On the Tuesday, June 25 episode of BronxNet Community Television‘s OPEN, our President & CEO Melanie Hartzog sat down with host Kibin Alleyne to chat about The Foundling’s transformative programs, the future of supportive housing, and on what nonprofit organizations can do to meet the needs of their community.
Watch the full video below, or read more on BronxNet
El Diario reports on our newly constructed supportive housing complex in Harlem. Our Supportive Housing program serves young adults with a history of foster care and/or homelessness, providing them with affordable housing and an array of holistic services.
Karen Yi of WNYC reports on our Mother and Child program, which recently moved into a dedicated building in The Bronx’s Castle Hill neighborhood.
“A New York City foster care provider is trying a novel approach to help the young moms in its care: housing them under one roof in apartments equipped with washer-dryer machines and where they can access support staff 24 hours a day…The organization said its ultimate goal is to help young moms learn to live on their own when they age out of foster care. The new side-by-side buildings will allow the Foundling to expand its mother and child program that works with young moms. Organizers hope their new approach can be a model for others.”
Harlem World reports on the opening ceremony, held May 31, of our new supportive housing units, located in a brand-new building in Harlem.
“The New York Foundling today marked the completion of a major affordable and supportive housing complex in amenity-rich Harlem. The new model is for helping youth who are aging out of foster care and exiting the shelter system,” they write.
“Our hands-on program provides safe, affordable housing and critical services, including job training and support, that help put young people on track for healthy and fulfilling lives as adults. This is how we break the cycle of homelessness for these young people,” said Melanie Hartzog, President and CEO of The New York Foundling, one of the city’s oldest and largest human services organizations. “Easily accessible and centrally located, this supportive housing project represents a new model that builds a bridge from foster care to independent living. I thank Governor Kathy Hochul and all of our incredible project partners for helping us bring this much needed project to the heart of Harlem.”
Patch reports on the opening of our supportive housing complex in Harlem:
“Last Friday, The New York Foundling marked the completion of their newest affordable and supportive housing complex in amenity-rich Harlem that will become a new model for helping youth who are aging out of foster care and exiting the shelter system.
Residents like Venessa Riley are grateful to have the support of The Foundling’s Supportive Housing program to help them transition out of the foster care system and into living independently.
“As a youth in foster care, you never know where you’ll end up or how you’ll end up. But now, with support from The New York Foundling and New York State, I have a safe space to lay my head – and in the heart of Harlem where you walk outside and are instantly inspired. I’m grateful for this wonderful opportunity. I plan to make the most of it,” said Venessa Riley, a resident of The New York Foundling’s Harlem supportive housing program.”
Our Mother and Child Program, which provides housing, 24/7 support, and holistic services to young mothers in foster care – was recently featured by Gothamist. The Bronx-based program, which was previously located in scattered apartment units, has opened up a new dedicated housing complex in the quiet residential Castle Hill neighborhood. The new space expands the program’s capacity and includes safe and clean renovated apartments, backyard space, and the opportunity to create a stronger community so these mothers and children can thrive.
Reporter Karen Yi speaks to a young woman who is moving into the new Bronx residential complex in collaboration with The Foundling and ACS, as well with our CEO & President Melanie Hartzog on the need for specialized, individualized supportive housing for young people in foster care.
With on-site counseling, job training, mentorship and medical referrals, 95% of participants in The Foundling’s long-standing supportive housing program successfully transition to independent homes within 2 years
New York, NY (May 31, 2024) – The New York Foundling today marked the completion of a major affordable and supportive housing complex in amenity-rich Harlem that will become a new model for helping youth who are aging out of foster care and exiting the shelter system.
Among the residents of the brand new, 17-story residential tower at 126 West 126th Street are 70 young people leaving foster care and the shelter system moving into 51 supportive housing apartments. The homes come with extensive on-site services to support their independence, from counseling and therapy to mentorship and job training. The program has a remarkable success rate: for each of the past four years, 95% of young people in The Foundling’s scatter-site supportive housing have successfully transitioned within two years to living independently, whether in market rate or traditional income-restricted homes they may qualify for.
