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Blog, Press Release

Press Release: The New York Foundling Announces Appointment of Melanie Hartzog as President & CEO

THE NEW YORK FOUNDLING ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF MELANIE HARTZOG AS PRESIDENT & CEO

Hartzog will succeed Bill Baccaglini to lead one of the oldest and largest child welfare organizations in the country

NEW YORK CITY (September 21, 2021) — The New York Foundling Board of Trustees today announced that Melanie Hartzog has been named the organization’s next President and CEO. Hartzog will succeed longtime leader, Bill Baccaglini, who is retiring. Hartzog, who currently serves as New York City’s Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services, will assume the role of President of The Foundling in January while Baccaglini will continue as CEO. After an appropriate period of transition, Baccaglini will step down and Hartzog will assume the title of President and CEO.

“For more than 150 years, The New York Foundling has provided strong, steady, and stable support for hundreds of thousands of our neighbors across New York City and beyond. Bill’s leadership of The Foundling since 2003 has driven tremendous innovation, expansion and an unyielding commitment to advancing the greater good of the entire sector,” said Robert E. King, Chairman of the Board of The New York Foundling. “The Board of Trustees is very excited to have Melanie join The Foundling — with her remarkable depth of knowledge and experience, we have no doubt that she is the perfect person to lead us to greater levels of success, positively impacting all those who we serve.”

Hartzog has spent her career uplifting the city’s most vulnerable. In her current role as Deputy Mayor, she is responsible for guiding the city’s response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and oversees the social services agencies that deliver care and assistance to New York’s vulnerable populations, including seniors, the homeless, children, and victims of domestic violence.

“Advocating to improve the lives of children and families in underserved and underrepresented communities in New York City has been the focus of my work for many years. I’ve dedicated my entire career to ensuring that every person, no matter their circumstance or zip code, has the resources and tools to thrive. This is at the center of The Foundling’s mission, and I am humbled to have the opportunity to add to the rich history and deep impact of this changemaking organization,” said Melanie Hartzog. “I want to thank Bill for his tremendous leadership and Bob and the entire Board of Trustees for their confidence and faith in me.”

The New York Foundling remains at the forefront of issues affecting at-risk New Yorkers and provides programs in child welfare, juvenile justice, education, and developmental disabilities, reaching 30,000 people in New York and Puerto Rico every year. Hartzog will take the reins of the organization from Baccaglini, who has been a prominent advocate for innovative initiatives that have had transformative impacts on the lives of countless children and families. “It has been a great pleasure to have been at The Foundling for nearly 20 years, and I know that in Melanie’s incredibly capable hands The Foundling will continue to drive change and improve the lives of those we have the privilege to serve. Melanie comes to The Foundling with the stature, vision, and experience that will enable this great institution to continue to be responsive, innovative, and forward-thinking,” said Bill Baccaglini, President and CEO of The New York Foundling. “I am honored and excited for Melanie to join our team and can’t wait to see the great things that I’m sure our future holds.”

Hartzog previously served as the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget, where she oversaw the largest municipal budget in the United States, responsible for funding all city programs and services for New Yorkers. Before joining the Office of Management and Budget, Hartzog served as Executive Director of the New York Chapter of the Children’s Defense Fund, where she oversaw program and policy development, financial management, and fundraising. Previously, she served as Family Services Coordinator for the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services and Deputy Commissioner of the Administration for Children’s Services.

“I know Deputy Mayor Melanie Hartzog will lead the New York Foundling to ever greater heights in serving the wellbeing of children in our city, because that is exactly what she has done for the families of New York City throughout her entire illustrious career in public service,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “In our city’s most challenging moments, Melanie stood up for the most vulnerable in our communities and delivered real, transformative change for working families. That is why I appointed her Deputy Mayor, and why every New Yorker should rest assured that following her tenure in City Hall this year, one of the nation’s largest and oldest child welfare organizations will be led by one of our most dedicated champions for children and families.”

About The New York Foundling

At The New York Foundling, we trust in the potential of people, and we deliberately invest in proven practices. From bold beginnings in 1869, our New York based nonprofit has supported a quarter million of our neighbors on their own paths to stability, strength, and independence. The New York Foundling’s internationally recognized set of social services are both proven and practical. We help children and families navigate through and beyond foster care. We help families struggling with conflict and poverty to grow stronger. We help people with developmental disabilities live their best lives. And we help children and families access quality health and mental health services core to building lifelong resilience and wellbeing. For more information about The New York Foundling, please visit www.nyfoundling.org.

