poverty Archives - The Child Center of NY

The Child Center of NY is excited to share that Nara Youn, Youth Development Business Manager, and Jin Li, Community Advocate, have been featured in Robin Hood‘s “Faces of Poverty Fighters” campaign for their extensive work on the Undo Poverty Flushing initiative, which aims to help move all Flushing community members out of rapidly growing poverty toward sustainable economic advancement.

From Robin Hood:

Be a lifeline for those in crisis, like Nara Youn and Jin Li.

Nara Youn, the Youth Development Business Manager at The Child Center of NY, embodies the heart of poverty-fighting work in New York City. Raised in an immigrant family, she understands firsthand the struggles of navigating systemic barriers while striving for a better future. Her commitment to equity, fairness, and opportunity isn’t just professional—it’s personal. As a mother, she dreams of a city where every child, including her own daughter, has the chance to thrive.

At The Child Center of NY, Nara and Jin are working to transform lives in low-income and immigrant communities, addressing not only children’s cognitive and emotional well-being, but also the stability of entire families. Their work is rooted in collaboration, co-leading the Undo Poverty Flushing initiative to dismantle systemic barriers and advocate for economic mobility. Fluent in more than two dozen languages, her team ensures that no family is left behind, creating access to critical resources and support.

Nara’s approach goes beyond short-term fixes, focusing on lasting change through relationship-building, holistic care, and systemic advocacy. She believes that breaking cycles of poverty starts with addressing inequities and empowering communities to grow stronger together. For Nara, seeing a child excel, a family find stability, or a neighborhood unite reinforces her belief that a brighter, more equitable future is possible for all. Her story is a powerful reminder that poverty is not just about resources—it’s about opportunity, and creating pathways to lasting change.

Each day at The Child Center of NY, we work with children and families who have the courage to make a new start, and we see the strength and the resourcefulness they summon to succeed. These families want what all families want: a healthy home life, opportunities for their children, safe community spaces, and the chance to work and provide for their loved ones.

But their path isn’t easy. Some have to choose between medical bills and rent, between staying home with no income or leaving their children in unsafe care, between paying for the car or paying for an apartment. Some of the decisions are unexpected to those who don’t live this reality every day— like the calculating that goes into how often a parent can afford to change a child’s diaper—and they are choices no one should have to make.

One mother, who had to turn down three job offers because she lacked reliable transportation, described the quandary many families face: “It reminds me of the cycle of poverty that so many people go through. You’re trying to get out, and it only takes one thing to go wrong, like a broken-down car, and you’re all the way back to the beginning again.”

We’re here to make those choices easier wherever we can. Continue reading →