“Our hands-on program provides safe, affordable housing and critical services, including job training and support, that help put young people on track for healthy and fulfilling lives as adults. This is how we break the cycle of homelessness for these young people,” said Melanie Hartzog, President and CEO of The New York Foundling, one of the city’s oldest and largest human services organizations. “Easily accessible and centrally located, this supportive housing project represents a new model that builds a bridge from foster care to independent living. I thank Governor Kathy Hochul and all of our incredible project partners for helping us bring this much needed project to the heart of Harlem.”
“The New York Foundling was created more than 150 years ago to serve infants and children who were at risk of falling through society’s cracks. Their enduring ethos is encapsulated in this $93 million supportive housing development, which sits at the heart of the new Urban Empowerment Center,” said RuthAnne Visnauskas, Commissioner of the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal. “We know that the young people moving into this tremendous building will have the support they need to grow confidently into adulthood. I am proud of the role the state has played in financing this mixed-use development, the ingenuity and vision of our partners, and the determination that Governor Kathy Hochul consistently displays in seeking solutions to our shared housing crisis.”
“ESD is proud to partner with The New York Foundling to open this amazing new supportive housing project in the heart of Harlem, that is a key feature of the broader Urban Empowerment Center on 126 Street. Quality housing and economic development go hand-in-hand and The New York Foundling’s unique approach combines housing access with programs that promote economic opportunity – unlocking the enormous personal potential of these young, resilient New Yorkers,” Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said.
“Supportive housing is essential for promoting the health and well-being of young adults transitioning out of foster care as they work toward independence. Governor Hochul and our partners at HCR recognize the positive impact stable housing combined with essential services can have on young people’s lives and we congratulate The New York Foundling on the successful completion of this much-needed project,” Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn said.
“As a youth in foster care, you never know where you’ll end up or how you’ll end up. But now, with support from The New York Foundling and New York State, I have a safe space to lay my head – and in the heart of Harlem where you walk outside and are instantly inspired. I’m grateful for this wonderful opportunity. I plan to make the most of it,” said Venessa Riley, a resident of The New York Foundling’s Harlem supportive housing program.
The new housing is part of a large mixed-use development project known as the Urban Empowerment Center. On Harlem’s 125th Street, the Center will bring the new headquarters, museum and institute for the National Urban League, offices for One Hundred Black Men of New York, the Studio Museum in Harlem, the United Negro College Fund, and Virginia Union University; and retail, including a Target and a Trader Joe’s. The project’s development partners are BRP Companies, L+M Development Partners, Taconic Partners, and The Prusik Group. Financing for the project came from New York State, Goldman Sachs, Santander Bank and Redstone Equity Partners.
About 1,000 young adults, 18 to 26 years old, age out of foster care in New York City each year. Many are at risk of homelessness and face obstacles finding housing, securing employment, completing school, and building a support system to guide them forward. Supportive housing residents are provided with affordable and fully furnished apartments, and they are paired with The Foundling staff who guide them in achieving financial, academic, and vocational goals.
Over 500 applicants have been received for the 51 apartments in one development, underlying the immense need for these homes, which are funded by the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative.
Harlem Supportive Housing Program Highlights:
“After many years of discussing, planning and finally constructing, we are now able to witness the transformative moment of awarding a young person the keys to their own apartment. Through the efforts of local elected officials, public and private partnerships and a great deal of luck, we can now celebrate these well-deserving individuals who have earned this opportunity after waiting in some instances years to enjoy their own safe, stable environment that they can call their own. This will afford them the sense of independence and security they have long awaited. Everyone is deserving of quality affordable housing, and I am proud of the efforts I helped to bring negotiating the level of affordability to keep this project accessible to middle- and low-income residents,” said New York State Assembly Member Inez E. Dickens. “I would like to thank The New York Foundling’s Melanie Hartzog, Division for Home and Community Renewal’s Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas, the Office of Temporary Disability Assistance, Commissioner Barbara C. Quinn and the National Urban League for collaborating on this project of hope, right here on Harlem’s famed 125th Street.”
“This housing will change lives – that’s not an overstatement. Youth aging out of foster care are some of the most vulnerable New Yorkers and connecting them to a safe place to live with wraparound services is the first step to a stable future,” said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. “Thank you to the New York Foundling and New York State for the partnership that made this possible, and I look forward to seeing how the building’s residents thrive.”
