational, and financial support for young people in foster care. With the support of Foundling tutors, counselors, and coaches, she successfully earned her BA degree in Psychology, with the goal of giving back by working in the social work field.

“The program allowed me to be in school without worrying about where money was going to come from. I had a tutor, and I had a coach, someone who was there when I called to help me deal with life’s challenges,” Venessa says.

After completing her degree, Venessa was unsure how she could find or afford a place to live as she prepared for her future. Through our Supportive Housing program, which recently opened new units in Harlem, she now has a safe, comfortable, and secure home, along with wrap-around supports that have given her the stability to pursue her future.

“As a youth in foster care, you never know where you’ll end up or how you’ll end up. But now, with [The Foundling’s] support, I have a safe space to lay my head,” she shares.

Supporting young people on their own paths to independence has been at the core of The Foundling’s mission since 1869. Your gift can make a big difference to our community and to young adults like Venessa. This year, your support can create life-changing opportunities for the young people in our shared community.

Make a Donation

December 5, 2024/by Elefant Design

Media Coverage, Partnerships

Staten Island Advance: 500 Turkeys Donated to Staten Island Families at the Gerard Carter Center

The Staten Island Advance reports on our recent Metsgiving event. As they report, the 155-year-old community partner, The New York Foundling, which offers opportunities and programs to over 30,000 people in New York and Puerto Rico, collaborated with the Amazin’ Mets Foundation to give away 500 turkeys to families of Staten Island.

Read more at SI Live

November 29, 2024/by Elefant Design