Geraldine has a smile that can light up a room. But getting to that point wasn’t easy.
She was a student at our Richmond Early Learning Center in Staten Island, with the opportunity to get a head start on her learning and motor skills before kindergarten. Instead, she kept rubbing her mouth, and wincing in pain.
Teachers tried to feed her healthy food, but she refused to eat in class or at home. She was losing weight and energy, and action needed to be taken quickly.
Richmond staff worked with Geraldine’s parents to connect her with an appropriate dental team, and when she saw a dentist, the conclusion was clear: she had severe cavities, and needed surgery to remove her front four teeth.
Her mother was scared to let her daughter undergo surgery, and was worried it would damage her child’s smile. But after working closely with the Children’s Aid staff, whom she grew to trust, our health consultant was able to outline the benefits of surgery outweighing the risks. Mom eventually agreed to treatment.
Recovery wasn’t easy, but in time, Geraldine started to feel better. Her mother was thrilled with the results, and was elated that her daughter resumed normal eating habits and returned to a healthy weight.
Now Geraldine is enjoying kindergarten, and will have a winning smile for the rest of her schooling and beyond. We’re so proud of her. And to help kids just like her, I’d be so grateful if you’d consider a gift.
Moria Cappio
Vice President, Early Childhood
As the director of Children’s Aid Wagon Road Camp, I’ve met thousands of kids. Whenever there are children showing signs of acting out, our staff have a plan in place to help address the behavior issues, and keep the camper focused on making good choices.
Victoria is one of those kids, and I want to share her story with you.
This past summer was her fourth year attending Wagon Road Camp, where she’s always enjoyed spending time with her friends. But this past summer, Victoria’s behavior changed. She was disrespectful toward camp staff, and refused to follow the rules.
While this behavior is not unusual for returning campers as they grow into their teenage years, camp staff knew they needed to confront the issue.
When they did, Victoria got defensive. But after several meetings where the camp counselors talked to her about issues with friends and pressures at home, they made it clear they weren’t giving up on her. After a while, she eventually admitted that she did not act appropriately.
When her counselors suggested they create a plan to work through the challenges, Victoria was very receptive to the idea. When she was ready, Victoria met with each person she had mistreated and made a genuine apology.
For the remaining weeks of camp, Victoria acted more cooperatively and respectfully with all staff. She even thanked her counselors for helping her and shared that she will utilize the strategies they developed if she finds herself in a similar situation during the school year.
There are so many children in New York who don’t have the opportunity to attend summer camp, or have mentors to address their social-emotional growth. I hope you enjoyed reading Victoria’s story, and I hope you’ll consider giving a gift so that more children like her can be set up for success. Thank you in advance.
Vince Canziani
Director, Wagon Road Camp
Jalen is what we call a “Children’s Aid kid” — someone who has taken advantage of our comprehensive programming at every turn.
In 2015, Jalen moved to New York City with his mother and younger sister from Jamaica. He enrolled at Fannie Lou Hamer Freedom High School, where Children’s Aid helped him flourish.
Jalen became an Ambassador for Student Government, and joined MSG Classroom, a program jointly sponsored by MSG Networks and the Garden of Dreams Foundation. This program offered him hands-on job experience in broadcast journalism, where he directed and shaped the content for a show called “Game Changers.”
He didn’t stop there. Jalen used his newly developed leadership and public speaking skills with elected officials in Albany. As part of a Children’s Aid youth delegation from Fannie Lou, Jalen advocated for increased funding to youth programs in the five boroughs — and got it.
Motivated by these successes, Children’s Aid also cultivated another spark within him: entrepreneurship. With support from the Children’s Aid Entrepreneurship Center, Jalen launched an apparel line, and applied to and was accepted to the South by Southwest competition in Austin, Texas, where he presented his business plan.
Today, Jalen remains a busy young man. He’s a freshman at Lehman College majoring in communications, and has his eyes set on working for MSG Networks after earning his degree. On the side, he continues to manage his apparel business. And to show his appreciation for Children’s Aid helping get him to where he is today, he’s donating 20% of the proceeds of his sales to our programs.
