Association to Benefit Children (ABC)

When the Graham School became the center of operations for Turkey Day, children from the Dino Room ventured off to Bounce and Play in Astoria. As you might have anticipated, they enjoyed a wonderful day of bouncing, jumping, climbing, laughing, and overall fun with their peers. They had the entire indoor playground to themselves, which was such a treat! Their speech therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and counselors attended as well, offering their support and joining in on the fun.

Earlier this week, we had quite the extraordinary guest visit Cassidy’s Place, Santa! To the delight of our children, Santa generously visited each classroom and fielded some insightful (and funny) questions. One child asked Santa, “why do you have a beard?” to which he replied, “because it’s cold in the North Pole and Mrs. Claus likes it.” Some other questions included, “how do you get into a house if there is no chimney” and “where do the reindeer poop?” Clearly, our children know how to ask the questions that matter. A big thank you to the KKR elves, and their special guest Santa, for making this day so special for everyone at Cassidy’s Place. Our staff and children look forward to this every year!

A major focus in our early childhood programs for the last few years has been helping our children balance their needs and rights. Knowing how to resolve a conflict or negotiate a solution with one another is an incredibly important skill for children and will remain key for them as they continue to grow and mature. We are happy to report that in the last school year, there was a 31% increase in children meeting or exceeding expectations in this developmental domain between the fall and the spring terms. We also found that children with higher attendance at ABC have even bigger improvements - a 20% increase from those with lower attendance, in fact!

Last month, we had several in-person events for our home-based children and families at the Graham School. One focused on family traditions, how we celebrate them, and how expressing blessings and gratitude improves our relationships with ourselves and others. Our next in-person event was all about exploring the fall season, through singing, arts and crafts, and raking leaves to work on gross motor skills. Check out some adorable photos from these events and be sure to learn more about our programming on our website—link in bio!

At the end of last month, lead data analysts from In Good Hands and Children’s Mobile Crisis Team tabled at the Injury Prevention Fair, where they provided resources to families and their communities in Upper Manhattan. Hosted by the Administration for Children’s Services alongside two other East Harlem community resource hubs, this was a very productive event for everyone involved. Thank you to In Good Hands and to the Children’s Mobile Crisis Team for your hard work!

Last week, Langham Hall conducted a book drive for the children at Cassidy’s Place, providing over 450 books! 18 staff members volunteered to help hand out books at the fair and to spend time with our kids in the classrooms. This included dancing, arts and crafts, and a load of fun! One volunteer in the Butterfly room connected so well with one of our kids who didn’t want to let the volunteer go when it was time to leave! Thank you so much to Langham Hall and their volunteers for the books and playtime. Our kids really appreciated your presence last Thursday.

We have some lovely news! Please join us in congratulating Myriam Coulibaly, a member of our supportive housing program, who recently married Bangaly Soumahoro. Myriam came to us at the age of 3, and we are beyond happy to report that she completed the program and reached her goals of attending college, working full time, and living on her own. Her wedding celebration was here at our supportive housing program over the course of 3 days. We were honored to be a part of this beautiful moment, and we look forward to supporting Myriam and Bangaly as newlyweds!

“When I first moved into the area 12 years ago, I was an early childhood major and I was looking for schools that might be of interest to me. I remember walking past this big red door and ringing the bell and the receptionist at the time, Zaide, telling me it was a school called Cassidy’s Place. Later, when I had my daughter, they didn’t have space for her. I kept asking and asking and eventually a space opened up. Ever since then it’s been a great partnership between us and ABC. We’re a low key family, so the center that didn’t have a big, flashy sign was the perfect match. From day one, I felt like Cassidy’s Place was an extension of my family. The care, the concern, the inclusion, making us all feel welcome. At other schools they might be led by the lesson plans or the guide, they don’t adapt to each child like they do here. My children never felt sad when it was time to go to school. They were more likely to be crying when I had to pick them up! They didn’t want to come home because they were having so much fun. The staff are so welcoming and warm. It’s like they know your children personally. They know if they are having a good day or a bad day. I did five years on Policy Council – as a parent that was one of my favorite memories. It’s so important as a parent to be able to see what is going on behind the scenes and how a school runs. You have a say in how the structure is built, you can interview the teachers, you can give feedback. It’s amazing for new parents to get the opportunity to learn how to advocate for their children for the first time. If your child needs more help, you can express that and speak up. I was kind of disappointed to not be able to do more than five years, but it was great to see other parents come through and have the same opportunity as me. The most special part about ABC is always Christmas time. One year, I moved from one position to another at my job and my living costs hadn’t adjusted. I was paying much more than I was making. I was pregnant with my second child and my daughter was at Cassidy’s Place. She wanted a doll’s house, but that was just out of the question at the time. I had to explain to her that Santa doesn’t always bring what you want and that she might have to wait until next year. I didn’t know she had sent a letter to Santa at school and when I went to pick her up, the doll’s house was there. I took it home, put it together, and put it under the tree. It was such a special moment that wouldn’t have been possible without ABC. ABC is a safe, comfortable, empowering, educational space. It is the place to be. We must do everything we can to make sure it stays around forever." Latisha McNeill is a current ABC parent and former Policy Council member. Help us keep changing lives by donating to our Giving Tuesday campaign at https://buff.ly/3On4KhC. #givingtuesday

Another reason to be thankful is the impact of Study Buddies Connect. Last academic year, our virtual tutoring program provided 3,735 tutoring sessions and graduated 19 of its highest-performing students after a year of sessions in advanced life skills. 91% of children reading below grade level improved over the course of the year despite enormous challenges, 87% of students improved their math grade, and 53% of children reading below grade average improved by at least one grade level! These results are due to personalized study plans, volunteer training, implementation of educational resources for our highly dedicated volunteers, and your generous support. If you want to help Study Buddies Connect continue to achieve these results, you can donate at our Giving Tuesday campaign page at https://buff.ly/3On4KhC or donate your time by becoming a volunteer. #Giving Tuesday

This Turkey Day, we were proud to distribute 1,000 turkeys and sides to 700 families—and that's in addition to the families we served indirectly through our amazing community partners at the 25th Precinct and OnPoint! A special shoutout to the 56 Neuberger Berman volunteers who helped with registration, packing, and making sure everything ran smoothly. This year, we hit a record number of turkeys and surveys distributed, which we couldn’t have done without them. A huge thank you to all the staff, volunteers, and families who helped make this possible. Wishing you all a warm and joyful Thanksgiving from all of us at ABC! 🧡🍁