September 21, 2021/by Elefant Design

Blog, Press Release

The New York Foundling Announces the Establishment of its New York Center for Trauma-Informed Child Welfare Practice

New York, NY (July 20, 2021) – The New York Foundling will be establishing a new Center for Trauma-Informed Child Welfare Practice, with funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). SAMHSA is a national agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that provides awards to nonprofit organizations nationwide through a highly competitive application process.

The Center opens in the fall with the goal to improve mental health outcomes for children who have experienced emotional and physical trauma. The Center will offer Trauma Systems Therapy (TST), a research-backed, proven therapy for children and families who have experienced trauma; will offer trainings and consultation for partner agencies across New York City’s child welfare system; and will test the effectiveness of TST and share those findings and best practices through the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative network. Children and families already receiving services with The Foundling will be able to take advantage of the new center and all that it has to offer—and through ongoing trainings to mental health providers, more and more social service agencies will be equipped to provide the TST model to their constituents.

“By equipping mental health providers from peer organizations with these time tested and proven approaches to mental health treatment and social services, more and more children and families in our community will be able to move past the trauma they’ve previously experienced and look forward to a stronger and more stable future,” said Bill Baccaglini, President and CEO of The Foundling.

“We are thrilled to launch The Center for Trauma-Informed Child Welfare Practice which will enable The Foundling to provide research-backed treatment, care, and support to children and their families across our community.” said Dr. Ruth Gerson, Senior Vice President for Mental Health Services at The Foundling. “We have been using Trauma Systems Therapy for years in our foster care program, and we have seen the way it can be transformative for youth and families. We’re eager to expand access to TST through our Center and to begin training other mental health practitioners to implement this model of treatment into their work.”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health and wellbeing of the nation. SAMHSA’s mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities, and the grants that they award support the highest-caliber programs designed to prevent and treat mental health challenges and substance abuse disorders.

About The New York Foundling

July 20, 2021/by Elefant Design

Media Coverage, Press Release

Press Release: ACS Announces Awards Selected to Operate its ‘Family Assessment Program’

The New York Foundling was awarded contracts by the NYC Administration for Children’s Services to operate services within its Family Assessment Program, beginning July 1, 2021. We are proud to partner with ACS in providing support to families in our community, and to add our voice to the press release below:

ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN’S SERVICES ANNOUNCES AWARDS SELECTED TO OPERATE ITS ‘FAMILY ASSESSMENT PROGRAM’
ACS “Family Assessment Program” Provides Support to Families With Young People In Crisis, Including: Truancy, Substance Misuse, Behavioral Challenges & Others

NEW YORK, NY – The New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) today announced the organizations selected for awards to operate the Family Assessment Program (FAP). FAP provides support and interventions to families with youth who are at risk of out-of-home placement and present with behavioral challenges, such as: truancy, antisocial or criminal activities, substance misuse and other behavioral and mental health challenges. Each year, FAP serves approximately 3,500 families.

ACS selected five organizations for fifteen contracts: Children’s Aid, The Children’s Village, Community Mediation Services, JBFCS and New York Foundling.

“We understand the many challenges parents face when raising teenagers, and we want to be sure they receive the support they need to address adolescent behaviors,” said ACS Commissioner David A. Hansell. “Through the many services and supports, the Family Assessment Program helps to strengthen and further improve the lives of New York City’s families. These efforts – especially during the pandemic – are part of our mission to help families stay safely together.”

“Keeping teenagers at home, with family or with adults who love them, in school and engaged in community is the right approach,” said President and Chief Executive Officer at The Children’s Village, Jeremy Christopher Kohomban, Ph.D. “We are thrilled to partner with ACS in this very important effort.”

“Today’s teens are facing myriad challenges brought upon by the pandemic and remote learning, compounded by the impact of racial injustice that youth and families of color, particularly Black male teens, routinely face.” said Executive Vice President at Children’s Aid, Georgia Boothe. “Through the Family Assessment Program, we can bring much-needed crisis intervention strategies and family therapy to support teens by addressing trauma, preventing truancy, reducing and preventing involvement in the justice system, as well as increasing family communication and functioning. We are proud to partner with ACS in this work to ensure we can help youth and families learn and grow.”