There are plenty of kids with boundless potential just like Jalen. They just need opportunities to help cultivate their passions. Will you consider giving a gift to help more kids just like him? I’d be so grateful if you did.
Danny Morris
Community School Director
Fannie Lou Hamer Freedom High School
At Hope Leadership Academy in Harlem where I’m the director, teens gather to process their feelings on personal and social issues, leverage resources to prepare for college and career, and ultimately, become the leaders of tomorrow. And Chamylah General is a prime example of what it means to be a leader of tomorrow.
When Chamylah first entered Hope’s doors, she told me that she had benefitted from Children’s Aid’s after-school, dance, and drama programs in the past, and she wanted more. Her eager interest to get involved and her contagious enthusiasm assured me early on: she was destined for great things.
As I got to know Chamylah, she also shared that she battled depression. But she didn’t let that define her, and she knew that she had Children’s Aid mentors, family members, and friends who she could rely on for care and support.
Throughout her years at Hope, she never let personal struggles get in the way of her success. She facilitated more than 400 workshops for her peers, covering topics like cultural diversity and financial literacy, and became a pro at public speaking and youth leadership. With Children’s Aid by her side, she also received stellar grades in high school, was accepted to St. Peter’s University, and was awarded several scholarships we offered.
At St. Peter’s, she studied psychology, and worked as an undergraduate research assistant and a peer career advisor to other students. She also served as president of two student organizations: the Liberational Improv Team, where she is a founding member, and the international honor society in psychology, “Psi Chi.” Chamylah is now in a master’s program for counseling at Seton Hall University, and is working toward attaining her Education Specialist Certification. She’s excited to begin a career as a counselor for students in postsecondary education, as well as a motivational speaker about mental health issues.
When children experience mental health struggles, it’s critical they have a network of support to rely upon. Today, I’m asking you to please consider giving a gift, so that whenever a child comes to us with a personal struggle, we can offer a caring space and a network of services to help them get through it.
Angela Sharpe
Director, Hope Leadership Academy
Alejandro Salazar has endured more hardships than many can even imagine. At age 17, he was diagnosed with AIDS after having contracted HIV years earlier from a blood transfusion. His family reacted horribly, kicking him out of the house and leaving him to fend for himself. Then, years later, he lost his life partner to pancreatic cancer. More recently, he was the victim of a random attack, where he broke his spinal cord and has suffered from chronic pain ever since.
After enduring so many tribulations and tragedies, he has a never-ending source of happiness that makes it all worth it: his daughter Claritza, who was born in 2006. Years later, in 2018, he received a phone call that two of his young relatives, Alicia and Aliana, were suffering from abuse. He agreed to take them in, and now feels blessed that his sources of happiness have expanded from one to three.
But when the girls arrived to Alejandro’s home, there were payment delays that oftentimes occur in the foster care parent payroll. Without funds to pay for new accommodations, all three girls had to sleep in the same bed, and had barely enough clothing to wear. “The transition was very, very difficult and very overwhelming,” Alejandro said.
Shortly after the girls moved into their new home, they enrolled in nearby M.S. 324, a Children’s Aid community school. When Children’s Aid staff learned about the family’s struggle, they offered emergency aid to Alejandro so he could purchase furniture, winter clothes, and shoes for the girls. Now the girls all have their own beds, enough clothing to wear, and a safe and supportive place they can now call home.
After help with the basics, the family was set up for success. Aliana, the youngest, loves to sing and dance, and took advantage of the Children’s Aid after-school arts programming at M.S. 324 so she could explore her passions.
Alicia, the middle child, has a learning disability and speech issues, but receives help from her Children’s Aid tutors at M.S. 324 so she can succeed in school and pursue her dream of one day becoming a teacher.
Claritza, the oldest, is currently in high school and wants to become a pediatric surgeon. She also attended M.S. 324, and took advantage of Children’s Aid’s academic enrichment programs to help get to where she is today. She’s also happy to see that Children’s Aid is playing a major role in her sisters’ lives, too.
When asked how he deals with the trauma, chronic pain, and parental responsibilities as a single parent, Alejandro’s response was swift: “I’m too blessed to be stressed.” And with Children’s Aid by his side, he now has several less reasons to be stressed.
