2. Our goal is to help the Village of Hempstead’s children
thrive and grow by offering wrap-around services
that educate, support and nurture
the whole family by
directly impacting their daily lives.
3. Using services & strategy to protect and strengthen the
children and families of the Village of Hempstead
4. Village of Hempstead Initiative:
• In 1985, we began offering a Coop Nursery to help disadvantaged parents set and
attain goals while we cared for their children
• In 2001, the Hagedorn Family Resource Center opened it doors as a licensed day
care center adjacent to the Our Lady of Loretto church
• Later, summer camp and after-school programs were added to protect children while
their parents worked one, two and three jobs
• Collaboration with the North Shore/ LIJ hospital system offered FREE pediatric
healthcare to uninsured families
• In 2006, we added LaEscuelita, a bi-lingual PreK program to prepare immigrant
children for success in school
• In 2006, we added the Promise Project for Middle School students and the Youth
Advisory Council for older teens to help them success in school and in life
• We added a lending library in 2009, mother’s group in 2008 and adult ESL classes in
2001 to help the entire family become better educated
• Emergency financial assistance and referrals are provided for families in crisis
• Today, it is a multi-cultural community center where children of different races and
ethnicities from homes where different languages are spoken learn and grow
together.
5. An Early Start
For many families, our Co-op Nursery is the entry point for services.
6. The Hagedorn Family Resource Center is a true community center providing services
to families who reside in the Village of Hempstead and neighboring communities. The
Center assists parents in achieving their personal and family goals through services,
information, resources and referrals. It advances study habits, academic performance
and pro-social behaviors of elementary, middle and high school children through its
educational and enrichment programs.
Child-Centered: Family-Focused:
• Nursery Co-op • Mother’s Peer Support Group
• Bilingual Pre-K • Adult ESL
• After School (G: K–5) • Financial Literacy
• Promise Project After School (G: 6–9) • Emergency Relief
• Youth Advisory Council (G: 10-12) • Access to Entitlements
• Summer Camp • Holiday gifts
• Community Service Projects • Referrals & Counseling
• Lending Library • Family Literacy
• Scholarships
• Tutoring & Homework Help
• Youth Container Garden
8. Educational enrichment:
While the HFRC provides a continuum of care from infancy through
adulthood, some programs like the Promise Project are targeted to
specific at-risk populations. The Promise Project provides after
school enrichment to middle school-age children, helping them
achieve in school and protecting them from risky behaviors during
the perilous after-school hours. 129 students have been enrolled in
Promise since 2008. Of these:
• 90% have remained in school
• 95% have successfully moved up to the next grade level
• 98% have avoided teen pregnancy
• 95% have avoided gang involvement
9. Challenging Young Minds
Research shows that after-school and summer camp programs are effective in
preventing juvenile delinquency and crime. $2,600 supports a full year of after-school
and summer services for one child as compared to $250,000 – the cost of one year in
a juvenile detention center.
10. Getting Results
Evera – Sacred Heart Academy Scholarship Winner
•started at the Promise Project 11/3/07 as a 6th grader
•was the first recipient of the Good Neighbor Scholarship
•currently a senior at Sacred Heart Academy with an 82% average
•is the choreographer and lead for the annual production of the Nutcracker
Eva Simone – Sacred Heart Academy Scholarship Winner
•started at the Promise Project 6/30/08 as a 6th grader
•was the second recipient of the Good Neighbor Scholarship
•has maintained an 85% average during her time at Sacred Heart Academy
•excels in science
Andra-Mesha – Gates Millennium Scholarship Winner
• former member of Youth Advisory Council
• valedictorian of Hempstead high school
• attends Rice University majoring in Bio-Chemistry and International Relations
12. Creating Opportunities for Academic Success
Our Youth Advisory Council (YAC) began in 2007.
The project is comprised of Hempstead High School
students dedicated to promoting youth leadership,
service-learning, youth-adult partnerships and diversity.
• For two consecutive years, Hempstead High School’s
valedictorian was a member of Family and Children’s
Youth Advisory Council.
• Members of the YAC are eligible to apply for a Family &
Children’s Scholarship to help pay for college expenses.
13. From Need to Succeed
Mr. Alvarez and his family needed help after he sustained a terrible injury and lost
his job. We offered counseling, emergency relief and support to the family. Today,
his son George goes to Johns Hopkins Medical School.
14. Emergency Services to Families
• This year, 1,100 residents of the Village of Hempstead and the bordering
communities received assistance:
– 53% received help accessing emergency food through vouchers and referrals to
food pantries
– 20% received help with rent and mortgage arrears
– 30% received assistance with utility bills and arrears. Many clients received
assistance with more than one crisis (i.e., rent and utilities) and others needed
help with transportation and other emergency needs or were referred to other
agency services such as our Co-op Nursery for childcare or our program for
substance abuse treatment.
• The recent recession and economic downturn have had a significant impact on the
people we serve. Many families request assistance to resolve mortgage arrears or
prevent the foreclosure of their homes. More than half are TANF eligible - meaning
they meet the guidelines for receiving some level of public assistance.
• Most had incomes too high to receive assistance from the Department of Social
Services. Many clients had fallen behind on their rent or utility bills after seeing their
hours reduced at work or losing their jobs.
15. Community Partnerships
We maintain partnerships with both the private and public sectors in the
Village of Hempstead for the benefit of clients:
•other human service providers
•local government including the mayor’s office
•Department of Social Services
•Nassau County District Attorney
•Hofstra University
•Adelphi University
•Village of Hempstead library
•Village of Hempstead schools
•Hempstead Promise Neighborhood
16. Our Vision
Today, youth services have been challenged by the cuts in funding
in Nassau County that occurred this past July. As a result, Family &
Children’s Association is looking more and more to bring individuals
and foundations to the table to collaborate with us in providing quality
services to those who are most vulnerable.
Our vision is to ultimately stem the cycle of poverty through
education; provide a voice through advocacy to those who have no
voice; and lift at-risk communities such as Hempstead to a level of self
support and ultimate prosperity.
Currently we are fortunate to partner with Mr. & Mrs. George O’Neill,
the Grafer Family Foundation, the Gladys and Roland Harriman
Foundation, Mrs. Amy Hagedorn, the Angela & Scott Jagger Foundation,
the McCormick Foundation, the Treiber Family Foundation and the
William Stamps Farish Foundation.
17. Click here to hear from our clients, why they love Promise Project!
18. Don Holden
100 E. Old Country Road
Mineola, NY 11501
(516) 746-0350 x333
dholden@FamilyandChildrens.org
www.FamilyandChildrens.org
