We are a neighborhood-based organization headquartered in the Central Harlem community in NYC since the late 1960’s. Our proud and dynamic history dates to the 1836 founding of the Colored Orphan Asylum. The agency’s staff is expert at developing and managing problems that are responsive to the needs of children and families, particularly children of color.

Our guiding principle is to offer families a range of comprehensive, accessible, innovative and culturally sensitive services. We listen to the needs of the people. We pursue creative funding and we keep abreast of new and innovative ways of services delivery. We recruit and engage Board members, staff, managers and volunteers who are committed to address the issues faced by our communities. This has put us at the forefront of the nation’s leading child welfare agencies.

From After School Programs that include parents as staff, to group activities for families with able bodied and physically challenged children, our services reflect our commitment to supporting family strengths. In our Foster Care Program we use the Family-to-Family model approach, which encourages foster parents and birth families to bond as an extended family. This approach minimizes the trauma to children who must be placed in foster care by creating a lasting connection between biological and foster families.

We are committed to developing programs with our government and community partners that build on the inherent abilities of families and communities. Through parent education, counseling, information and referral, adolescent support, substance abuse and HIV/ AIDS services, we assist parents in nurturing and caring for their children.

We have successfully reunited hundreds of children with their birth families over the last several years. At the same time, in the last year alone we have found new families for over 70 children who could not return home. Through collaboration with the Administration for Children’s Service and the Dave Thomas Foundation last year we found adult resources for adolescents needing permanent connections. Additionally, as a result of our partnership with Mentoring USA, youth freed for adoption are mentored by adult adoptees that share their life experiences and accompany them on their journey to finding new families.

This year we are particularly excited about an expansion of our Far Rockaway Family Services Program that will focus on at-risk adolescents. Planned services include therapeutic counseling, job readiness, computer skills, tutoring, substance abuse counseling and support around domestic violence.

The needs of the children and families we serve continue to change, but remain confident that we will stay in touch with the changing world and communities we serve. We will continue to be “part of the solution”.