Author Archives: Renee Riebling

Photo of the Month: The 2025 Backpack Drive

September 30, 2025 | Leave a reply

Look who’s ready and excited to start a new school year!

Pictured here are fourth-grader Alessandro (right), who is a client at The Child Center of NY’s Cohen Family Wellness Center, and his sister, Camilia (left), who just started second grade.

Alessandro and Camilia are holding new backpacks provided through The Child Center’s 2025 backpack drive. Every year, The Child Center organizes a campaign to provide fully stocked backpacks to any child in our programs who needs one. Alessandro’s backpack included a binder, notebook, pens, pencils, markers, colored pencils, and more.

This year, rising prices have made it even harder for families to provide school supplies. According to the National Retail Federation, families with children in elementary through high school plan to spend an average of $890 on school items—approximately $25 more than last year. That’s a lot for most families, and many who were able to afford supplies in the past may no longer be able to do so. We are so grateful for all the donors who stepped in to fill the gap so that children like Alessandro and Camilia walked into their classrooms on the first day with pride, confidence, and joy.

With the basics taken care of, Alessandro is looking forward to focusing on his goals. When asked what he wanted to achieve this year, Alessandro said, “I want to make new friends, have new memories, and try to gain a new school award.”

We’re rooting for you, Alessandro! With your positive spirit and determination, you are well on your way. We can’t wait to hear all about it!

Editor’s Note: It’s not too late to support the backpack drive, which ensures our youth are prepared for school year round. Learn more: https://give.childcenterny.org/campaign/687337/donate.

Penny’s Story

September 8, 2025 | Leave a reply

Penny and her family and a councilwoman stand in the rain holding a street sign.

From left to right: Andre’s daughter, Anaya; his wife, Timia; Council Member Nantasha Williams; and Penny

Penny is a participant in The Child Center of NY’s Cash+Community Works (C+C), a peer-based initiative that invests in under-resourced families, trusts them with power, and connects them with peers to uplift whole communities. Through C+C, Penny established a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization—For the Love of Dre—to bring attention to gun violence and advocate for safe neighborhoods. One especially meaningful goal of Penny’s was to name a street after her late son. She reflects on the culmination of this goal in the story below.

My name is Patricia, a.k.a. Ms. Penny. On June 7, 2025, I had the honor of having a street in Jamaica, Queens, co-named after my son. At the corner of 109^th Road and 169^th Place, there is now a street sign proclaiming it Andre (Dre Most) Saunders Road.

My son Andre was an MTA bus driver and self-proclaimed violence interrupter—meaning, Andre would singularly stop lots of potential street violence before it would erupt into people getting hurt or killed.

Unfortunately, Andre was an innocent bystander who was murdered on January 11, 2009. He was and still is a legend in the community and surrounding communities. Our family history goes back as far as I can remember on this block. All the way back to my great-great-grandmother, who passed away at 102 years old. My brother and his family still reside on the block.

One night or day, I had an epiphany that Andre said he wanted his name on the block. I told him I would fight tooth and nail, even if I had to put it up on cardboard. By the grace of God, Councilwoman Nantasha Williams, and the community, it was manifested.

I thank Cash+Community Works for all the support they have extended to me, by supplying treats, waters, and other support at the gathering after the street-naming event, and especially for the grant I was awarded. With funds from the grant, I was able to officially register For the Love of Dre as a nonprofit. We’ve hosted several giveaway events to bring the community together, and to honor and promote Andre’s legacy of nonviolence, community, and making the most of life. Andre lived every day with gratitude, joy, and purpose. He built people up and brought them together instead of tearing them down and apart. This is what For the Love of Dre is all about. I can’t think of a better way to honor my son’s memory than by instilling these values in the next generation, in the community he cared so much about.

Ma’Chi’s Story

August 28, 2025 | Leave a reply

Ma'Chi, a teen at the Child Center Residential Treatment Facility (RTF) stands dressed in a suit for The Child Center's gala.

Ma’Chi at The Child Center’s Evening Celebrating Resilience

Like everyone, I’ve been through a lot of challenges. Before I was placed into the RTF [Child Center Residential Treatment Facility], I made mistakes I shouldn’t have.