“I am so pleased that The Foundling’s program has found a home here in Harlem. Their Supportive Housing program provides an essential service to many young people in need of support, and we are thrilled that we will soon be able to welcome its residents – our new wonderful neighbors – into our Museum when it reopens. There, they will be able to engage with, and experience the great power of art within our community,” said Thelma Golden, Director and Chief Curator of the Studio Museum in Harlem.
“Today, as we celebrate young people building futures in Harlem, we at UNCF are celebrating our 80th anniversary. As part of this amazing development project, UNCF will be returning to Harlem, where our story began in 1944, and where we will continue to bring together allies from all backgrounds to uplift our nation’s HBCUs and students,” said Diego Aviles, Vice President, Northeast Division of the United Negro College Fund.
“This transformative housing project in Harlem is a beacon of hope and a testament to the power of community and collaboration. At Virginia Union University, we are committed to empowering young people, and our involvement in this project aligns perfectly with our mission to nurture and produce leaders who are prepared to create positive changes in their communities. The comprehensive on-site services offered, such as job training and mentorship, are crucial for fostering independence and resilience among youth transitioning out of foster care. We are proud to be part of this initiative, which not only supports these young adults in their journey towards independence but also enriches the Harlem community as a whole,” Dr. Hakim J. Lucas, President, and CEO of Virginia Union University said.
“We’re excited to celebrate this milestone alongside the New York Foundling and all development partners involved at a time where the delivery of affordable housing offerings is critically needed across the greater Harlem community and New York City as a whole,” said Andy Cohen, Managing Director at BRP Companies. “With an added focus on our youth population aging out of foster care, this development aims to provide residents with the resources needed to foster upward mobility and opportunity, and we’re proud to be part of what this project represents.”
“This partnership with the New York Foundling brings the type of high-quality housing and comprehensive supportive services that young people need to thrive upon exiting either the shelter system or foster care,” said Lisa Gomez, CEO of L+M Development Partners. “Projects like this are particularly exciting because they go beyond creating affordable homes – they help foster stronger communities where residents are set up for success. We are grateful for Governor Kathy Hochul’s leadership and to our partners for helping to bring this vision to life.”
In addition to the new Harlem development and with the support of New York State, The Foundling already operates three supportive housing programs in Brooklyn, including two scatter site programs in 20 buildings and serving 40 young people across 33 apartment units. Of 48 youths, 46 have successfully transitioned to independent living within two years.
In September 2022, as part of New York State’s Vital Brooklyn Initiative, The Foundling opened Vital Brookdale, its first model supportive housing development, in Brownsville. The complex’s 160 deeply affordable apartments include 36 homes for young adults aging out of foster care and New Yorkers with developmental disabilities, two groups that often experience steep obstacles to living on their own. Besides Vital Brookdale and 126 W. 126th Street, a third similarly modeled supportive housing project – where youth are housed together rather than in scattered buildings – operated by The Foundling and funded by New York State is being planned for the Bronx.
Learn more about The Foundling’s supportive housing program here.
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The New York Foundling is proud to partner with NYC Health + Hospitals and the Administration for Children’s Services on the The Pathways to Prevention pilot program.
As Part of a New Pilot Initiative, NYC Health + Hospitals Staff at Lincoln Hospital, Gotham Health Morrisania & Elmhurst Hospital Will be Trained on How to Best Identify and Connect Families In-Need to Family Support Services
May 28. 2024
New York, NY — The NYC Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) and NYC Health + Hospitals today announced a new pilot initiative aimed at connecting more families in need with family support services, while also reducing unnecessary reports made to the State’s child abuse hotline simply because a family needs help. The Pathways to Prevention initiative is just one of the ways in which New York City is working to make sure families have direct access to the resources and services they need. The pilot was designed with the help of the Public Policy Lab and jointly supported by Casey Family Programs and Youth and Families Forward Fund.
