Child Welfare
“I was able to graduate college, I was able to find housing, I was able to work, and have quality childcare for my baby at the time. They nurtured me to be an amazing young woman and I’m so grateful.”
Young women who are pregnant or parenting while in foster care face numerous obstacles to a happy, healthy, and independent future for themselves and their children. The Foundling’s Mother and Child Program provides a home and comprehensive supports for young mothers in foster care and their children.
This long-standing residential program has been a life-changing experience for generations of young women.
For example, Rosa joined our Mother Child Program in need of a safe space to live, the support to finish high school and attend college, and guidance on becoming the best mother for to her daughter. Our residential program – which provides wrap-around services to adolescent mothers in foster care – has served as a lifeline during a pivotal time in her life.
Education
“If I didn’t have [my tutors], I don’t know where I’d be.”
Students in foster care often face academic challenges and obstacles – so The Foundling has developed unique one-on-one tutoring models to assist young people from elementary school through college.
Road to Success is our 3rd-12th grade tutoring program for young people in care, which provides trauma-informed one-on-one tutoring – and goes above and beyond the expectations of a typical tutoring program by providing true mentorship to students and working closely with families in a coordinated effort to improve student academic achievement.
College Choice Support Services helps students in foster care make higher education a reality, by providing comprehensive financial, academic, and social supports to help young people in foster care across all of New York City succeed in college and beyond.
Health & Behavioral Health
“We can take someone to the grocery store and help them learn to grocery shop better, we can go to somebody’s home and kitchen and teach them how to them cook with healthier cooking techniques, we can work with their families and support people. It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet someone where they’re at and address multiple needs at once.”
The New York Foundling’s Nutrition Team assists participants across The Foundling with guidance on nutritious eating, regular exercise, and cultivating a healthy lifestyle.
Working in our Developmental Disabilities homes, our medical centers, and on-site visits at our Mother Child Program, the team meets participants where they’re at to provide dietary support. From cooking demonstrations, nutrition planning, and exercise guidance, they model a healthy lifestyle for the young people in foster care we serve, as well as children in the community.
Health & Behavioral Health
“[The Foundling’s programming has] helped me overcome obstacles I’ve placed on myself, and propelled my art forward.”
Placement in foster care can be difficult for children – adjusting to family separation, unfamiliar environments, and new caregivers can often lead to mental health difficulties, which require specialized treatment.
Our clinical Mental Health Services program serves all young people in The Foundling’s foster care program, and is staffed by psychiatrists, psychologists, and therapists who have expert knowledge in the issues children often face. Additionally, The Foundling has expanded into providing care to the community – our Home of Integrated Behavioral Health offers low-barrier therapy and psychiatric services for children and families in East Harlem, and we will soon open another neighborhood center in Brooklyn.
Health & Behavioral Health
“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.”
Our Supportive Housing program supports young people aging out of foster care or at risk of homelessness as they learn to support themselves and build a network of support critical to their lifelong success.
The currently operates in Brooklyn and Manhattan, and provides safe, affordable housing and wrap-around services – allowing young people ages 18-25 to transition out of the foster care system and work toward independence.
Education
“Camp Felix was a rock for me throughout my time in care – a place I felt safe and accepted, where I was challenged to learn new things and was inspired by the people who supported and guided me.”
The New York Foundling launched Camp Felix in order to provide young people in foster care with an uplifting summer experience that enables them to bond with their peers, learn new skills, stay active, nurture their creativity and connect with nature.
Our overnight summer camp changes many of our campers’ outlook on life, their futures, and their sense of pride. Campers immerse themselves in activities that instill feelings of self-confidence, resilience, respect, and community. Many campers leave carrying a new sense of hope, and the belief that despite their difficult circumstances at home or with their families, they can “do anything.”
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