I was 11 years old when my mom passed away. A few years later, my stepfather passed. After multiple foster care placements, I was adopted by my uncle and his wife. Living there was hard as well, especially because I wasn’t with my sister. I was so used to taking care of her—I used to cook for her, traveled two or three miles to get her from school, and made sure to be there for her in whatever ways I needed to be—I didn’t know how to take care of myself.

I started missing school and, unfortunately, resorted to violence. I was not able to express my feelings well, and there was an incident of violence at school that really changed me. Someone talked about my mom and a family member in a way that ticked me off, and I reacted in a way that wasn’t fit. Now I’m here.

You might think I’m unhappy about that. But it’s better than being in jail. It’s better than being six feet under. I’m thankful I’m here instead of anywhere else. That’s because I’ve come to understand this placement as a stepping stone to get better in life.

My first experience with therapy was here. It was challenging. I wasn’t used to talking about my feelings or things of that nature. You start talking to somebody, and you’re like, who is this person? I don’t really know them. But as time goes on, you get used to talking about your feelings and realize how helpful it is. I’m so thankful for that. I found new ways of looking at things and coping with challenges.

I found arts and crafts helped me express myself. I wasn’t a very good drawer before I came here. Ms. Nina [Grae, Arts Expansion Coordinator] and Ms. Victoria [Ortiz, RTF Activity and Events Coordinator] helped me be able to draw and write songs and poetry. I wrote a poem, “A Letter from Heaven,” and drew a picture of my mom and stepfather.

I’m also an athlete. I’ve been playing ball forever, and I’ve gotten better at ball since I was here. Whenever I’m on the court, everything just goes away: I’m focused on that, and that only, and that’s a good coping skill for me.

One of the most important things I’ve accomplished here is keeping an empathetic mindset in my heart. I try my best every day. I don’t let other people’s challenges faze me. I just let them fly by, because everyone has a reason. Everyone has their problems, and who am I to judge somebody, knowing that I was worse than them? I’m in no state to judge anybody around me, because I don’t know what they’re going through, just as they don’t know what I’m going through. Everything everyone does is deeper than the surface level. I started to realize that sometimes people will treat me how they treat me because of something they’re going through, and that’s helped me manage my feelings better.

And no matter how hard things got, I always kept my mom’s message in my heart. She believed in me, and I always strive to do better, in school and in my relationships with other people, and live up to that.

When a lot of kids first arrive at the RTF, they don’t understand what it is to be here. I can tell you from experience that it’s a better place. The therapists do nothing but help. And they are really genuine. They do family sessions as well for me and my uncle and my sister. That’s been an important thing for me because my sister just graduated eighth grade. I got to see her before she graduated, and that made me happy. Being here doesn’t mean that you don’t get to see your family. You get to work on your relationships with them, which has meant so much to me.

I’ll be starting 11^th grade in September, and I’m feeling excited about the future. I don’t know what I want to do yet. First, I want to be a motivational speaker. I’m interested in being an astrophysicist as well; I love space and science. But I always have a plan B, and I want to play basketball overseas because I like traveling and exploring new things. Whatever I do, I know the path I want to take is helping people. I speak from the heart and have thought about being a psychologist who goes into foster homes to lend a helping hand to kids like me. I definitely want to go to college, and my top choices are Rutgers and NYU.

The RTF provides a Summer Youth Employment Program, which allows us to learn about jobs and internships so that when we leave here, we can get a job. I feel like that’s very helpful. Kids like me, we don’t know where to start when it comes to jobs. Sometimes the situations aren’t ideal, where you have a guardian to just easily sign your working papers, and then, boom, you have a job. It’s not that easy all the time. So now you can have a therapist or your transitional coordinator sign the papers because they have the right to, and you can get a job.

My job here is administrative assistant to Ms. Nina. I like to be an open worker and help wherever I’m needed. We had a cookout for Juneteenth where all the families came. I did everything from event setup to making books for the families to read. I’m gaining a lot of skills, and I’m happy to do my part and give back. I try to be generous with my time and energy, because no one can do it alone.

Photo of the Month: Summer Rising at Parsons Community School

August 28, 2025 | Leave a reply

If “awesome summer” were a photo, this would be it!

