This year, Thanksgiving at Allie’s Place Family Residence was not only an opportunity to enjoy a hot meal, but a means to strengthen the connections within the HFH community.

The Culinary Team curated a homemade feast and assembled takeaway bags for the families at Allie’s Place. They distributed a total of 80 meals—each packed with herb stuffed turkey, honied carrots, wild rice pilaf, butternut squash soup, homemade cranberry sauce, gravy, cornbread with honey butter, and a freshly baked loaf of apple cake with caramel icing. Families were invited to stop by and pick up a ready-to-eat meal.

Marcella Rodriguez, the Director of Culinary Education at Allie’s Place Center for Culinary Education & Employment, said the purpose of the giveaway is not only to provide free meals, it also “gives us the ability to connect with our residents and create an environment that promotes curiosity about culinary as a profession.”

“Creating family traditions is important and supporting our families in this time of transition is very necessary,” said Rodriguez.

Celebrating traditions, like the importance of friends, was the focus at Allie’s Place Early Childhood Education Center where they threw a Friendsgiving feast for the 3K and Pre-K students. The youngsters who live in the Soundview community as well as at the shelter made festive art, took a visit to the giant inflatable turkey, and gobbled up a turkey lunch with their pals.

The Afterschool & Recreation kids gathered for a family-style Thanksgiving feast. The group shared what they were thankful for over a meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, arroz con gandules—a traditional Puerto Rican holiday dish—apple pie, and sweet potato pie. The kids discussed the importance of understanding that not everyone celebrates the same holidays and that how they are celebrated might vary from family to family. For seven-year-old Maliyah having different types of foods was a highlight at this gathering.

“Our Thanksgiving Feast is very special for families and children at Allie’s Place Afterschool & Recreation because it gives the opportunity to express gratitude for family, friends, and each other,” said Afterschool Manager David Belmar.

Education Specialist Kenneth “Mr. K” Hernandez was moved by all the smiling faces of the children and witnessing how much the family and friend meal meant to them.

The bar for next year’s celebration is high; nine-year-old Marcia shared that she “wishes Thanksgiving was like this every year.”

Sign up for Allie’s Place Early Childhood Education Center: A universal Pre-K and 3K Department of Education Program for children born in 2018 and 2019. To learn more call 929.955.4624 or email APECEC@HFHnyc.org.

Prospect Early Childhood Education students have been twirling through time as Jazz Explorers diving into the history of Jazz and Swing. From interactive history and music lessons to designing outfits to wear to the “dance,” the RiMarcable Music For Arts & Education team brings music to life for our budding musicians.

School is officially back in session for students throughout New York City. Each HFH family residence celebrated the end of Summer Day Camp and the transition to Afterschool and Recreation.  

Students at Prospect Family Residence spent their last day of summer learning a new recipe that also sharpened their math skills. The morning began with them making multigrain waffles alongside their teachers. After devouring their delicious breakfast, they continued the festivities with math-based card games featuring a friendly competition as they raced to answer each question correctly.  

At Allie’s Place they marked the last day with an animal show where students were introduced to a bunny rabbit, box turtle, two hermit crabs, and a corn snake. After learning all about their furry and slimy new friends, the kids celebrated with some old-fashioned board games and a family-style meal. They truly said goodbye to summer as they splashed around in the sprinklers in the site’s kid-friendly backyard. 

Saratoga Family Residence welcomed the new school year with an outdoor fashion show with the help of friends at Old Navy. Store employees from several local stores donated new and gently used clothes for the on-site donation closet. Kids, their parents, and staff dressed up and showed off their fashions, and incredible style down a home-made red carpet to the sounds of DJ Kev White. 

The Magic School Bus made a stop at Williamsbridge Family Residence, bringing with it an end to the summer. Teachers filled the recreation space and bulletin boards with decorations and inspiring quotes from Ms. Frizzle herself encouraging students with the message: “Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!” 

Students at Prospect Early Childhood Education had a blast making music during their virtual Jazz Explorer Camp with Ms. Riza, founder of RiMarcable Music for Arts & Education. During one lesson, students learned about the Blues by creating their own guitars out of a small cardboard box, crayons, duct tape, string, and scissors. According to Ms. Riza, the Blues allow musicians to express how they feel, whether happy, hungry, angry, or sleepy. Students also created their own homemade trumpets and tambourines, allowing them to express themselves by finding their own songs.

On World’s Children’s Day, Annamaria Santoro, HFH’s Senior Director of Operations, participated in a webinar on global family homelessness organized by UNANIMA International, a coalition NGO that advocates internationally for the rights of women and children living in extreme poverty. Katie Tobin, an Advocacy Coordinator at WaterAid, Dr. Preety Gadhoke, a Professor at St. John’s University, and Elizabeth Madden, an international advocate with lived experience of homelessness, also participated in the webinar, which delved into the issue of family homelessness through the lens of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

During her presentation, Santoro emphasized HFH’s unique programming model, which includes Early Childhood Education programs, Employment Services & Job Training, and Social Services, all located on-site at each of HFH’s four Family Residences. Santoro previously worked as an an early childhood educator, an experience she referenced as she explained the significance of providing on-site childcare services to families at HFH.

“I saw first-hand how the classroom can help kids,” she said. “We know that when children are not enrolled in Early Ed, they are more likely to suffer from development issues, hunger, and asthma.

Santoro also detailed HFH’s three in-house job training programs, Family Works, FamilyPLUS, and Allie’s Place Center for Culinary Education, while contextualizing them within HFH’s broader supports for parents and caregivers.

“Imagine having two kids under the age of three years old as a single person living in a shelter and being told to just look for a job,” she said, noting the long-term goals that parents are able to establish with the support of HFH staff and on-site childcare services.

Santoro concluded her presentation by discussing HFH’s Family Services department, which include on-site Case Managers, Employment Specialists, Housing Specialists, and Client Care Coordinators who work with families to achieve long-term stability.

Learn more about how HFH Family Services staff have been supporting families during the COVID-19 pandemic.