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Greetings!
From summer camp adventures to culinary achievements, we’re excited to highlight the impact made possible by our staff, partners, and supporters. As fall unfolds and the holiday season approaches, we remain grateful for the community that makes these moments possible.
| | Swim Lessons and S’mores: HFH Summer Camps Recap | | |
HFH Summer Camps offered 112 children from HFH’s shelters a summer full of adventure, creativity, and connection through sleepaway camp at Camp Lanowa and our new day camp at Camp Wakonda, which offers families and children a taste of camp, inspiring some parents to send their kids to the following sleepaway camp session.
From swim lessons and arts & crafts to campfire nights and discovering the wildlife of Harriman State Park, campers built skills, made friends, and created lasting memories. Highlights included themed evenings like “Halloween” and “Christmas in July,” s’mores around the fire, and 26 campers proudly passing their deep-water swim tests, which include treading water and swimming the length of the enclosed swim area and back.
| | This winter, Stifel’s Leveraged Finance Team raised $14,500 through its 6th Annual Holiday Charity Raffle to support HFH Summer Camps. Their generosity funded our end-of-summer Camp Carnival, where Stifel volunteers joined campers to make bracelets, host carnival games like ring toss, and serve Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Stifel’s volunteers go beyond giving back—they take time to learn about the challenges families face and help dispel myths about homelessness, becoming powerful advocates for lasting change. | | Thanks to the generosity of donors and volunteers—including the Good+ Foundation, Alston & Bird NYC, and the Rockland Conservation Corps—every camper arrived prepared with essentials including beach towels, water bottles, goggles, journals, insect-repellent bracelets, and flashlights and enjoyed new additions like firepits, garden spaces, and well-stocked welcome bags. | | Celebrating Growth in Early Education | | Across our Early Ed programs, students, families, and teachers came together for Moving Up Ceremonies celebrating a year of learning and achievement. At Prospect and Saratoga, superhero-themed events honored 3K and PreK students moving up and heading to kindergarten with songs, dances, and awards recognizing their unique strengths. At Allie’s Place, a High School Musical-themed celebration featured performances, family photo ops, and a slideshow of memories. After a summer of growth and exploration, we can’t wait to see all that the new school year brings for our youngest learners. | | HFH Kids Head Back to School | | HFH families kicked off the new school year with back-to-school celebrations across our residences, filled with backpacks, games, sweet treats, and community spirit. | | At Clinton, families picked up backpacks and supplies while connecting with family services and afterschool staff to get kids excited for the new school year. Saratoga residents enjoyed outdoor activities, snow cones, and sports. Allie’s Place hosted a celebration with backpacks, books, and Metrocards, and the NYPD Community Affairs team stopped by to hand out games and toys. Williamsbridge Recreation treated families to a magician, face painting, and cotton candy. While the rising cost of school supplies continues to challenge families, the generosity of our donors and volunteers ensured HFH kids had what they needed to start the year with confidence. | | We received backpacks from generous donors including the Brooke Jackman Foundation, DHS, Old Navy, Hollis Lions Club, Rosedale Lions Club, Knock Knock Give a Sock, Citi Bank, and JFK Millennium Partners. Their support helped every HFH child start the school year prepared and confident. These backpacks and supplies go a long way in supporting families on their journey toward permanent housing. | | Culinary Center Graduates Cooking Up Success | | Allie’s Place Center for Culinary Education & Employment graduates are putting their skills to work in exciting ways—launching new careers, continuing training, or exploring creative paths with design and photography. Highlights include Lehilani joining a Mott Haven food truck, Taywana becoming a Cook with FLIK Independent School Dining—a hospitality company that provides schools with nutritious locally-inspired meals, Evgenii working full-time as a graphic designer and freelance food photographer, and Eric launching his own business, Chef Doula LLC. Read more about our grads’ achievements on our Graduate Highlights page and read a feature on Eric in The NYCHA Journal. | | Photographer Brendan Miller led our first Food Photography Seminar, showing students and graduates how the skills they’re building in the culinary program can translate into creative careers both inside and outside the kitchen. We’re excited to see what’s next for the program. | | Congratulations to our Staff Spotlights! | | Supporting Every Step with Camelot | | Camelot’s services at HFH’s shelters continued to provide vital substance use disorder treatment and family support. Parents engaged in group and individual therapy to build coping skills, manage trauma, and strengthen resilience, while children benefited from coordinated recreational and therapeutic opportunities. By focusing on recovery, stability, and emotional well-being, the Camelot team helped families navigate with hope and dignity. | | Want to learn more about how you can get involved this holiday season? Email GetInvolved@HFHnyc.org for information on volunteering, hosting toy drives, donations, and more. | | | | |
