Read the firsthand stories of three team members who started as participants or launched a fulfilling career at this vibrant afterschool program. The SONYC at J.H.S. 185 team: Back row, from left to right: M'Kayla Crumity, Ariel Goldberg, Romir Preenja, Krisnha Torres, and Jahnneisi Arango. Front row: Mehak Mahmood and Alexandra Mitrica. Missing from the photo: Marco Ortega and Theresa Tonis.   Jahnneisi Arango, Group Leader   My journey with The Child Center of NY at J.H.S.

This month, we celebrate Cathy Wu’s 13 incredible years at The Child Center of NY. As a longtime leader at the Macari Family Wellness Center CCBHC and now a dedicated behavioral health operations leader, Cathy has made a lasting impact on the communities we serve. We sat down with her to reflect on her journey, her passion for mental health, and what continues to inspire her work each day. The Child Center of NY: Can you share a bit about how you started your career here and

“I began my journey in June 2014 as a substitute teacher with the Head Start program in Corona, driven by a deep desire to make a difference in my community. My motivation to become an Early Head Start home visitor grew when a coworker shared the powerful impact an early childhood specialist can have.

My journey with The Child Center of NY began in 2018 at the Hammel Houses Cornerstone Community Center. At that time, I joined Team Crate, a co-locator basketball team, and was first introduced to the center. The community center quickly became a second home for me, offering not only a safe space, but also an incredible facility where I could practice with my teams.

As a child, Aliyah attended The Child Center’s COMPASS afterschool program at P.S. 56 in Richmond Hill, Queens. She now serves as program director at our COMPASS afterschool program at P.S. 273, also in Richmond Hill.

As the Director of Clinical Best Practice at The Child Center, Diane Valente, LCSW-R, supports our clinicians in delivering high-quality, evidence-based care to children, adolescents, and families. She works closely with our clinical teams to provide training, enhance professional development, and implement best practices that align with our mission of empowering the communities we serve.

Mehak Mahmood is a Program Director at our SONYC afterschool program at J.H.S. 185 Edward Bleecker Middle School, in Flushing, Queens. She has been with The Child Center for more than a decade, and has served at J.H.S. 185 for eight years. This month, we had the opportunity to speak with her about Ramadan.

At The Child Center of NY, we prioritize hiring people from the communities we serve, with a particular emphasis on hiring former clients. The benefits of this are twofold. First, hiring from the neighborhood is critical to fostering a cycle of opportunity. Second, community members and former clients understand clients’ obstacles and potential; in turn, clients trust them and feel their compassion.

We are thrilled to announce that Nonaghosa (Nona) Ohikuare is taking on a new role as Director of the Health Home Program. Nona started her tenure at The Child Center as an individualized care coordinator with the Waiver Program.

The Child Center of NY is excited to share that Nara Youn, Youth Development Business Manager, and Jin Li, Community Advocate, have been featured in Robin Hood‘s “Faces of Poverty Fighters” campaign for their extensive work on the Undo Poverty Flushing initiative, which aims to help move all Flushing community members out of rapidly growing poverty toward sustainable economic advancement.

The Child Center of NY is excited to announce the promotion of Jessica Barrera-Morales, LCSW-R, to the role of Vice President of Integrated Behavioral Health Services! The Child Center of NY is excited to announce the promotion of Jessica Barrera-Morales, LCSW-R, to the role of Vice President of Integrated Behavioral Health Services!

Sarah Garner, Master Social Worker at The Child Center of NY’s Cohen Family Wellness Center, was recently selected by the NYS Coalition for Children’s Behavioral Health as an Employee of the Year! She was honored at a ceremony in Saratoga Springs last month.

Seline Bearman, LCSW-R, Director of ECMH, Clinical Services, is a valued member of the Child Center of NY...

The Child Center of NY is excited to announce a new position at our organization: Senior Vice President of Holistic Philanthropy...

We are excited to share an impressive team milestone at The Child Center: Kwan Wong, Associate Vice President of Youth Development...

One of the most heartbreaking—and hopeful—things we do here at The Child Center of NY is work with young people...

We’re thrilled to celebrate an incredible milestone—Jean M. Coppola, Billing System Administrator, has reached her 35th work anniversary at

This is a story about a family who traveled on foot from South America to the United States...

Since 2015, the Russell L. Carson Visionary Award has been awarded every year to a Child Center of NY employee who performs...

Earlier this summer, we shared with you sobering statistics regarding LGBTQ+ youth in America—and how critical it is that we support them...