Christmas At BAM

Posted on August 8, 2016 by admin in Blog, Events

Hard Nut hosts holiday for one lucky family! December, 2015.

A cascade of wit and wintry beauty featuring Morris’ lyrical modern dance choreography, this lavish, love letter to a classic story from the straight-laced 1890s to the swinging 70s, with raucous parties, dancing G.I. Joes, whimsical costumes, and a Waltz of the Snowflakes like no other.

Tchaikovsky’s complete original score, performed live by the 53-piece MMDG Music Ensemble drives this colorful retelling, which playfully preserves the warm spirit of an essential holiday tradition.

Thanks to our most wonderful and generous benefactor Dewonnie Frederick, we were ably to send one lucky family to this enriching experience! Once again we can’t show you our lucky child … but here is that happy smile beneath our hand hewn hide-a-face box!

Signature Theatre Sponsors Dream Kid

Posted on August 2, 2016 by admin in Blog, Events

Foster Your Dream has made a theatre dream come true. December 2015-2016

Colleen Hughes

FYD went to bat for one of our Dream Kids.

Thanks to our longtime friend, Colleen Hughes who is the Arts Administrator at our favorite Signature Theatre, we received a full gratis subscription for our teen client who is in college for theatre! Thanks for always helping us, Colleen!

We first met our client Nancy when she showed up at “Ann On Broadway” and met Holland Taylor in June of 2013.

That’s Nancy in the glasses and Jean jacket!

After losing track of her for nearly 2 years … (that happens a LOT with our clients due to “The System” ) … she showed up at our Dames At Sea Theatre Project Event and I pounced on her with such enthusiasm that she nearly took my temperature! 🙂 You see, Colleen had many tickets over the 2 years that were inappropriate for young patrons but totally appropriate for a young teen. It was breaking my heart that we couldn’t find Nancy due to such stringent privacy concerns (for good reasons) … so wow was I glad that she heard about our “Dames At Sea” event and showed up so I could pounce. 🙂

Shy client! Can you find her?

She stayed for the talk-back at the end and we got to talking. You can see her here in this very bad photo listening to a cast member answer her very smart question about how he gets in to each ‘character’ while playing two different characters. It was exciting that she was still in school studying acting and the arts. She said she would love a subscription to the theatre and we immediately called Colleen Hughes who pitched it to her superiors and made it all happen!

10th Avenue and 42nd Street!

Not only is the Signature Theatre doing amazing vibrant work, but they are a haven for visitors who just want to take a break, have a snack, be in a beautiful setting and enjoy free wifi!

Happy Young Theatre Patrons!

Nancy is able to take a friend to every performance so she can chat about the experience and feel as special as we KNOW she is!

Foster Your Dream Goes Inside Broadway

Posted on August 2, 2016 by admin in Blog, Events

Creating the Magic is what Inside Broadway does. December 2015.

Foster Your Dream was lucky enough to be invited by Michael Presser to go see how the broadway show “Finding Neverland” is made.

Inside Broadway busses in classes of school children from all over NYC. We brought several ACS workers and several very lucky children with us and were treated to the VIP section. Once again, we can’t show you our underage children where no parent approves the use of photos on the internet so you’ll just have to take our word for it how ‘wowed’ our kids were!

The children were treated to a super special behind-the-scenes look at how all the magic happens on Broadway. Right in front of their eyes, the scenery moves, the lights swing around and all on the command of the stage manager who stands out front and explains everything.

We will be working with the folks at Inside Broadway and the Admin of Children’s Services to figure out how to get more of our very special clients to these very special daytime events.

December 2015. Many thanks to Donald Yonker, Michael Presser and Nicholas Sala for your time and energy in getting us there.

Law Firm Hosts Foster Your Dream VIP Circus Event

Posted on August 2, 2016 by admin in Blog, Events

Ringling Brothers Circus is a Foster Your Dream come true!

Morgan Lewis & Bockius (formerly Bingham McCutchen) donated their box at Staples Center so some of our families could enjoy a fun filled Ringling Brothers Circus VIP event!