As part of the pilot, social workers, physicians and other staff at Lincoln Hospital (Pediatric clinic, OBGYN, CASA clinic), Gotham Health Morrisania (Pediatric outpatient) and Elmhurst Hospital (Pediatric clinic, OBGYN, Adolescent clinic) will be trained on how to best identify and connect patients to beneficial family support services. Staff will be able to facilitate such connections through the findhelp.org social services directory or by contacting one of the participating ACS prevention providers directly. The pilot will be rolled out with the following ACS community-based prevention partners: JCCA, Children’s Aid, Cardinal McCloskey, Good Shepherd Services, SCO Family of Services and The New York Foundling.
“This pilot program with NYC Health + Hospitals and the Administration for Children’s Services is another avenue to extend the supportive network for families,” said Deputy Mayor Anne Williams-Isom. “It is one of many tools we are using as our frontline response across our health and human services system, because we know sustained proactive support is what gives every family and child the best chance to thrive.”
“New York City is leading the way in making sure families have streamlined access to the resources, services and support they need and this partnership with Health + Hospitals is central to that work,” said ACS Commissioner Jess Dannhauser. “In the first three months of this year, we received more than twice as many referrals to prevention and family support services from community sources than in the first three months of 2023. This means schools, shelters and families themselves are learning how to access supportive family services without any need for a child protective investigation. With this new partnership, we expect that number to grow. I want to thank Health + Hospitals for its commitment and collaboration.”
“The Pathways to Prevention program is a testament to NYC Health + Hospitals’ commitment to the holistic wellbeing of every family we serve,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD. “By partnering with ACS and community-based organizations to proactively connect families to crucial support services, we’re ensuring that our patients have access to the resources they need to thrive both inside and outside our hospital walls.”
“Families come to our hospitals and clinics because they want to be healthy, and access to family support programs is essential to that,” said Aaron Miller, MD, MPA, Assistant Vice President of Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment at NYC Health + Hospitals. “We are proud to have strong relationships with partners in government and community-based organizations so that we can truly meet families where they are and support them in their journey toward their healthiest life.”
“This pilot is the result of hundreds of hours of interviews and co-design workshops with families, hospital staff, and staff at ACS’ community-based prevention partners,” said the Public Policy Lab’s Design Strategy Director, John Buckley. “We are thankful for the leadership shown by our New York City agency partners who recognize the importance of multi-agency collaboration when supporting families and the front-line staff who serve them. This model of cross-agency collaboration combined with human-centered design has proven potential to transform how New Yorkers interact with and benefit from public services.”
“The New York Foundling has always strived to meet families where they are with the services that they want. This initiative does just that. For many of the young people, families, and communities we interact with every day, these approaches are far more effective than government intervention or supervision. We look forward to working with ACS and Health + Hospitals on this program to more seamlessly connect New Yorkers reaching out for support,” said Melanie Hartzog, President and CEO of The New York Foundling.
“Since 1946, Cardinal McCloskey has provided comprehensive community-based services to protect, empower, and promote independence for children and families and have worked tirelessly to keep families together. As a result, we are honored and privileged to be working with ACS and NYC Health and Hospitals as they continue to play such a pivotal role in moving this vision forward,” said Beth Finnerty, President & CEO of Cardinal McCloskey Community Services.
“Community-based organizations play a critical role in ensuring that families across New York City are supported with resources vital to their health and well-being,” said Michelle Yanche, CEO of Good Shepherd Services. “The Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) and NYC Health + Hospitals pilot initiative represents the City’s commitment to empowering community-based organizations to meet the most fundamental needs of families across our city. Good Shepherd Services is proud to support this important initiative and looks forward to our continued partnership with ACS and NYC Health + Hospitals.”
“New York City continues to set the national standard of care for children and families. Through this partnership with Health + Hospitals, JCCA will expand its continuum of care to reach families where they are and when they need it most. Too many families in need of support don’t know how to get it. By investing in a proactive approach to community health that empowers healthcare and other social services to make referrals, the city has created a vital pathway for trusted providers to reach families and support their health and stability,” said JCCA’s CEO Ronald Richter.
