“Haven Academy began because the New York Foundling recognized that kids in the child welfare system get underserved in traditional school settings,” said Jessica Nauiokas, principal and founder of the school. “They get moved from home to home and in each one of those moves they end up needing to go to a new school and before you know it they are behind in their academics and overidentified for special education needs.” READ MORE
Children as young as 13 can be tried in adult criminal court for serious crimes in New York state. But instead of redirecting troubled kids, prison hardens them. That’s why the New York Foundling offers an alternative, Families Rising, a diversionary option that mandates family therapy in exchange for delayed sentencing and avoiding a criminal record entirely if the program is completed successfully. The program also costs significantly less than housing an inmate at New York City’s Rikers Island: $8,400 versus $167,731. READ MORE
Crains covered The Foundling’s 2nd annual Fall Fete! View photos here.
“‘Dentro de nuestras muchas obligaciones con estos jovencitos, tal vez ninguna sea más grande o más importante para su bienestar y felicidad a largo plazo que proporcionarles una oportunidad y el apoyo necesario para lograr un título universitario,’ manifesto el presidente de la organizacion The New York Foundling, Bill Baccaglini, que promovió la unión de CUNY y ACS en este programa. READ MORE
From 2003-2006, Iris often looked after Destiny Paradiso, the daughter of a family friend. She took care of Destiny when her grandmother, who served as the child’s guardian, worked. But when Destiny was placed in the foster care system at age eight, Iris lost contact with her. Destiny was in her seventh foster home on the day Iris noticed her photo on the foster care agency’s website in 2010. She was one of more than 10,000 children in the foster care system in New York City, a number that now dropped slightly to about 8,800. “I’ve found her,” Iris told Michelle from the living room floor. “I found my daughter.” READ MORE
NY1 anchor Pat Kiernan visited Haven Academy on November 15, to celebrate the launch of his debut children’s book, GOOD MORNING, CITY, to first-graders at The Foundling’s charter school, Haven Academy, located in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx. READ MORE
“We are more concerned about tomorrow than we are yesterday,” said New York Foundling President and CEO, Bill Baccaglini. “We’re constantly pushing the envelope on ways to respond to the need of the kids and families we serve. We love the kids and families of this city and we won’t rest until the foster care population is at zero and every kid is at home with their parents and safe.” READ MORE
“The new program, which is part of the Fostering College Success initiative, began this summer with The New York Foundling providing tutoring and other supportive services to 40 foster care youth.” READ MORE
The City’s Administration for Children’s Services announced a new program to help 50 foster care youth achieve a higher education. This work is a joint initiative with the City University of New York and The New York Foundling. READ MORE
Each year, more than 250,000 children in the United States enter the foster care system. While many will be reunited with their families or adopted, about 10 percent will “age out,” depending on the state they live in, and suddenly be on their own. The New York Foundling, along with a number of other organizations across the country, is working to develop programs to improve these statistics. One such program, Road to Success, provides tutors, specially trained by The Foundling, to work with students, many of whom have struggled with trauma or abandonment issues. READ MORE