Meet soon-to-be eighth grader Sasha, who has been a participant of The Child Center of NY’s afterschool program at Parsons Community School in Flushing, Queens, since sixth grade. This summer, he participated in Parsons’ Summer Rising program, offered through a partnership between the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) and the NYC Department of Education. A free, full-day program for NYC students in kindergarten through eighth grade, Summer Rising provides a combination of academic support, social-emotional learning, and enrichment activities.

Those are the parameters for all Summer Rising programs—but how each program accomplishes this is up to their own creativity and imagination!

The Parsons team chose to center the summer’s activities around the theme “Parsons Goes Hollywood.” Participants engaged in weekly theme challenges such as recreating iconic movie scenes, posters, and props. The movie genre was action the week Sasha’s group earned the winner’s chain!

“Participants and their counselors took the theme and made it like a Hollywood set every week,” recalls Program Director Rafael Florero, noting that they attended to all the details, from costumes and makeup to elaborate set pieces and performances.

In addition to going all in on the Parsons Goes Hollywood theme, participants went on fun and exciting trips, such as United Skates, Dorney Park, and Ferox Ninja Park, and they explored electives such as basketball, soccer, fitness, 3-D printing, music studio, and dance—to name a few!

“This summer has been a standout,” Rafael says. “A huge shoutout to the team at Parsons who made this a great summer and helped bring their participants’ ideas to life.”

Photo of the Month: The Walking Rainbow

July 31, 2025 | Leave a reply

Three early elementary school age children watch in wonder as a folded napkin with its ends in cups of colored water turn into a "walking rainbow"

Kenya (left), Nylaiah (back), and Hailey (right) observe the walking rainbow.

Summer camp at Hammel Houses Cornerstone Community Center is more than just a break from school. It’s a special time when memories are made, friendships blossom, and young people engage in learning and fun—and the two are never mutually exclusive.

In this Photo of the Month, second-graders Kenya and Hailey and first-grader Nylaiah are learning about capillary action: the movement of a liquid along another material against an opposing force.

But if we just told them that definition and asked them to memorize it, chances are it wouldn’t mean much. That’s why our afterschool and summer programs use project-based learning (PBL) activities, like the walking rainbow you see in the photo. Following instructions found in the Doctor Jupiter Junior Science My First Science Kit, participants folded a paper napkin in half, applied food coloring in the colors of the rainbow on the ends, dipped them into water-filled cups—and then watched the colors travel upwards after coming into contact with the water. The result is a “walking rainbow.”

It looks like magic, but the participants of our Hammel Houses Cornerstone Community Center summer camp know it’s science: The water soaks into the napkin and carries the colors with it due to capillary action, a concept that now makes sense to them.

“We enjoy doing activities like STEM and art with our participants because they inspire creativity, critical thinking, and hands-on learning in a fun and engaging way. These activities help kids explore new concepts while building confidence in their ideas and problem-solving skills,” says Krystle Raghubeer, director of Hammel Houses Cornerstone Community Center. “The walking rainbow STEM project, in particular, is a favorite because it combines science with visual creativity—it teaches concepts like color mixing, absorption, and capillary action in a playful, colorful way. It’s a great example of how science and art can come together to spark curiosity and excitement in learning.”

“My favorite part of the activity was when the colors made the rainbow,” says Hailey. “It was really cool.”

Another thing that participants love about summer camp at Hammel Houses Cornerstone Community Center?

“FUN FRIDAY!” says Kenya.

Nylaiah agrees: “My favorite part of summer camp is all the water activities on Fridays!”

The Child Center operates 25 summer camps. During the school year, we operate 30 afterschool programs. We also support youth development through NYC Community Schools, transfer high schools, mental health services, internships, and more. Visit childcenterny.org/youth-development/ to learn all about the ways we ensure our youth can discover and achieve their potential.

Celebrating Milestones at The Child Center: Tania Franco-Mora, Early Head Start Home Visitor

July 22, 2025 | Leave a reply

“I began my journey in June 2014 as a substitute teacher with the Head Start program in Corona, driven by a deep desire to make a difference in my community. My motivation to become an Early Head Start home visitor grew when a coworker shared the powerful impact an early childhood specialist can have. The opportunity to work closely with families in my own community was something I felt truly passionate about.

In January 2015, I was grateful for the chance to join The Child Center of NY, marking the start of a new chapter in my career. Over the years, I’ve witnessed the program evolve, constantly reshaping itself to ensure compliance with Head Start Program Performance Standards. It’s been incredibly fulfilling to be part of that transformation.

