Foster kids go places in 2018

WE HAD SUCH A GREAT YEAR WE DIDN’T POST MUCH!

The winter took us to BAM film festival where we had 3 large groups of children and their caregivers enjoy awesome films!  

We applied for Corcoran Cares Grant in the winter and we got word in the summer that we will RECEIVE it in 2019! Thank you for Wendy Stark for helping us through the process.  

We took large groups to Teknopolis …  …. Dance Africa ….  (our children are not in these photos as we are not allowed to use them on our website!  The photos you see on our website we take and cover their faces, or show others around them at an event, or get photos from the events themselves! This is just another reason our population is so invisible.  It is considered illegal to use their likeness because their parents have not approved it and they are under 18 and are wards of the state. In other words the state is their parent and they will not approve them being used on the web. It is considered exploitation.  So we do our best! News organizations do have exceptions…which is why the more news coverage #FOSTERCARE can get .. the better!) We also sent one emancipated student to a Cherry Lane theatre acting class! A small but powerful dream come true! THANKS for squeezing us in Reed!  🙂

This was just our first half of the year!  Stay tuned for our second half.

 

Toy Drive

TOY DRIVE was huge success!  We collected 3 times as many toys as 2017!

In December we said:  TOY DRIVE 2018 is in full swing!

You can donate new toys for any ages at the lobby of 36 west 44th Street, between 6th Ave and 5th Ave….or the Signature Theatre on 42nd street between 10th Avenue and 9th Avenue.

New and unwrapped.  Any age group.  Let’s make this the biggest one yet!  Last year we got a letter from the commissioner:

We bring the toys to the ACS Children’s Center where all ages go when they get pulled out of their homes.  The Center houses them until a proper foster family can be found.  This can be days or weeks or months.  Our mission with the toys is to give them a few minutes of happiness while they chose a toy to bring with them to their new foster home.

THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Rubinstein Family Fund

IN HONOR OF ARTHUR B RUBINSTEIN, THE FAMILY HAS CREATED THE RUBINSTEIN FAMILY FUND. 




Exposing Classical Music to children of all ages and backgrounds was Arthur’s passion.

In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to a special fund to honor him by clicking the donate button above on this page!

All funds will be used to support Music and Arts experiences for at-risk youth in Los Angeles and New York City. The thrill of a first concert or a first broadway musical is something that always stays with a young person. Exposure to musical education could spark another composer. Your gift of music via The Rubinstein Family Fund will be magical. Thank you.

 

FYD Has Ongoing Toy Drive For Foster Children

Our first ever Holiday Toy Drive was such a success!

When a child gets pulled from their dangerous living situation they often get  placed in the Children’s Center while waiting for a foster home. They are scared and sad. We decided to give them a few minutes of distraction and hopefully happiness by letting them choose a toy and bring it with them to their new home.

How did this start?

Painted Angel overlooks our Human Angels!

The angels at the Signature Theatre organized the first one for us.

Left to Right: Molly Shoemaker, Frank Gambino, Colleen Hughes, Sarah Lang

It started with a bin….

…and a few toys from patrons and staff …

… and bloomed in to a wonderful experience and inventory fun.  Many thanks to Colleen Hughes and ACS!

Then another surprise happened as Nancy Sing Bock from neighboring PS51 brought over a group of students with a load of toys!  Ms. Bock had walked by the Signature theatre many times on her way to her school and one day saw the sign for the FYD Toy Drive. She wanted her children to understand service and ‘giving’ first hand so they organized their very own toy drive!  Literally the day before everyone scattered for the holidays, this group came by with yet another load of toys and the Signature staff and FYD was in happy and humble shock.

THANK YOU TO ALL AND LET’S KEEP THE TOYS COMING! CONTACT ME TO FIND OUT HOW TO DONATE TOYS TO US!  sue wolf at foster your dream dot org (all smushed together!)

Cheese and Nutcrackers

What better way to celebrate the Christmas Holidays but to have Cheese and Crackers?  Chuck E Cheese followed by The Nutcracker at BAM!

Mark Morris Dance Troup’s version of the holiday staple The Nutcracker is pure fun to watch in it’s 1970’s cartoon inspired interpretation!  We brought 7 little girls and their Foster Mom’s for a full day’s outing.  Starting with a party at Chuck E Cheese that included some political inspiration:

Followed by the Ballet The Nutcracker including the girl’s favorite number The Snowflake Dance:

Then some sibling bonding time (the two sisters are split up in two different foster homes so being able to have them share a fun day together was a special treat for FYD.)

Memories are the one thing the children can always take with them.  Thank you Dewonnie Frederick, BAM and all the caregivers who made the effort to get the kids together for the day.  Thank you to Richard Kendall for providing funds for Chuck E Cheese!

Master Harold and a Little Girl

Master Harold and The Boys at The Signature Theatre provided an amazing opportunity for one of our clients to bring her foster family and some of her extended church group ‘village’ to see a play which provided a long post-show discussion about race and feelings about race.

Wow, right?  Some in the group had never been to a play like this but our little client set a shining example of how to absorb a heavy theme like this and then express “sad feelings” about racism during a discussion in the lobby afterwards.

Then we got lucky and Sahr Ngaujah stopped to take pictures with all!

Once again, Colleen Hughes and The Signature Theatre has our deepest gratitude!