Children's Educational Services

Harlem Dowling's has over 20 years of experience providing after school programming through our Children's Educational Services, long before government and private entities funded after school services. Harlem Dowling's After School Program provides an array of educational and creative art therapies for children in grades Kindergarten through Sixth in a safe and structured environment.  Children in after school are encouraged to explore and nurture their talents through creative arts, music, dance, poetry, sports, fitness, technology and journalism. All activities are literacy based and strongly correlate to the regular school day curriculum. After school supports and enhances the school day experience. Children in the program also participate in community service, including an inter-generational program at a local senior citizen's residence. The After School's Violence Prevention and Conflict Resolution Programs have been recognized as innovative models in juvenile delinquency prevention during the critical transition of youth from elementary school to junior high school.

Since its inception in 1836 as the Colored Orphan Asylum, Harlem Dowling has been at the forefront of providing innovative, culturally relevant and competent services to children and families. At a time when no one would take in children of color, the orphanage was there. During the height of the heroin epidemic in 1969, Harlem Dowling answered the call to provide homes for drug exposed babies. The same call was answered again in 1989 during the crack epidemic, again in 1992 with the response to providing HIV/AIDS services to women, one of the first institutions to do so. Today, we are embarking upon our newest initiative to provide supportive and transitional housing for young adults aging out of foster care to prevent homelessness. This initiative is provided through the generous support of foundations, friends and supporters.

It is through friends, donors and supporters that Harlem Dowling can continue to be innovative in responding to the ever changing needs of our diverse community by meeting the needs of children and families. We know that we can continue to count on you to be "part of the solution" as you have for 174 years.

"Children in after school are encouraged to explore and nurture their talents through creative arts, music, dance, poetry, sports, fitness, technology and journalism."