What I appreciate most is the company’s commitment to professional development. The Child Center offers ongoing training that not only enhances my skills, but also strengthens my ability to deliver services with empathy and compassion. I’m proud to be a part of a team that prioritizes growth, both for its employees and the families we serve in the Corona community.”

Photo of the Month: Juneteenth

June 30, 2025 | Leave a reply

Youth and staff gather outside Oceanside Cornerstone Community Center during their Juneteenth celebration. Some are raising their fists. Banners are behind them.

Afterschool and youth council participants and staff at Oceanside Cornerstone Community Center celebrate Juneteenth. Emily, quoted below, is in the middle row, second from the right, in a royal blue shirt.

When deciding how to mark Juneteenth at our DYCD-funded Oceanside Cornerstone Community Center, Program Director Nelson Sarweh knew he wanted to do something that would be both meaningful and celebratory for the youth in the afterschool program and youth council. Nelson and his team decided on a Juneteenth end-of-year barbecue with celebration, performances, and reflection.

“We collectively as a staff at the Oceanside Cornerstone Community Center think it is very important for our young people to learn about their history,” Nelson said. “They learned important historical facts about Juneteenth and performed a skit that illustrated the challenges that were faced to achieve freedom. The parents and community were pleased with the performance, and we had a barbecue afterwards. We are trying to establish an environment of home in the center, and meaningful events such as this are the building blocks towards that goal.”

After the day’s events, 11-year-old Emily stated that when she thinks of Juneteenth, she thinks about how the observance “symbolizes freedom for all, fighting for your rights, and having fun with others.”

The youth enjoyed the Juneteenth celebration and learning about their heritage. The event offered a special opportunity to reflect on the significance of this landmark holiday, honor those who came before them, and inspire those who will come after.

Judeen’s Story: Q&A with the President of the Parents As Partners Project

June 26, 2025 | Leave a reply

PAPP president Judeen poses standing with her third grade daughter at an afterschool event.

Judeen and her daughter, following an afterschool performance in which her daughter participated.

In 2023, The Child Center of NY received a grant from the MacMillan Family Foundation to support the launch of the Parents as Partners Project (PAPP) across the 20 NYC DOE-funded Community Schools in Queens and Brooklyn for which The Child Center serves as lead community-based organization. PAPP emphasizes that school success relies on collaboration among schools, parents, students, and other stakeholders. The primary objective is to train and empower teams of parent ambassadors from each of our Community Schools to learn from each other and lead parent engagement efforts on the ground. By facilitating a supportive network of engaged families, PAPP strengthens not only our schools, but also our communities at large, demonstrating that together we can build a brighter future for all our children.

Since parent voices are the foundation of PAPP, we asked Judeen, this past school year’s PAPP president and mom to a student at P.S. 123 in Jamaica, Queens, to share her thoughts on what PAPP is all about and why she and her family find it so meaningful. The interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

The Child Center of NY: Can you describe PAPP from your perspective as a parent?

Judeen: PAPP is just a ball of information that helps parents achieve what they want to accomplish at their school. Parents get together and share their ideas and struggles related to their children’s schools. We share our goals, what we want to accomplish, and really discover how important parents’ voices are. We support each other, and it’s helpful to find out what’s worked and not worked at other schools.

We are also lucky to have Saran [Shields, Vice President of Youth Development], who has so much information and gives us incredible resources. With input from Saran and other parents, families are getting connected with resources like food pantries and housing.

We also do fun things like a sip and paint (with apple cider!) and a sports day barbecue for Father’s Day. We are working with our new physical education teacher, Mr. Chip Howell, to have another sports day, since it was so well-attended.

I have been active in the parents’ association at my daughter’s school since she was in kindergarten. All the information I learn from being a part of PAPP helps me be effective in my advocacy for my daughter and in my position in the parents’ association.

Can you give an example?

One of the most important ways it’s helped me is that I learned about the rights I have as a parent—how to be able to walk into the school and have a dialogue with the principal or assistant principal. Since being a part of PAPP, I have a great relationship with Principal [Anthony] Hooks. There was an issue where I didn’t think my daughter was placed in an appropriate class. She has high reading and math scores, and I thought she would benefit from being challenged more. I spoke to Mr. Hooks, he looked into the issue, and we got it resolved.

