Sadia M. comes to BronxWorks to be with kids like her.

Sadia M. is an 8^th grade student who spends her afternoons at the BronxWorks CMCC After-School program. Sadia and her family are from Bangladesh, but they have lived in the Bronx for as long as she can remember. For Sadia and her family, BronxWorks has been an important resource going back to her early days.

Back in 2013, when Sadia was still in pre-school, she was enrolled in the BronxWorks Head Start program. She still remembers one of her teachers Ms. Diane, learning to dance, and performing with her classmates.

Now in middle school, Sadia recently returned to BronxWorks. “One of my friends would come here, so I started coming here,” Sadia says. “When I first came, I felt lonely because I didn’t have many friends, but I opened up and starting talking to people, and now I have lots of friends.” Sadia continues her love of dance today with the CMCC Dancing Club! “I get to express myself here. We do hip hop dancing here and I like that a lot,” she says.

BronxWorks after-school programs represent an important resource for thousands of young learners in our communities every year. “The staff, I don’t look at them as my teachers. I look at them as my family members,” Sadia says. “They always try to help me and make me feel safe.” BronxWorks after-school programs are a safe space for our students to get help with their homework, and participate in activities that include health and fitness, literacy and STEM development, arts and crafts, computer skills and practice, field trips, and more. For students like Sadia, the most important aspect of the after-school experience is always seeing friends. “My friends mean the whole world to me. If I lost my friends, it’s like losing a piece of me.”

To support students like Sadia and BronxWorks programs that benefit children and youth, donate to the BronxWorks Emergency Fund!

Sadia M. comes to BronxWorks to be with kids like her.

Sadia M. is an 8^th grade student who spends her afternoons at the BronxWorks CMCC After-School program. Sadia and her family are from Bangladesh, but they have lived in the Bronx for as long as she can remember. For Sadia and her family, BronxWorks has been an important resource going back to her early days.

Back in 2013, when Sadia was still in pre-school, she was enrolled in the BronxWorks Head Start program. She still remembers one of her teachers Ms. Diane, learning to dance, and performing with her classmates.

Now in middle school, Sadia recently returned to BronxWorks. “One of my friends would come here, so I started coming here,” Sadia says. “When I first came, I felt lonely because I didn’t have many friends, but I opened up and starting talking to people, and now I have lots of friends.” Sadia continues her love of dance today with the CMCC Dancing Club! “I get to express myself here. We do hip hop dancing here and I like that a lot,” she says.

BronxWorks after-school programs represent an important resource for thousands of young learners in our communities every year. “The staff, I don’t look at them as my teachers. I look at them as my family members,” Sadia says. “They always try to help me and make me feel safe.” BronxWorks after-school programs are a safe space for our students to get help with their homework, and participate in activities that include health and fitness, literacy and STEM development, arts and crafts, computer skills and practice, field trips, and more. For students like Sadia, the most important aspect of the after-school experience is always seeing friends. “My friends mean the whole world to me. If I lost my friends, it’s like losing a piece of me.”

To support students like Sadia and BronxWorks programs that benefit children and youth, donate to the BronxWorks Emergency Fund!

Maria R., a mother of three, has been stably-housed for three years.

Maria and her two older daughters relocated to New York City in 2017. Shortly thereafter, they entered the shelter system due to being unstably housed. In 2019 they moved into a BronxWorks Supportive Housing development. “My kids, they’ve gotten more freedom, they’re able to have company over, able to socialize better,” Maria says. For children, living in the shelter system can be difficult and stigmatizing, but now Luna and Lisa are thriving. “They’re in the Girl Scouts,” Maria continues, “they love the camp life, they love being in the woods, they love digital design, dancing, and singing.”

Transitioning to permanent housing was not easy or simple for Maria and her family. Shanice John, a BronxWorks Program Director, explains that at first, Maria was reluctant to engage with the supportive housing team. “I think that’s a natural part of the process when moving out of the family shelter and into a supportive housing environment,” Shanice says, “It took a lot of rapport-building. All the staff are very passionate about what they do, and I believe that through the frequent engagement, being friendly, being open and reliable, Maria was able to start to engage with staff and allow them to start providing the supportive services that we have here.”

These days, Maria and her family are fully engaged with the staff and community. As a family, they attend group workshops, recreational activities, and events. Luna recently graduated fifth grade and celebrated along with other families at the graduation ceremony hosted by staff.

“Our families are able to really feel less embarrassed and break down those barriers to being sociable again,” Shanice says.

Maria and her family have been through a lot, but they are looking forward to what is ahead of them now. “Things can be a little hectic on a day to day basis. The staff have been there, helping me, supporting me,” she says. Maria and her daughters are now a family of four, with Maria having given birth to another daughter this year, and have also added a feline roommate. “I just love living here,” the eldest daughter, Luna, says. “It feels great.”

To support families like Maria’s, donate to the BronxWorks Emergency Fund today!