Today’s announcement builds on the ongoing work that ACS is doing to better connect families to services upfront. For instance, last year, ACS announced it was collaborating with NYC Public Schools – the largest source of report citywide – to provide revised training and materials so that mandated reporters, like teachers and guidance counselors, better understand when a report is and is not necessary and how they can support a family without a call to the State’s child abuse hotline. ACS and NYC Public Schools have jointly trained over 8,600 school staff in more than 90 interactive sessions since early 2023. ACS has also been training staff from Department of Homeless Services shelters, private hospitals, and DYCD after-school providers.
Photo and Video: The New York Foundling Mural Celebrating Community, Doctors and Activists in New Mural Unveiled at Brownsville Supportive Housing Complex
See photos and video of the mural being installed here
Brownsville, NY (May 20, 2024) — The New York Foundling today unveiled Colors of My City, a mural at Vital Brookdale, the non-profit’s recently built supportive housing complex in Brownsville, Brooklyn. The nearly 1,000 square-foot mural was designed and painted by artist Layqa Nuna Yawar and has been installed across the street from Vital Brookdale on a brick wall of neighboring Brookdale Hospital.
Colors of My City celebrates Brownsville with portraits of physicians, activists and neighbors, alongside everyday landmarks like the Brooklyn Bridge and nearby 3 train. One of its subjects, Patricia, is a resident of Vital Brookdale, where 36 people with developmental disabilities and young people exiting foster care live and receive wrap-around services as part of a larger affordable housing project. Patricia is pictured crocheting a blanket, one of her passions, and a symbol of “home.”
Layqa developed the mural based on workshops with residents at Vital Brookdale and their neighbors. He is best known for large-scale community-based murals, intricate portrait paintings, and multimedia projects that center around the complex narratives of black, immigrant and indigenous populations.
“Our residents at Vital Brookdale deserved something beautiful, something that honored them and the whole neighborhood. I am so excited to see Layqa’s finished mural in a place where people can reflect on it on their walk to work, or sitting on a bench in our courtyard. Colors of My City will become a community landmark,” said Melanie Hartzog, President and CEO of The New York Foundling.
“I am so proud of this mural. I love its intimate, personal moments, like Patricia crocheting her beautiful blanket. We spent a lot of time talking to this community about who and what people wanted to see reflected in this wall. I hope that they look up at it every day and see themselves,” said artist Layqa Nuna Yawar.
Opened in 2022, Vital Brookdale serves two distinct groups that often experience obstacles to living independently: young people aging out of foster care and adults with developmental disabilities. Vital Brookdale builds upon The Foundling’s existing supportive housing and developmental disabilities residential programming to provide private apartments to participants that are ready to live on their own through supplemental services that ensure a successful transition into the next chapter of their lives. Learn more about Vital Brookdale and The New York Foundling’s work in the Brooklyn community here.
About the Artist:
Layqa Nuna Yawar (b. 1984, Cuenca Ecuador) is a public artist and multidisciplinary storyteller based in the ancestral lands of the Lenni-Lenape: current-day Newark, NJ. His work is best known for large-scale community-based murals, intricate portrait paintings, and multimedia projects that center the complex narratives of immigrant, black, indigenous, and subaltern populations. His artwork aims to disrupt established semiotic systems and reimagine them in service of shared liberation and a better future.
Layqa’s name is an invention that honors the Kichwa-Kañari legacy of his descent. His practice is driven by the act of reclaiming history as well as the inherent rupture and repair of the immigrant experience. His work exists at the intersection between migrant alienation and belonging, cross-cultural identity and decolonization, and between the private and the public realms.
His work has been recently commissioned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Munich Airport NJ, in partnership with Public Art Fund and can be permanently found at the new Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport. His collaborative work is also now on view at MoMA PS1 in New York City. Other Recent awards include an Artist Impact Award from the Newark Museum of Art, Monument Lab Research Residency, a Creative Catalyst Fund Fellowship by the City of Newark, an Art Changemaker Award from the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, and a Moving Walls Fellowship by Open Society Foundations among others. Layqa has held multiple teaching residencies, including projects with the United Nations World Food Programme, Casita Maria, and currently teaches at Rutgers University. His murals can be found in cities and communities around the world.
Judge Michael Corriero discusses his work in the juvenile justice sphere in this interview with CBS News, including his role in our pioneering Families Rising program.
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