Myra's Family
Vivian Ampomah, a family coordinator with The Child Center of NY’s School-Based Early Support (SBES) program, sees firsthand how supporting entire families creates lasting change.
Since our founding in 1953, The Child Center of NY has recognized a simple truth: Children do not grow in isolation. They thrive when their families are supported and their communities are strong. That belief has guided our work for more than seven decades—and it is the foundation of the School-Based Early Support program, funded by the New York City Administration for Children’s Services and NYC Public Schools.
This past year, Ms. Vivian worked with Myra and her two sons, Cristian, 14, and Christopher, 8. The family was connected to SBES because Myra was concerned about Cristian's behavior and the emotional impact of the trauma he experienced after coming to the United States. She reported that Cristian often went places without permission and displayed disrespectful behaviors toward her, including talking back and using foul language, mostly directed at her—something she suspects he picked up from his biological father. Myra is a survivor of intimate partner violence. She completed domestic violence counseling with Voces Latinas, but she understood from what she was seeing that the experience had a lasting effect on Cristian, who was displaying negative behaviors not only at home, but also at school.
Through SBES, both Cristian and Christopher were connected to individual therapy at NYPCC, where they continue to attend weekly sessions. The family also received support through The Child Center's food pantry and Child Center Benefit Access, and Ms. Vivian helped them find tutoring services to address Cristian’s academic struggles.
“I am thrilled to report that Cristian graduated from middle school in June and will attend high school in the fall,” Ms. Vivian says. “Myra continues working hard as a single mother to provide for her family. Both children have shown positive progress in school, which was reflected in their most recent report cards. Myra also reports improvement in Cristian’s behavior at home: He is very helpful around the house and no longer goes out without permission.”
Ms. Vivian is grateful for the opportunity to work shoulder to shoulder with families as they build brighter futures together.
"As a family coordinator, I do this work because I believe every family deserves support, guidance, and access to resources that can help them grow and succeed. Working with families like this one has been a meaningful experience. I had the opportunity to connect them with important resources, including mental health services, the food pantry, virtual tutoring, and English classes. Seeing their willingness to engage with these supports and take steps toward achieving their goals has been rewarding and reminds me of the importance of this work. I am proud to be part of each family's journey and to witness their progress, resilience, and commitment to creating positive changes."
