The Child Center of NY is pleased to announce that our behavioral health and residential services programs have earned a three-year term of accreditation by CARF International. Accreditation by CARF, founded in 1966 as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, is widely recognized as the industry standard in behavioral health and represents a public seal of trust.

Congratulations to 17-year-old Ciel, a student at The Child Center Residential Treatment Facility’s P368K Star Academy, whose artwork was featured in the 2022 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Student Art and Essay Exhibit!

As NYC students returned to classrooms this September, The Child Center of NY provided backpacks for families in need through our 2021 Backpack Drive. This year, with the help of our visionary sponsor, Chobani, we raised more than $84,000 and provided backpacks and school supplies for 4,000 students.

Want to know how much fun you could be having at work? Check out this “PAW’s Got Talent” flyer for our afterschool program at the Preparatory Academy for Writers PAW Jam performance showcase. Our youth development staff at the program decided to have a laugh and photoshopped their faces onto an image of “America’s Got Talent” judges — and the youth participants loved it!

The Child Center of NY prioritizes hiring people from the neighborhoods we serve and providing relatable role models that convey to our children just how much they are capable of achieving.

A core principle of The Child Center of NY is that connecting children with relatable role models helps them succeed. We constantly look for opportunities to expose our program participants to adults from their communities who have built fulfilling futures.

On May 25, we had the honor of showing U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, New York City Department of Education Chancellor Meisha Porter, and NYC First Lady Chirlane McCray and her son, Dante, the important work we do at The Child Center.

At the beginning of the pandemic, the Governor’s office deemed The Child Center staff essential. That is in no small part because of our social workers and other service providers and support staff.

At The Child Center of NY, we know every day is a day to observe, study, and appreciate Black History. From the first days of our nation when York played a pivotal role in the Lewis and Clark expedition, to today’s Black luminaries like President Barack Obama and Presidential Inauguration poet Amanda Gorman, Black Americans are an integral part of the fabric of our country.

As NYC schools shift between in-person and hybrid learning models during the COVID-19 pandemic, one thing is for sure: Remote learning will be around in some fashion for at least a few more months.

“You are so much taller!” was the phrase most often heard at the Lights on Afterschool grab-and-go event at J.H.S. 185 in Flushing, Queens, in October. The other one was, “Thank you.”

Ready for some good news for which to give thanks? August Martin High School (AMHS) in Jamaica, Queens, achieved a 91.7% graduation rate for the 2019-2020 school year! “This is a great achievement, exceeding NYC’s average high school graduation rate,” says Amanda Etienne, The Child Center of NY’s Senior Vice President, Youth Development.

When students at M.S. 283 Preparatory Academy for Writers wrote and produced a song about their afterschool experience last year, they never imagined their music video would end up with students performing in face coverings and standing six feet apart.

We are honored to share the news that the New York State’s Office of Mental Health recently awarded The Child Center of NY with the 2020 OMH Community Cares Award for the New York City region.

When Albert Perna, founder of the Perna Foundation for Kids and a member of Queens Community Board 4, received a generous donation of baby food to his organization, he wanted to be sure that it went to families who could use it most. He connected with fellow Community Board Member Ingrid Gomez, who works as a mental health therapist at The Child Center of NY, and determined that he would donate it to The Child Center’s Early Head Start center in Corona.

When 13-year-old Mathew of Flushing, Queens, gathered his index cards and began pitching his anti-bullying app to judges of the virtual 2020 Young Sharks competition, he started to have second thoughts.

The Quest ExpandEd Program at P.S. 182Q is a truly unique afterschool program. In a time when what we can educate our students about is often rigidly standardized, Quest gives teachers, group leaders, and students the opportunity to explore subjects about which they are passionate.

The Child Center of NY joined forces with other community-based organizations such as the Campaign for Children, United Neighborhood Houses, and Queens Community House for the #FundYouthNYC initiative to advocate for summer engagement.

Ocean Bay Cornerstone Community Center in Arverne has been organizing weekly food banks during the COVID-19 pandemic, a crisis that has exacerbated food insecurity. Here is Program Director Deborah Hoyle (and staff member Darryl Devore photo-bombing!) getting ready for the food distribution.

It may sound ironic, but The Child Center’s focus is larger than just children. Since children don’t grow in isolation, our goal is to...