The Staten Island Advance reported on our mobile food pantry, which has been operated weekly all summer by our Staten Island Community Partnership.
On their daily Around the Boroughs segment, reporter Ron Lee reported on our Staten Island Community Partnership‘s mobile food pantry.
Watch the video below:
On #StatenIsland, a mobile food pantry is helping families in need provide food for their table. #AroundTheBoroughs #ny1 @chelsea_j_katz @Sherwoodstock @TheNYFoundling pic.twitter.com/W8hAECMv9f
— Ron Lee (@RonLeeReporting) August 23, 2023
In their latest blog post, Taylor Britt of The Difference Card sat down with Meghan O’Keefe, Assistant Vice President in our Human Resources department. In the interview, they discuss our successes using The Difference Card as a way to keep health insurance cost low while providing the best possible benefits for Foundling staff.
On March 19, Team Foundling will embark on the 2023 United Airlines NYC Half! The half marathon historically has taken over 25,000 runners along a 13.1 mile course through Brooklyn and Manhattan.
In partnership with New York Road Runners, we are excited to sponsor a team of ten runners – members receive guaranteed entry and other perks, all while crowdfunding for The Foundling’s programs supporting children, adults, and families. Our 2023 Team Foundling runners come from a variety of backgrounds – but are united in their dedication to running this strenuous race and giving back to our shared Foundling community.
Read more about each of our team members below, and learn how you can support them and The Foundling.
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Erik Clark
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Jardy Santana
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Michelle Watsula
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Naomi Jackson
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John Carlos Machado II
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Mel Hartzog
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Elliot Lynn
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Erin Lippman
Emma Wolfe
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Jason Kauppila
Remember the excitement of moving out on your own? Many New Yorkers may never get the opportunity – but they will now thanks to you and thanks to The Foundling. While those growing up without support systems or with developmental disabilities may dream of having their own home, they often struggle to find clear pathways to achieve that goal.
Today, residents in our Supportive Housing programs are seeing their dreams of independence come true. Vital Brookdale, our first supportive housing complex, provides purpose-built apartments and on-site guidance for young people aging out of foster care and adults with developmental disabilities: two groups that often struggle to secure and maintain housing.
In the videos below, see the benefits of this unique approach!
Meet Anthony, one of Vital Brookdale’s new residents
Meet our Supportive Housing team: The Foundling’s ‘Dreammakers’
The Foundling is committed to providing opportunities like this for our community – but we can only do it with your help. Your gift this holiday season will allow more people like Anthony to reach their full potential.
At The Foundling, we are committed to serving our community, and to continue the promise that the Sisters of Charity made to support our neighbors over 150 years ago.
As Melanie Hartzog, our President & CEO, recently shared:
“The New York Foundling is a place of inspiration, hope, transformation, and community. That is what drew me here – I was so impressed with the mission and vision of The Foundling, and its many opportunities to make a real impact in the lives of children, adults, and families.
Whether we’re supporting young people through and beyond foster care, providing families in Puerto Rico with early education services, or giving people with developmental disabilities the guidance to achieve their dreams, The Foundling transforms to support the communities we serve.”
This important work is only possible thanks to the generosity of our supporters – and this Giving Tuesday, you can help us keep this legacy alive.
This Giving Tuesday, help transform lives. Here’s how you can make an impact in the lives of children, adults, and families in New York and Puerto Rico:
- Donate: A donation provides support where it’s needed most!
$2,500 can furnish an apartment for 2 people living on their own for the first time |
$1,000 can fund 6 months of art therapy and community engagement for young people in foster care |
$500 can provide a child abuse prevention workshop for 20 students |
$100 can sponsor a day of camp for a young person involved in the child welfare system |
- Participate in our Holiday Gift Drive: Bring joy to families this holiday season! Purchase a gift from our wishlist, or learn more ways to get involved here.
- Give back on AmazonSmile: Visit AmazonSmile and choose The New York Foundling as your AmazonSmile charity. The Foundling will receive a portion of every dollar you spend – a simple way to give back as you shop online, at no cost to you!
- Crowdfund for The Foundling: If you’re on Facebook, you and your network can easily support us! Visit our Facebook page and start a fundraiser to support the children, adults, and families in our programs.
- Make a Legacy Gift: Include The Foundling in your estate plans, ensuring that our work continues for generations to come. Learn more here.
For the New York Mets’ September 2 game at Citi Field, pitcher Taijuan Walker partnered with The New York Foundling for his Tai’s Taco Truck initiative, where he gave out free tacos and solicited donations on behalf of The Foundling.
On November 6, Team Foundling will take to the streets for the TCS New York City Marathon! The world’s largest marathon and a source of inspiration to runners worldwide, the race will include over 50,000 athletes who will complete a 26.2-mile route through all five boroughs of New York City.
This year marks our largest team of runners yet – and while they come from different backgrounds and have different athletic aspirations, they all share a commitment to not only reach their personal race goals, but to raise money for the children, adults, and families in our Foundling community as well.