“The New York Foundling is proud to provide evidenced-based preventive services to communities across the city as part of the Family Assessment Program,” said Senior Vice President of Child Welfare and Behavioral Health at The New York Foundling, Shannon Ghramm-Smith. “These services will ultimately decrease the family to child welfare pipeline, and the juvenile justice to criminal legal system pipeline. We look forward to working with ACS as we partner together through and beyond the pandemic, and will continue to think critically on innovative approaches to service delivery and continuing efforts to broaden tele-health and tele-care into our work.”

FAP plays a key role in fulfilling ACS’ ongoing commitment to improving outcomes for adolescents by connecting youth and families to appropriate interventions in times of crisis. ACS implemented FAP in 2002 to divert adolescents at risk of out-of-home placement through Family Court via the Persons in Need of Supervision (PINS) process. FAP and the providers of these services work to resolve crises, stabilize families, and connect youth to the support they need. They also offer caregivers the skills and tools they need to provide the guidance and structure that promote adolescent success. FAP has significantly reduced the number of youth entering foster care via the PINS process. In 2019, FAP prevented a PINS foster care placement for 98% of the families served. Approximately, 3,500 families accessed the FAP program and only 70 youth entered foster care through the PINS process.

Families who engage with FAP have youth that are generally between the ages of 11 and 18 years old, with the majority between the ages of 14 and 17. Some youth may have previous involvement with the juvenile justice system; and many may face several challenges, including truancy, illegal substance use, curfew noncompliance, negative behavior among peers, mental health concerns and absence without permission. In many instances, parents may need support in order to strengthen their ability to manage adolescents who are presenting with challenging behaviors, including their capacity to provide appropriate supervision and discipline.

The recently announced awards for FAP programs offer a continuum of service interventions targeted for families. The models procured in the current FAP Request for Proposals include:

Family Stabilization (FS) programs that provide services tailored to the needs of families and children through case management, resource navigation, service referrals, parenting skills, and support with concrete needs, as well as regular in-home assessments of child safety and well-being. Within a 90-day period, staff support family members as they collectively develop a plan.
Functional Family Therapy (FFT) provides therapy in the home with family therapy intervention for the treatment of violent, criminal, behavioral, school, and conduct problems with youth and their families. Both intra-familiar and extra-familial factors are addressed. Therapy takes place over an intensive four-month period including 30 one-hour therapeutic sessions.
Multi-Systemic Therapy (MST) includes clinical features, such as enhanced use of motivational interviewing and skills-building with caregivers to increase impulse control and decrease dysregulation; high sense of urgency regarding child safety through weekly and long-term goal-setting and enhanced safety assessment protocols. Therapists visit the home multiple times per week and are available by phone 24 hours a day.
Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT) is a brief family intervention for children and youth with serious behavior problems and/or drug use. The intervention works well for families with behavior management challenges and problematic relationships. The intervention identifies patterns of family interaction and improves them to restore effective parental leadership and involvement with the youth. The treatment takes place in a combination of in-home, in-school and in-clinic sessions over the course of two to five months.

In addition to the recently procured models, the FAP program also continues to provide the Mentoring and Advocacy Program (MAAP) and Respite care. MAAP is an individualized strength and advocacy-based program that provides wraparound supports for youth between the ages of 12 and 18. Each youth is matched with a mentor whose focus is to provide guidance in developing better self-esteem, creating healthy relationships and making positive life choices. Respite Care is a non-mandated program where a family agrees to engage in services while the youth is temporarily placed in a foster home for 21 days.

ACS is committed to delivering services in a socially just and culturally competent manner. As part of the award process, the organizations selected to deliver FAP services are required to implement strategies to address equity. For instance, strategies may include: establishing a racial equity committee within the organization, conducting ongoing assessments of equity, developing strategies to address equity in hiring practices and more. Organizations are also required to adhere to ACS’ policies regarding the equitable and sensitive treatment of Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) youth and their families. Additionally, services through FAP are provided through staff who are responsive to the culture and character of the population served and are fluent in the languages spoken by participating youth and family members. Staff are also trained in balancing the task of delivering information to families while being responsive to their cultural beliefs and immediate circumstances.