Being a part of PAPP, I learned how strong my voice is, and I’ve been able to convey this to other parents—how to have a meeting with the principal, how to support the school. I learned that it’s all about trust. If the principal and families believe that we all have the same shared goal, we can be there for the students, and I’m there to help the parents as best as I can. It’s a good relationship, and I love it. Getting information for myself and being an ambassador for other parents is the number one goal.

What are some of your proudest accomplishments as president of PAPP?

My proudest accomplishment is the friendships we’ve built! I have met parents whose children are in middle school, coaching me about what’s going to happen when my daughter reaches middle school. We all exchange information, and there’s so much of it. We always need, like, an extra 40 minutes at each meeting! And then we bring that information back to our own schools and PTAs.

I’m also proud of the ideas we’ve generated to get the parents out and not be afraid to advocate for their kids. English is not the first language for a lot of parents, and they don’t always feel comfortable speaking up. They want to be like Casper the Ghost, drop their kids off and pick them up and then disappear. Lita, another parent in the PA whose child graduated last year, and I worked hard to help them understand that they have rights; you have a child in the school and the right to speak to the principal or a teacher, and they want to hear from you.

A successful initiative we started was rewarding kids with “paws bucks” to use in the school store for bringing their parents to a meeting. We would talk in groups, and there is usually a parent in a group that speaks both languages and can serve as a translator. We discovered that the number one problem parents were having was common core math and how to help their children with it, since we were unfamiliar with it ourselves. We brought in a math coach to help the parents understand and teach common core math. We also had a literacy coach. In every meeting, we teach so that parents can implement the lesson at home. If a parent is stuck, we give them resources for seeking help.

We learned that the most convenient time for the meetings was during Saturday Academy, when students who are struggling with a subject can come in for extra assistance. The teachers are already there, and parents can ask questions and get resources. For example, many parents didn’t know how to log onto Raz math. The literacy coach showed them which books are good for their children to read and how to utilize resources at the school. Once parents started attending these meetings, they felt more empowered and became more engaged. And that’s what it’s all about.

What do you hope to accomplish in future years?

I am hoping that the PAPP is here to stay! My goal for my daughter’s school is to have 50 regularly active parents. Right now, it’s about 30. I want to let them all know, you are part of the school, and your voice does matter.

Is there anything you would like to add?

I just love the team. Mr. Brian [Pantakoek, P.S. 123 Community School Program Director] is the bomb! He has so much energy. You can tell he loves what he does. He is always there for the parents and loves the students. Saran has so many resources and is always available. Mr. Hooks is great. And of course, the parents. You really feel that everyone is in it together for the kids, and it’s a great feeling.

Guadalupe’s Story

June 16, 2025 | Leave a reply

Wow! Where do I begin? I want to first say thank you for the opportunity to share my story. I am forever grateful for all that The Child Center of NY has done for my family and me. Before TCCNY, I had no idea the amount of impact an organization like this could have on a family.

My journey with TCCNY began in March 2021. After a pregnancy and birth during the pandemic and tons of baggage (trauma) that I carried with me my whole life, a social worker reached out during my postpartum hospital stay. She asked if I needed any resources, including therapy. Even though I knew I needed it, I was scared to say yes. Coming from a family steeped in trauma, I had a difficult childhood and adolescence, but we never considered therapy because of the stigma. My family thought therapy was for crazy people. So, I held off, even though I knew I struggled with depression, anxiety, and so many things throughout my life. But something changed after I gave birth. I had read a lot about postpartum depression and how it can affect women, especially if they have a history of trauma. I remember holding my daughter in my arms and thinking, “My child cannot grow successfully with a mom who hasn’t received the help she needs.” And so began my sessions with my therapist.

I was connected to Catholic Charities for other services, and they connected me to The Child Center’s Early Childhood Mental Health program for therapy with a clinician named Jazmin Fortuna.

