New Yorkers For Children

New Yorkers For Children Funds Fourteen New Programs in 2009

New Yorkers For Children is dedicated to supporting foster care agencies, preventive services, supportive services, and community-based organizations who assist older youth in foster care. Despite the economic downturn, New Yorkers For Children was able to offer the same level of funding in 2009 as in 2008, thanks to the generosity of our committed supporters.

New Yorkers For Children allocated over $800,000 in funding for programs that serve older youth in foster care through education, mental health services, life skills, and employment training.

Click here to see our 2009 grantees

Back-to-School Package Program: Supplies For Success

The NYFC Back-to-School Package program provides college-enrolled youth in foster care with the tools necessary to succeed during their entire college experience. Each Back-to-School Package is valued at $2,500 and includes a laptop computer, printer, software, backpack, bed linens, toiletries, school supplies, and more.

If you are a student in foster care in New York City enrolled in a two- or four-year college and you have not received a Back-to-School Package, please have your social worker contact Naomi Weisel, NYFC Program Manager, at nweisel@newyorkersforchildren.org.

Back-to-School Package Distribution 2009

Guardian Scholars Program

The NYFC Guardian Scholars program is a comprehensive program for youth in foster care who are enrolled at Hunter and John Jay Colleges. These youth are forced to make difficult transitions into adulthood, often without traditional family support. The Guardian Scholars program provides essential financial, academic, and emotional support to help students become successful, self-sufficient adults.

Each year, New Yorkers for Children welcomes new students to the Guardian Scholars program. Please meet our two newest Guardian Scholars.

Youth Advisory Board

The Youth Advisory Board is a group of high school and college students in foster care who serve as advocates for youth in foster care in New York City. The group meets for dinner at NYFC once a month to plan events and programs that positively impact younger children in foster care. The Youth Advisory Board also advises NYFC on the needs and desires of older youth in foster care and provides an opportunity for these youth to meet and socialize with one another.

Wrap to Rap

Wrap to Rap is NYFC’s annual holiday event. Each year before the holidays, the Board and Friends of NYFC and teens in foster care wrap presents for younger children in care. In addition to providing much-needed holiday gifts for children in foster care, this signature program serves to remind teens of the importance of volunteerism and giving back to their communities.

Children of Incarcerated Parents Program

The Children of Incarcerated Parents Program (CHIPP) offers a visiting program at Rikers Island and to City, State and Federal correctional facilities for those children in foster care whose parents are incarcerated. NYFC supports a Special Events and Holiday Program and Photo Program to help ensure that the bonds between children and their parents are maintained.

Youth Financial Empowerment Initiative

The Youth Financial Empowerment (YFE) initiative is an asset building program for youth transitioning from foster care. This unique financial savings program offers youth in foster care, ages 16-21, the opportunity to save for specific asset purchases (education and homeownership) that will support economic independence. Participants contribute to these accounts with earned income and these contributions are matched with a mix of government and private funds that enable purchase of an approved asset goal.

Network to Success

Network to Success events provide high school and college students in foster care with exposure to a variety of industries and potential career paths as they begin to formulate plans for their future. Students are invited to meet a “dream team” of professionals from diverse industries such as sports, fashion, and entertainment and learn about potential careers.

The NYFC Annual Vocational Conference

The NYFC Annual Vocational Conference is a planned partnership with the Administration for Children’s Services, FEGS, FedCap, and other New York City foster care agencies. The goal of the event is to help older youth in foster care, who may not be college bound, explore the professional world and different employment opportunities available to them. The day-long conference helps youth gain a greater understanding and confidence in resume writing, goal setting, and interviewing skills, in additon to providing them with the opportunity to meet myriad New York City employers.

The NYFC Annual Educational Conference

The Annual Educational Conference is a collaboration between NYFC, the Administration for Children’s Services, foster care agencies, and educational organizations throughout New York City to help high school students in foster care take the next step to apply and enroll in college. The conference provides students with the opportunity to learn about higher education from college students in foster care as well as educational experts. The day-long event helps students gain knowledge about topics such as the application process and financial aid and inspires them to reach their educational goals.

NYFC Spirit Award

The NYFC Spirit Award is a $10,000 scholarship awarded each year to a young person in foster care who is succeeding in college. The recipient is a young person who has demonstrated outstanding leadership skills, a commitment to community, and the determination and ability to overcome the barriers to academic success. The NYFC Spirit Award is presented at the Annual Fall Gala and the recipient becomes a youth liaison to NYFC.

If you would like to apply for the NYFC Spirit Award, please check back on our website in May of 2010 for the application materials.

Website for Youth in Foster Care

In partnership with Youth Communications and Children’s Services, NYFC launched a new website, the first of its kind, dedicated to the specific needs of youth transitioning out of foster care. The site serves as a significant resource for these young men and women, helping them to make a successful transition to adult life. Young people have the unique opportunity to contribute their own stories to the site, allowing youth to communicate with and learn from each other.