For more information or to learn about the FAP services go to Family Assessment Program.
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April 22, 2021/by Elefant Design

Blog, Child Welfare, Press Release

The New York Foundling Announces the Opening of its Flagship Strong Families and Communities Training Center

New York, NY (April 19, 2021) – The New York Foundling is proud to announce the opening of a first-of-its-kind training and resource center in partnership with New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

The Strong Families and Communities Training Center (SFC Training Center), which officially opened its doors in October of 2020, provides workshops for front-line social service workers across three core areas: training and technical assistance, implementation support for evidence-based practices, as well as coalition building and community engagement. These areas equip, support, and train both service providers and community members with best practice techniques and date-driven approaches to positively impact the communities they serve across The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island.

The Center is grounded in the Communities that Care organizing model, an evidence-based framework that elevates community voice to see strengths in a community and have community picked services. In the difficult time of COVID, a key goal of the SFC Training Center is to train CBO family-serving staff in evidence-based parenting models to better serve parents, communities and families who are experiencing a great deal of stress.

“We are proud to be able to share our evidence-based best practices with social service workers and community organizers across other New York City-based agencies and organizations,” said Elizabeth Tremblay, Assistant Vice President at The Foundling and Director of The Foundling’s Strong Families and Communities Training Center.

“Opening The Strong Families and Communities Training Center in partnership with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is a critical step toward ensuring that The New York Foundling’s incredible work reaches every corner of the city. Importantly, we are thrilled to be building on The Foundling’s 150-year-long legacy of helping communities thrive and reach their full potential,” added Shannon Ghramm-Smith, Senior Vice President of Child Welfare and Behavioral Health at The New York Foundling.

The SFC Training Center’s unique approach includes open trainings that are based on community feedback and listening sessions to discuss training needs and topics to better serve families. Featuring expert peers with years in the field, the SFC Training Center adapts their programming to ensure the information is applicable and helpful for the peer workforce.

“The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is proud to partner with The New York Foundling on this important effort,” said Dr. Myla Harrison, Acting Executive Deputy Commissioner of the Division of Mental Hygiene at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. “Strengthening the capacity of front-line staff to deliver high quality services to parents/caregivers and families in our communities will help promote children’s mental health and well-being.”

The SFC Training Center, which aims to train and upskill workers outside of The Foundling’s own staff, marks a new chapter for the organization’s robust set of social services helping children, families and people with developmental disabilities. By equipping practitioners from other agencies and organizations with their time tested and proven approaches to social services, The Foundling continues to demonstrate its strong commitment to broadening its impact on communities across the city outside of just its own services. To date, The SFC Center has trained over 200 care workers across various agencies and organizations in New York City.

About The New York Foundling

At The New York Foundling, we trust in the potential of people, and we deliberately invest in proven practices. From bold beginnings in 1869, our New York based nonprofit has supported a quarter million of our neighbors on their own paths to stability, strength, and independence. The New York Foundling’s internationally recognized set of social services are both proven and practical. We help children and families navigate through and beyond foster care. We help families struggling with conflict and poverty to grow stronger. We help individuals with developmental disabilities live their best lives. And we help children and families access quality health and mental health services core to building lifelong resilience and wellbeing.

For more information about The New York Foundling, please visit www.nyfoundling.org.

April 19, 2021/by Elefant Design

Blog, Press Release

Our 2020 Impact Report

Throughout the difficulties created by the pandemic, The Foundling continued to lead the way ahead and provide guidance, support and compassion to our community during these uncertain times. Because of our supporters, our neighbors from New York to Puerto Rico stood tall and found resilience, hope, and the strength to persevere amid an unprecedented health crisis.

We’re proud to announce Our Path: Forward and Together, The Foundling’s 2020 Impact Report, which details our collective work and contributions over the past year. From our COVID-19 relief efforts to the powerful stories showing how individuals and families overcame obstacles, we invite you to read about the impact we made together.

Browse our Impact Report here, or learn about our larger reach on our updated Impact webpage.

March 2, 2021/by Elefant Design

Child Welfare, Media Coverage, Press Release

District Attorney NY County: “Phoenix Project” Begins Serving Young Survivors of Sex Trafficking Across New York City

In a press release, Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance, Jr. announced that beginning today, the non-profit organization The New York Foundling is supporting survivors of sex trafficking through its new child and youth sex trafficking intervention program, “the Phoenix Project.” The innovative program will serve approximately 50 to 70 young people ages 12 through 21 each year at locations across New York City.

The New York Foundling Announces Two Additions to Leadership Team

THE NEW YORK FOUNDLING ANNOUNCES TWO NEW ADDITIONS TO LEADERSHIP TEAM

New York, NY (December 15, 2020) – The New York Foundling is pleased to announce the appointment of two new members to its leadership team: Dr. Ruth Gerson will be the new Senior Vice President for Mental Health Services and Shannon Ghramm-Smith will serve as Senior Vice President of the Child Welfare and Behavioral Health Division.