Read more about each of our team members below, and learn how you can support them and The Foundling.
 Ryan Dykhouse
Ryan has only been running for four years, but in this time, he has participated in the 2018 Detroit Marathon, as well as the Brooklyn, NYC, Disney, and Portland Half Marathons. He loves the runner community, especially around big races, and how supportive everyone is when you are training and participating in an event. For the NYC Marathon, he’d ideally like to break the 4 hour barrier. It’s his first time running with a charity partner, and he’s excited for the opportunity. Not only is he looking forward to the comraderies and shared commitment that comes with running with a team, but he’s passionate about The Foundling’s work. As he shares, “The Foundling is such an incredible institution for kids in New York City. As a former NYC public school teacher, I am thankful for any organization that works to provide underserved youth with opportunities to embrace life and grow into the best people they can be. And The Foundling is exactly that kind of organization.”
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 Eric Kanagy
Eric has completed 4 marathons in the past (including the NYC Marathon), and is excited to run for The Foundling this year! He enjoys running in lower Manhattan and Central Park, and particularly cherishes how the sport provides him with the opportunity to think without distractions. As a foster parent with The Foundling, he shares a personal connection to our mission, and is excited to support our work!
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 Jeffrey Tuchman
Jeffrey’s been an avid runner for 15 years, and has completed two marathons and five half marathons. Most recently, Jeffrey was a member of Team Foundling for the 2022 United Airlines Half! He is eager to run for The Foundling once again, as he cares about children and supports investing in their present and future.
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 Timothy Williams
Timothy’s been a runner for 18 years, and most recently ran with us for the United Airlines NYC Half Marathon earlier this year! His favorite places to run are across NYC and on the beach, and he particularly enjoys the sense of accomplishment that running gives him. Timothy comes to Team Foundling through a deep understanding and passion for our mission. He is a foster parent with us, and was drawn to create a safe, loving environment and life for children who need a supportive home. Timothy is excited to combine his interest in running with his dedication to helping our Foundling community.
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 Emerson Davis
Emerson will be running her very first marathon as part of Team Foundling! She’s been a runner off and on since high school, and has completed in five half marathons in the past. Her favorite song to run to is Higher Love by Whitney Houston, and her favorite places to run are Prospect Park and Central Park. She is particularly passionate about The Foundling’s Haven Academy and our Haven Kids Rock performing arts program. “I believe in the transformational power of the arts and Haven Kids Rock is a wonderful example of that,” she shares.
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 Jacqueline Falcon
Running “can provide a mental and physical escape, and is one thing that’s completely powered by you,” says Jacqueline. She’s been a casual runner for the past 10 years, and has completed a few 5k runs, but this is her first marathon! She’s excited to soak up the energy of the city, and to finish the race. Jacqueline’s excited to raise money for The Foundling, and has a personal connection to foster care and adoption. “I believe strongly that having an advocate for you can completely change the course of your life,” she says. “My mother was someone who was adopted at age 13 and suffered through a difficult home environment. She ultimately was set on a better path thanks to someone who was able to advocate and give her access to resources like the ones that The Foundling provides.”
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 Amanda Brown
Amanda has been a runner for her entire life, and is excited to finish the NYC Marathon! She enjoys running in forests and parks, to Beyonce, Drake, and Brockhampton’s music. Running for The Foundling is just one more way she’s deepening her connection to The Foundling – she also serves on our Junior Board, was a Camp Counselor at Camp Felix, and volunteers regularly for the organization. “My work with The Foundling is what inspired me to become a teacher, and to teach in a high need, urban environment,” she says.
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 CL Freedman
CL is a beginning runner who hopes to complete the NYC Marathon this year! She enjoys running because you need nothing but an open road, and enjoys running along the West Side Highway. CL was formerly on The Foundling’s Junior Board, and is drawn to our organization’s deep history and wide scope of programs.
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 David Stuckey
David is excited to join Team Foundling and complete the marathon in under 3:45. He enjoys running along NYC’s waterfronts, as well as in neighborhoods that he’s unfamiliar with. Running allows him to clear his head – he often doesn’t listen to music, and running gives him time to think. David is excited to be on Team Foundling – he loves that the organization provides holistic support to families and young people, from counseling to housing to education and so much more!
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 Cecile Curtin
Cecile has been a runner for 7 years, and has completed the virtual Boston Marathon, the Philadelphia Marathon, and the Marine Corp Marathon. For the NYC Marathon, she hopes to finish in under 5:30-6:00. She enjoys running in Cape Cod and Central Park, and likes that it provides a chance to zone out and clear her head. Her connection to The Foundling comes through family – her daughter Taylor previously worked for The Foundling as an Education Specialist!
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In a press release from The American Foundation of Savoy Orders (Savoy Foundation), the foundation shared that they recently granted $150,000 for The Foundling’s Camp Felix.