Maria R., a mother of three, has been stably-housed for three years.

Maria and her two older daughters relocated to New York City in 2017. Shortly thereafter, they entered the shelter system due to being unstably housed. In 2019 they moved into a BronxWorks Supportive Housing development. “My kids, they’ve gotten more freedom, they’re able to have company over, able to socialize better,” Maria says. For children, living in the shelter system can be difficult and stigmatizing, but now Luna and Lisa are thriving. “They’re in the Girl Scouts,” Maria continues, “they love the camp life, they love being in the woods, they love digital design, dancing, and singing.”

Transitioning to permanent housing was not easy or simple for Maria and her family. Shanice John, a BronxWorks Program Director, explains that at first, Maria was reluctant to engage with the supportive housing team. “I think that’s a natural part of the process when moving out of the family shelter and into a supportive housing environment,” Shanice says, “It took a lot of rapport-building. All the staff are very passionate about what they do, and I believe that through the frequent engagement, being friendly, being open and reliable, Maria was able to start to engage with staff and allow them to start providing the supportive services that we have here.”

These days, Maria and her family are fully engaged with the staff and community. As a family, they attend group workshops, recreational activities, and events. Luna recently graduated fifth grade and celebrated along with other families at the graduation ceremony hosted by staff.

“Our families are able to really feel less embarrassed and break down those barriers to being sociable again,” Shanice says.

Maria and her family have been through a lot, but they are looking forward to what is ahead of them now. “Things can be a little hectic on a day to day basis. The staff have been there, helping me, supporting me,” she says. Maria and her daughters are now a family of four, with Maria having given birth to another daughter this year, and have also added a feline roommate. “I just love living here,” the eldest daughter, Luna, says. “It feels great.”

To support families like Maria’s, donate to the BronxWorks Emergency Fund today!

In celebration of Halloween, PwC hosted a Halloween Party for BronxWorks children at the Community Center.

Back at full steam for the first time since 2019, over a dozen PwC staff handed out drinks, pizza, and treats in the gymnasium at the community center to children of all ages. Many PwC staff and children dressed in their Halloween best. Superheroes were popular among the kids, while the PwC staff dressed as hot dogs, hamburgers and toast. After eating, children could participate in face painting, pumpkin painting, making a giant cat’s cradle, and Halloween 10-pin bowling. The most-enjoyed activity for the students was turning their fellow students as well as some PwC staff members into toilet paper mummies. A DJ played Halloween tunes all afternoon and ran a few games of musical chairs at the end of the party.

PwC has generously hosted this event for several years. After a modified version last year due to COVID-19 restrictions, BronxWorks and PwC were so happy to bring this annual tradition back at full strength. The children, especially, were full of energy and excitement, running, yelling, and laughing for hours during the event.

“It was a fantastic event,” said BronxWorks Department Director of Children & Youth Services Ursula Cooper-Hunter. “Our students were enthusiastic about this party and getting a chance to celebrate all together in one room. It’s really nice to hold events like these once again and give the students a chance to just be children.”

Erica Lennox, Assurance Director at PwC, said, “PwC looks forward to the Halloween Event at BronxWorks every year. We were very excited to return to the full-scale version of the event this year. Our staff really enjoy interacting with all of the participating children and it is a wonderful opportunity for our firm to give back to the community. We value our ongoing partnership with BronxWorks and look forward to continuing this tradition.”

In celebration of Halloween, PwC hosted a Halloween Party for BronxWorks children at the Community Center.

Back at full steam for the first time since 2019, over a dozen PwC staff handed out drinks, pizza, and treats in the gymnasium at the community center to children of all ages. Many PwC staff and children dressed in their Halloween best. Superheroes were popular among the kids, while the PwC staff dressed as hot dogs, hamburgers and toast. After eating, children could participate in face painting, pumpkin painting, making a giant cat’s cradle, and Halloween 10-pin bowling. The most-enjoyed activity for the students was turning their fellow students as well as some PwC staff members into toilet paper mummies. A DJ played Halloween tunes all afternoon and ran a few games of musical chairs at the end of the party.

PwC has generously hosted this event for several years. After a modified version last year due to COVID-19 restrictions, BronxWorks and PwC were so happy to bring this annual tradition back at full strength. The children, especially, were full of energy and excitement, running, yelling, and laughing for hours during the event.

“It was a fantastic event,” said BronxWorks Department Director of Children & Youth Services Ursula Cooper-Hunter. “Our students were enthusiastic about this party and getting a chance to celebrate all together in one room. It’s really nice to hold events like these once again and give the students a chance to just be children.”

Erica Lennox, Assurance Director at PwC, said, “PwC looks forward to the Halloween Event at BronxWorks every year. We were very excited to return to the full-scale version of the event this year. Our staff really enjoy interacting with all of the participating children and it is a wonderful opportunity for our firm to give back to the community. We value our ongoing partnership with BronxWorks and look forward to continuing this tradition.”