Darlene’s Perspective Saint’s Mom When I first enrolled my son Saint at Escalera Head Start, I was concerned about his behavior. He would have tantrums and not really know how to communicate his feelings, so he would scream and cry. I wasn’t sure how he would do in a school environment. I worried that the teachers would judge me, and that they wouldn’t know how to handle his outbursts—as I had trouble doing myself. I also was concerned that his behavior might make it hard fo

Kendra during a field trip to the Bronx Zoo last summer When Kendra enrolled in The Child Center’s Oceanside Cornerstone Community Center afterschool program as a second grader, she was struggling with behavioral challenges. She was also curious, bright, outgoing, good at math, and bursting with potential. That’s what the afterschool program team saw in Kendra, and they were determined to work with Kendra’s mom to ensure Kendra had the tools, support, and confidence to reach

Penny is a participant in The Child Center of NY’s Cash+Community Works (C+C), a peer-based initiative that invests in under-resourced families, trusts them with power, and connects them with peers to uplift whole communities. Through C+C, Penny established a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization—For the Love of Dre—to bring attention to gun violence and advocate for safe neighborhoods. One especially meaningful goal of Penny’s was to name a street after her late son. She reflec

Ma’Chi at The Child Center’s Evening Celebrating Resilience Like everyone, I’ve been through a lot of challenges. Before I was placed into the RTF [Child Center Residential Treatment Facility], I made mistakes I shouldn’t have. I was 11 years old when my mom passed away. A few years later, my stepfather passed. After multiple foster care placements, I was adopted by my uncle and his wife. Living there was hard as well, especially because I wasn’t with my sister. I was so use

Judeen and her daughter, following an afterschool performance in which her daughter participated. In 2023, The Child Center of NY received a grant from the MacMillan Family Foundation to support the launch of the Parents as Partners Project (PAPP) across the 20 NYC DOE-funded Community Schools in Queens and Brooklyn for which The Child Center serves as lead community-based organization.

My journey with TCCNY began in March 2021. After a pregnancy and birth during the pandemic and tons of baggage (trauma) that I carried with me my whole life, a social worker reached out during my postpartum hospital stay. She asked if I needed any resources, including therapy. Even though I knew I needed it, I was scared to say yes. Coming from a family steeped in trauma, I had a difficult childhood and adolescence, but we never considered therapy because of the stigma. My fa

FV, who asked to go by the nickname Pepe, is a 10-year-old boy who receives therapy at Kingsbridge Heights Community Center.

My name is Ashely, and I’m a senior in high school. I’m also the president of the youth council at Oceanside Cornerstone Community Center...

Hey there,  If you’re reading this, perhaps you’re feeling weighed down by expectations, the scars of your past...

When I immigrated to the United States, I thought of a better future for my child, with better education and opportunity...

I didn’t know that I had anxiety and depression. I had an idea but wasn’t really sure. Now that we know what it is, we can treat it.

When I was in middle school, my mother and I moved to the United States from Haiti. It was initially exciting to live in new places..

“I have three children who have been students at Escalera Early Childhood. My daughters were in the program a couple of years ago...

Jismerlyn is a first grader in The Child Center of NY’s COMPASS program at P.S. 56, in Richmond Hill, Queens...

Eudora is a participant of The Child Center of NY’s Cash+Community Works (C+C), a groundbreaking...

Like most parents, Hilaria would do anything for her child. She wanted her son, now 3, to be able to go as far as his abilities could...

Hello! My name is Elijah, but people mostly know me as Eli. Three years ago, in mid-December, I decided to try and take my own life...

Danny is a talented, hardworking young man who mentors youth in his community and enjoys practicing martial arts...

Below is a speech that Jonathan delivered during the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Cohen Family Wellness Center. You can liste....

During COVID, I worked construction during the day and did my schoolwork online in the nights...