Stories Archive - Page 2 of 6 - The New York Foundling

Adeola Found Life Changing Opportunities

As a person with developmental disabilities living in one of our residences, Adeola faced a number of difficulties in achieving her goals. Like many young people, Adeola has always wanted to find employment, go to college, and become independent—but she struggled to find pathways to achieve this on her own. Over the past three years, however, she’s discovered an incredible support system within The Foundling—and her future is bright.

After a year and a half of intensive training in our Employment Services program, she now works part-time as an Administrative Assistant. The program continues to influence her continued success— Foundling staff continue to provide workplace guidance, and encourage her in her academic goals. Adeola is attending college full-time, working toward her bachelor’s degree in Disability Studies – and she’s succeeding in the final year of her studies. As an aspiring artist, she hopes to one day teach art to others.

May 11, 2022/by Elefant Design

Child Welfare, Strengthening Our Families

Nitegua, Najay & Nellieann Received the Tools to Move Forward

Caring for a newborn and a toddler is a lot to handle in the best of times, but COVID-19 has posed even more challenges for young families. During the height of the pandemic, Nitegua – a mother of two infant children, Najay and Nellieann, in the Bronx – faced new pressures in balancing pandemic safety measures with childcare and necessary household tasks.

As a resilient and dedicated mother, Nitegua was willing to do whatever it took to best provide for her family’s needs—and when she began her work with Strengthening our Families, she had access to a new support system that was there to help. Her Founding coach, Melanie, provided support to improve her family’s stability—GED classes for her husband, guidance as she worked to secure better housing, and more. With Melanie’s help, Nitegua enhanced her budgeting and household management skillsets, and was able to move into a new apartment that fit her family’s needs. Now, her family is doing great— “[The Foundling] helped me execute the plans I had in place to move my family forward,” she says.

May 11, 2022/by Elefant Design

Developmental Disabilities, Residential Services

Michelle Was Supported in Living as her True Self

As a transgender woman with developmental disabilities, Michelle had spent most of her life struggling to access the gender-affirming care she needed. But after coming to live at one of our supportive residences two years ago, she was finally able to take the steps to live as her true self. The dedicated Foundling staff at Michelle’s home provided her with crucial support throughout her transition process – helping her navigate the healthcare system, update her identification documents, and more. When asked to provide advice for others in the LGBTQ+ community, she shared that it’s important to “make sure they have the right people around to help.” At The Foundling, Michelle found just that – and is now on her way to living her best life and reaching her full potential!

May 11, 2022/by Elefant Design

Behavioral Health, Child Welfare, Foster Care

Sitan Found Support and Stability

As a 19-year-old in foster care, Sitan had already faced a lifetime’s worth of challenges when she gave birth to her daughter in April 2020. But the added stress of managing life as a new parent — during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic — made her struggles feel insurmountable. Her foster care team saw that Sitan needed more help, and connected her with our Mental Health Services department.

Through therapy, Sitan learned breathing exercises and coping mechanisms, and now tackles her challenges one day at a time. Additionally, The Foundling helped her make important steps toward independence— she secured daycare for her daughter, rented her own apartment, and has found a full-time job. She now has the stability to provide for her daughter, and is optimistic for the future ahead.

December 7, 2021/by Elefant Design

Education, Road to Success

Marquise and his Tutor Formed a Close Bond

Marquise was struggling academically, found it difficult to focus on life goals, and was often distrustful and distant around others — including his foster mother. Then he joined The Foundling’s Road to Success tutoring program. Once realizing that his tutor, Khristian, was there to help him, Marquise began to open up and see new possibilities. Marquise and his tutor formed a close bond, and while Khristian provided life-changing academic support, he also became Marquise’s friend and mentor. And their relationship did more than improve Marquise’s grades. He has more confidence, and his relationship with his foster mother has completely changed for the better. Now, Marquise is on track in his high school courses, and is excited to plan for higher education and beyond.

December 7, 2021/by Elefant Design

Early Head Start, Education, Head Start

Bianca Came to our Early Head Start Center for Support

Bianca, now a mother of three, came to The Foundling’s Early Head Start Center in San Juan when she learned she was pregnant with her first son, Kermitt, for pre-natal guidance and parent resources and support. Working in partnership with Head Start specialists, Bianca later learned that Kermitt had mild attention deficit challenges. Kermitt began to receive the services and help he needed to succeed in school.

Now 10 years old, Kermitt is on the Honor Roll in school, and Bianca’s two younger daughters are currently receiving support and services through Head Start as well. Thanks to the Head Start program, Bianca’s three children are thriving today—and she is too.

