NEW YORK, NY – October 17, 2019 – The New York Foundling, one of the city’s oldest and largest social services providers, today announced that $60,000 in scholarships will be awarded to a group of five Master of Social Work (MSW) students at New York University’s Silver School of Social Work during the 2019-2020 academic year to encourage talented young people to pursue careers in social work and child welfare. It is the second consecutive year that The Foundling has provided such scholarship support for child welfare-focused NYU Silver MSW students.

The rising costs associated with graduate education can be a deterrent to students pursuing careers in the social services. These scholarships are intended to reduce some of that financial pressure and empower students with the drive and the desire to work in child welfare to pursue their passion.

“Social work is a rewarding, fulfilling career path that allows individuals to make a tremendous difference in the lives of the children and families who most need a helping hand on their journeys to stability, strength, and independence,” said Bill Baccaglini, President and CEO of The New York Foundling. “This scholarship lessens the financial burden associated with higher education and incentivizes motivated, purpose-driven students to be a part of this transformational work and be a positive force in their communities.”

The recipients of the scholarships, who are known as The New York Foundling Fellows, have also been assigned internships at programs run by The Foundling, with one each at The Foundling’s Crisis Nursery, Home of Integrated Health, Mott Haven Academy Charter School, Supportive Housing Program for Youth Aging out of Foster Care, and TFCO Program.

“We are grateful to The Foundling for this critical scholarship funding, which will support five future child welfare practitioners and leaders in pursuit of their career goals.” said NYU Silver Dean and Paulette Goddard Professor of Social Work Neil B. Guterman. NYU Silver is known for its excellence in clinical training and Dr. Guterman is himself among the School’s cadre of faculty experts in the area of child welfare. ”I am confident that The Foundling’s investment  will reap benefits not only for the fellows, but to numerous vulnerable children and families whom they will serve in the decades to come.”

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About The New York Foundling

At The New York Foundling, we trust in the potential of people, and we deliberately invest in proven practices. From bold beginnings in 1869, our New York-based nonprofit has supported a quarter million neighbors on their own paths to stability, strength, and independence. The New York Foundling’s internationally-recognized set of social services are both proven and practical. We help children and families navigate through and beyond foster care. We help families struggling with conflict and poverty to grow stronger. We help individuals with developmental disabilities live their best lives, and we help children and families access quality health and mental health services core to building lifelong resilience and wellbeing. For more information, please visit www.nyfoundling.org.

About NYU Silver School of Social Work

NYU Silver School of Social Work provides a robust and engaging environment for the education of professional social workers, offering undergraduate, masters, and doctoral degree programs. The School serves as a major postgraduate training center for practicing social workers and offers master’s students intensive learning opportunities in family and children’s services, mental health, integrated health, substance misuse and co-occurring disorders, palliative and end-of-life care, restorative justice, and other innovative and emerging areas of social work. MSW students also have the opportunity to pursue global learning with NYU Silver programming in New York, Shanghai, Buenos Aires, and other cities around the world. Founded in 1960 and renowned for a strong tradition of excellence in direct social work practice and dedication to social justice, NYU Silver has provided rigorous training to over 18,000 social work practitioners and leaders in every area of the field. The School’s faculty are on the leading edge of scholarly research and address society’s most intractable problems with a focus on proactive approaches and preventive interventions that transform lives. For more information, please visit socialwork.nyu.edu.