Dr. Gerson joined The New York Foundling in February, 2020. As Senior Vice President for Mental Health Services, she will oversee the psychiatric and mental health services for children and teenagers in foster care and for youth and families receiving services in The Foundling’s Home for Integrated Behavioral Health in East Harlem. Dr. Gerson also teaches at the NYU School of Medicine, where she is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She is nationally recognized as an expert in child psychiatric emergencies and in trauma-informed crisis services for youth, and is the co-editor of two books, Beyond PTSD: Helping and Healing Teens Exposed to Trauma, and Helping Kids in Crisis: Managing Psychiatric Emergencies in Children and Adolescents.

As Senior Vice President of our Child Welfare and Behavioral Health Division, Shannon will lead five major programmatic areas at The Foundling: Foster Care Services, Family Preventive Programs, Juvenile & Criminal Justice Programs, Education and School Based Programs, and Behavioral Health Programs. Shannon has strong roots in implementation science, evidence-based interventions, and streamlining programs to drive successful collaboration and strong client services. Prior to this role, Shannon served as Vice President of Behavioral Health Programs and Care Management at The Foundling, and lead all behavioral health programming as well as The New York Foundling’s care management program, which serves hundreds of clients across New York City each year.

“We are thrilled to welcome Shannon Ghramm-Smith and Dr. Ruth Gerson to their respective new roles. Shannon has been with The Founding for close to 10 years and will join our leadership team with the insight that comes from being a therapist, supervisor, and having held other important positions across our organization for nearly a decade. Dr. Gerson, who joined our team more recently, will continue to contribute her knowledge and expertise gleaned from over 10 years of clinical experience in pediatric psychiatry. Both of these incredible leaders will continue to be valuable in ensuring The Foundling understands how we can best support our clients and our entire workforce during these challenging times,” said Bill Baccaglini, President and CEO of The New York Foundling.

The New York Foundling is built on a 150-year-old promise to New York’s many communities, that all children, adults, and families can have the opportunity to reach their full potential. The Foundling is proud to continue the critical work of removing obstacles to wellbeing for people across New York through evidence-based approaches to health and mental health.

About The New York Foundling

At The New York Foundling, we trust in the potential of people, and we deliberately invest in proven practices. From bold beginnings in 1869, our New York based nonprofit has supported a quarter million of our neighbors on their own paths to stability, strength, and independence. The New York Foundling’s internationally recognized set of social services are both proven and practical. We help children and families navigate through and beyond foster care. We help families struggling with conflict and poverty to grow stronger. We help individuals with developmental disabilities live their best lives. And we help children and families access quality health and mental health services core to building lifelong resilience and wellbeing.

For more information about The New York Foundling, please visit www.nyfoundling.org.

December 15, 2020/by Elefant Design

Blog, Press Release

The New York Foundling Announces Two New Additions to Board of Trustees

New York, NY (July 16, 2020) – The New York Foundling announces the appointment of two new members to their Board of Trustees. Joining the board are Angelique Sina (Friends of Puerto Rico and Sinabel Group) and Paul Neale (DOAR, Inc).

“We are thrilled to welcome Angelique and Paul to The New York Foundling’s Board of Trustees. Both bring a unique perspective and expertise to our work, and, will continue to help us to grow as an organization. We are looking forward to working alongside them, and to furthering our mission to serve our community,” said Bill Baccaglini, President and CEO of The New York Foundling.

Angelique Sina is a social entrepreneur and President of Friends of Puerto Rico and Sinabel Group. After her career at the World Bank, she launched a multi-million-dollar philanthropic fund to support youth in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. As part of her efforts, she launched Café Ama, a social impact coffee company that creates a pathway out of poverty for youth in Puerto Rico by teaching them entrepreneurship and farming skills. She is a graduate of the University of Puerto Rico, Johns Hopkins, and Stanford University Business School. “The Foundling is an important bridge for youth and families reaching from New York to Puerto Rico,” said Sina. “I feel fortunate to play a small role in their important mission.”

Paul Neale is the Chairman, CEO and majority shareholder of DOAR, Inc., the leading global consulting firm advising lawyers at top tier law firms and major corporations involved in high-stakes, complex legal disputes. He has over 30 years of experience in litigation consulting and holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice from Temple University.