From that first meeting with her, I felt trust. I was very shy and felt like she waited ages for me to answer a question or speak on a life event, but she was so patient and nonjudgmental. A postpartum evaluation revealed that I had more than the baby blues. A main goal of my therapy was dealing with my postpartum depression, and also with my older anxieties. After a car accident in 2018, just leaving home caused me tremendous anxiety. I wouldn’t go out without my husband or my mom. If I was halfway to crossing the street and thought a car was getting too close, I’d run back. Jazmin helped me with my anxieties around leaving my home, crossing streets, speaking up for myself, and being there for my family and people I love.

About five months in, my home flooded in Hurricane Ida, and we lost everything (I now have another trauma added to my list). Jazmin connected me to Family Peer Advocate Nodia Reyes, who helped me apply for another place to live. But my anxiety suffered a setback, as I became scared of weather, particularly storms and thunder. I also suffered a miscarriage. Jazmin and Nodia helped me through this tough time. Jazmin introduced me to coping strategies, including reframing and the 5-4-3-2-1 method, which helped with my current anxieties and would help me with future challenges. Jazmin always makes me feel like she truly cares, and not just because that’s her job. And Nodia, who is also a mom and shares a lot of life experiences with me, was able to help me see that a lot of my insecurities were not shortcomings, but rather just part of life. “That’s just motherhood,” she would say. Jazmin and Nodia are the team that put me back together and made me the person I am today.

They also helped me find The Child Center’s early childhood education programs. They suggested that Early Head Start (EHS) would be a good fit for my daughter. Home Visitor Norma Mejia was assigned to my family. We were concerned at first, thinking it was something akin to a wellness check by children’s services (even though we had nothing to hide). It still worried us to let a new person into our home. But those fears quickly dissipated. Norma is such a bright, loving person. She has been a tremendous part of our support system and never came from a place of judgment or malice.

Let me tell you, the change in my daughter after starting home visits with EHS was amazing. Allison was shy at first. She is a pandemic baby and didn’t socialize much, even when we took her to the park. As her home visitors could tell you, she wouldn’t leave our side. But by the time she ended the program, she was ready for school; her socialization skills went up 100 percent. By the last two sessions of socialization, she was a completely different child.

Just after Allison aged out of EHS, I found out we were expecting again. Very enthusiastic about the opportunity to join the EHS program for my new baby, I spoke to the assistant director, and we started with home visits and socialization groups. I also self-nominated to be chairperson on the parent committee, and then the chairperson of bylaws and grievance on the policy council committee. It was a bit of a challenge to keep up sometimes, but I loved it. I remember my first policy council meeting happened about 12 hours after giving birth to my baby boy, and everyone was so excited to meet him! Filling these roles gave me an opportunity to be more involved with the education of my daughter and the kids she had socializations with. It also challenged me to work on speaking up and making changes to better support and help myself and others parent in the program. These were two more things I took on in order to challenge myself into speaking up.

During one of the parent committee meetings, a job opportunity for the role of EHS family worker came up, and I applied. To my surprise, I was hired! Not only did I get the job, but my baby and husband were given the opportunity to continue the EHS program (which is amazing, they LOVE it) while I worked. Now my husband gets to do the home visits with our son, and I attend the socializations, which are family events for caregivers and children to connect. With Allison, my husband wasn’t as involved. Participating in the home visits with our son has been a great opportunity for them to bond and for my husband to be involved in his development. He’s done a whole 360, and I’m very proud of him.

Being an Early Head Start family worker is a great fit for me. Participating in EHS parenting workshops as a mom and as an employee, for example, has helped me in both roles. My supervisor said that she can see me picking up things and executing what I’ve been learning in workshops. Thanks to therapy with Jazmin, I feel comfortable speaking about my traumas and connecting with other parents about theirs. When I know something is affecting me, I’m no longer afraid to ask for help. Even on my first day of work, I wasn’t shy about speaking up!

It’s been an awesome journey so far. I’m both learning so much and helping so much. I hear from other people, “You’re so amazing,” and it’s hard for me to believe. It’s hard to see what people find so great about me. I know all the times I messed up and did things incorrectly. But working here and helping the families makes me feel like I’m doing something right.

To this day, I continue my therapy sessions, and even though we have a lot to work on, there has been an insane amount of growth and progress. I truly feel I have a home here that provides support, and that without it, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

A special thanks to my family—especially my husband, who has always been the biggest part of my support system, encouraging me not to give up and seeing the best in me—and to my therapist, God, and everyone who has been a part of my time at TCCNY. Thank you for reading my story.