“What a great bonding experience for us!” said one of the Foster Parents! We are ever grateful to the lawyers (who wish to remain anonymous) who consistently think of us and our families!

In addition to a wonderful and special time the food was AMAZING!

Thanks to Morgan Lewis & Bockius, we were able to host TWO MORE FAMILIES but no photos were taken during these other two events. But a total of 3 families were able to go and enjoy a safe, happy place with a VIP flair!

Thanks to all who made this dream come true!!!

Foster Your Dream salutes DAMES AT SEA on Broadway!

Posted on November 10, 2015 by admin in Blog, Events | 2 Comments

FYD salutes Dames At Sea!

Fun was had by all!

Nov. 2015. Foster Your Dream salutes DAMES AT SEA because an Angel in the theatre community realized how perfect this show is for families and donated 80 tickets! YAY. Our families … which are comprised of bio-parents and foster parents, both single and couples, over-18-foster-youth without their foster parents, caregivers and case workers and of course our Dream Kids … had the BEST TIME this past Sunday on Broadway! Our lucky ticket holders gathered to enjoy the spectacle of music, colors, actors, singing and awesome tap dancing at the Helen Hayes theatre in the heart of Times Square!

As usual, we can not post photos of the children unless we have permission from the legal guardians, hence the blurring out of one of the cutest stars of Sunday’s audience. Let’s just say that seven-year-old Little Pink Jacket danced for the producers, posed with the cast members and hugged everyone with lots of squeezey love! She even made the saluting sailor roar with laughter at HER clever conversation and antics. (By the way, I’m looking for an angel who wants to give her or pay for her to get some dance lessons somewhere in Harlem, where she is currently living! Contact me if you can help!)

The show was magnificent and the cast spent time after the show for a meet and greet and a quick photo opportunity.

Thank you, Cast for spending time with us!

Many thanks to the Producers Sarahbeth Grossman and Anna Roberts Ostroff and Company Manager Holli Campbell for helping us get it all organized and for being so understanding. Your extra energy has made a huge difference in what our families can experience and what we can offer them!

Arriving at DAMES AT SEA!

Says Mr. Dapper: “I Can’t Wait to Grow Up so I can see DAMES AT SEA!”

“Lucky” Danny Gardner surrounded by FYD love!

Mara Davi gets some love!

Magical!

Thanks to all!!!

November 2015.

Sue Wolf (original Dreamer Upper of Foster Your Dream!)

Thanks to the volunteers and coordinators for this event: Jamie Kendall, Donald Yonker, Sandra Garni, Julia, ACS Goddess Deidra Sutton, ACS magician Darrell Williams!!!!

FYD goes NUTS for the NUTCRACKER!

Posted on December 29, 2014 by admin in Blog, Events | 2 Comments

Dewonnie Fredrick invites Foster Your Dream to BAM for a full day of fun including workshops, dancing and tickets to the NUTCRACKER BALLET starring Misty Copeland!

Bright and early at 10:30 in the morning we are at Brooklyn Academy of Music’s dance studio and rehearsal room where the children begin coloring and learn about the story of the Nutcracker Ballet!

ABT, better known as American Ballet Theatre, knows how to talk to kids! Seems they’ve done this before! Mr. Richard explains leaps and moves and terms to our enthralled children.

The Inwood House staff and caregivers look on with joy in their hearts as the kids get up and on their feet to leap and dance the morning away!

After our performances Dewonnie organized a special lunch for us.

We get to eat on plaid picnic blankets while chatting with all our new friends.

We gather our take-away creations …

…and go to the big theatre. As we enter the building the children say oooooo! Can you see why?

We see Misty Copeland be brilliant (sorry, no photos allowed in the theatre) and when the children on the stage do the silly-walk dance that our children learned in the morning, they were so excited since they connected with it in such a special way. Some of them were dancing in their seats!

Special thanks to:

DEWONNIE FREDERICK. She invited us.