“The New York Foundling serves the communities and individuals who most deserve and need the amazing support that the organization provides,” said Paul Neale. “The Foundling’s mission and the passion and commitment with which it carries it out are truly inspiring. I’m proud to be a part of such an impactful organization.” Neale also previously served on the board and remains a strong supporter of Hands In 4 Youth (www.hi4y.org), an organization that provides social and educational programs for low-income youth.

About The New York Foundling

At The New York Foundling, we trust in the potential of people, and we deliberately invest in proven practices. From bold beginnings in 1869, our New York based nonprofit has supported hundreds of thousands of our neighbors on their own paths to stability, strength, and independence. The New York Foundling’s internationally recognized set of social services are both proven and practical. We help children and families navigate through and beyond foster care. We help families struggling with conflict and poverty to grow stronger. We help people with developmental disabilities live their best lives. And we help children and families access quality health and mental health services core to building lifelong resilience and wellbeing. For more information about The New York Foundling, please visit www.nyfoundling.org.

July 16, 2020/by Elefant Design

Blog, Press Release

Our 2019 Impact Report

2019 was an impressive year for The Foundling – we celebrated our milestone 150^th anniversary, expanded many of our core program areas, and witnessed countless moments of achievement among the children, adults, and families we serve.

We are proud to announce Growing Together, our 2019 Impact Report, which illustrates our growth throughout the year – from program expansions to individual successes for thousands of people throughout New York and Puerto Rico.

July 15, 2020/by Elefant Design

Blog, Press Release

The Foundling’s Statement on Racism and Racial Injustice

Statement from The Foundling

Bill Baccaglini, President and CEO

We are in the middle of a storm—in New York City and across the nation. It is unfathomable to think that so many members of our communities: colleagues, friends, and loved ones – our “gorgeous mosaic” of many races and nationalities – are living in fear.

I cannot say that I know what it’s like to be a person of color, but I know enough to recognize deep, systemic problems when I see them. We all know they exist – that’s why many of us have chosen to work at The Foundling – to try to bridge some of those gaps and heal some of that suffering.

Our opportunity structure is broken and it has been for generations. Black and brown children go to schools, play in parks, and live in neighborhoods with fewer resources and services than those typically utilized by white children. And they are going to grow up with less access to quality healthcare – something made apparent by the disparate impact of COVID-19. Our clients and our staff, the overwhelming majority of whom are non-white, live this reality every day and we see the effects of these structural inequities.

And now, over and over, we have seen the difference in how black and brown people experience the criminal justice system. Each time, we all vow “never again.” How many times can we say “never again?”

This is not a New York City problem, it’s not an Atlanta problem, and it’s not a Minneapolis problem. It’s not a few isolated and unrelated incidents – this is a profound, systemic, American problem. We cannot allow ourselves, as the deniers would like, to analyze each incident – each killing of a person of color – as a separate event. We cannot continue to allow our political leaders to settle for marginal remedies that fail to address the larger condition.

The Foundling has represented, supported, and served people facing hardship in New York for over 150 years – people of all colors, religions, backgrounds, and beliefs. We represent those who feel voiceless and vulnerable, whose opportunities are limited. Every member of our team is committed to serving people in need, to working in our communities, to saving lives. We are all in pain.

We cannot allow this issue to devolve into discussions about looters – a small number of people whose mission is to hijack a peaceful movement to create chaos for their own personal gain. These individuals give credibility to the deniers, who use the looting as a justification for their dismissal of the tragedy that is taking place and the larger issues at hand.

The stakes are higher than ever and we need our elected leaders to rise to the challenge. We need reforms that are equal to this moment. At The Foundling, we have focused on education for the past 15 years, not because we began with any expertise in the field, but to find ways of rebalancing the opportunity structure for black and brown children in our City. Our hope was that if we could intervene in the educational experience for one generation, we could reset the opportunity structure in an enduring way. But we are one organization, with limited scope and resources. Much more is needed in the fight against racism and racial injustice. Government must step up.

Leaders in every city in America must resolve to change. They must understand the urgency of this situation and rise to the challenge. There can be no greater priority than to recognize the very real pain that exists, to work to restore faith in our institutions, and to remove the need for our citizens to feel fear. Simply put, systemic racism must be acknowledged and addressed. Let this be the last time we have to say “never again.”

June 4, 2020/by Elefant Design

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