December 7, 2021/by Elefant Design

Child Welfare, Foster Care

Nina, Grace, and Logan are a Family

When Nina opened her home as a foster parent to two siblings, she committed to making them feel safe, secure, and loved. The Foundling provided guidance, intensive therapy services, and more to support her and the children as they healed from past trauma and adjusted to a new environment.

Thanks to The Foundling’s support, Nina, Grace, and Logan are now a thriving family – and with adoption paperwork finalized last year, they will have each other for a lifetime. “They’re biological siblings, and it’s amazing that they get to be together – I think they feel blessed, and I also feel blessed,” says Nina.

December 7, 2021/by Elefant Design

Developmental Disabilities, Employment Services

Lowell Dreamed of Having a Job

Lowell, who lives in one of our Bronx residences for people with developmental disabilities, knew he wanted to work. However, people with disabilities have some of the lowest employment rates in the country, and it was difficult for him to achieve this goal. Years passed without any progress – until he enrolled in The Foundling’s Employment Services in 2018. The program was exactly what he was looking for. Matched with a supportive coach, he began to learn the basics of being in the workforce. He embarked on dedicated skills training, and received expert guidance as he identified jobs that fit with his interests and aptitudes. Through several volunteer positions in the community, he learned how to follow directions and conduct himself in the workplace. While some skills took some time to master, and the COVID-19 pandemic posed further disruptions, Lowell continued to have hope. He never gave up on his goal – and neither did his Foundling job coach. This summer, those efforts paid off as he accepted his first job as a team member with Shake Shack, working at a location in the Bronx! Now, he starts his days with purpose, and enjoys doing meaningful paid work in the community. With The Foundling’s continued partnership, Lowell has a bright future ahead.

December 7, 2021/by Elefant Design

Foundling Past Story

Robert Sensale

Robert Sensale
Foundling Adoptee

“You couldn’t find two luckier people than my sister and I, that we ended up with my mom and dad,” says Robert. “Jimmy Stewart got the movie, A Wonderful Life, but I got to live it.”

Adopted from The Foundling in 1959, he has kept up a lifelong connection with the organization. Along with his sister, many of his other neighbors and friends growing up had been adopted from The Foundling. And 20 years ago, after seeing a Foundling publication featuring Sister Mary DeSales – the woman who had placed him with his family – he reconnected with her. She remembered Robert and his family, and the two ended up having weekly phone calls. Additionally, Robert and his family would visit with her and the other Sisters of Charity at the retirement home where they lived.

“We all went to The New York Foundling’s 140^th anniversary, and there were a number of women there that were nurses in that era,” Robert says. “And you could see them all looking at us – ‘I wonder if I took care of this child, did I hold this child, did I change his diaper?’ It was a really wonderful bonding experience. And to see Sister for the last years of her life was an absolute blessing.”

Robert currently lives in New Jersey , and works as an attorney for a Wall Street investment bank. With his late wife, he has one biological son and three adopted daughters. “Life is good,” he says.

July 20, 2021/by Elefant Design

Foundling Past Story

Greg Markway

Greg Markway
Foundling Descendant

“I found [my grandfather’s] World War 1 draft card, and under place of birth it said ‘unknown’. That just hit me, to just not really know where you came from. It just struck me in a personal way. I felt like I was meant to be doing this search,” says Greg.

Greg’s search for his grandfather’s past has been a long and rewarding experience. “The entire family knows that he came from The New York Foundling and on an Orphan Train, but we knew nothing else about him… I’ve always wanted to know his history.” In recent years, Greg and his relatives have embarked on a journey to learn more – and through DNA testing and extensive research, he has been able to piece together the story.

He learned that his grandfather rode the Orphan Train in 1901, coming to central Missouri. He was adopted by the Markway family, where he was one of 12 children. “One of the interesting parts of the story is that somewhere in 1920, he had returned to New York and found out who his mother was,” Greg says. “I think it always weighed on him that he had been left at The Foundling, but at the same time, he always had a connection to The Foundling.”

The search has not only brought Greg closer to his family, but has provided a newfound community as well. Greg has met others involved in Orphan Train history, started an online group for Foundling Orphan Train descendants, and now enjoys helping others with their own historical research. As Greg says, “Everyone’s story is different. It’s just fascinating to me because I’m a history buff, and a psychologist, and all my interests come together here… And I think we’re all searching for something about where we came from.”

Learn more about Greg’s search for his family history on his blog.

July 20, 2021/by Elefant Design

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