Across our early education programs, students, families, and teachers gathered to mark a year of growth, learning, and exciting milestones. From superhero-themed ceremonies to awards and performances, each celebration honored the achievements of the kids and the community that supports them.

At Prospect, families filled the room to cheer on their 3K and PreK students—those moving up to PreK and those heading off to kindergarten. Dressed as superheroes, the children danced, sang, and enjoyed an acai bowl buffet, all while being celebrated for their hard work.

“The children have worked very hard this year—they have learned many new things such as ABC’s and their numbers,” said Rafaela Bruno, Director of Early Childhood Education. “They have made new friends, and they have learned to share and be kind to each other… Graduates—this is the beginning of your learning adventure. Continue to be the amazing, kind, hard-working children that you are.”

Saratoga’s superhero-themed celebration also brought together students and their families for a lively send-off. Each kid received a personalized certificate recognizing their unique strengths—like “Biggest Heart,” “Certificate of Kindness,” “Sports Award,” and “Classroom Leadership.” It was a joyful celebration of both academic and personal growth.

Allie’s Place turned up the music for a High School Musical-themed celebration, complete with performances, family photo ops, and a nutritious lunch. One student graduated to kindergarten, while the others proudly moved up to PreK. Families were also recognized with awards to honor their unwavering support throughout the school year. The day concluded with a slideshow of highlights from the year of learning and memories.

HFH Family Residences have been staying busy over the past few months—learning, engaging with community partners, and celebrating the season. From hands-on lessons in our Early Education programs to exciting Afterschool activities and festive holiday events, families and staff have made the most of winter.

In our Early Education programs, the young learners explored the Clothing and Tree units through interactive lessons. In Saratoga Early Ed, the kids created self-portraits using textures and patterns to express their unique styles. Their alphabet exploration led them to focus on the letter P for Pajamas, designing their own paper pajamas while connecting letters to real-world concepts. Prospect Early Ed took a hands-on approach by washing classroom smocks and doll clothes—building life-skills while fostering teamwork and responsibility. They even built a classroom washing machine for their dramatic play area. Meanwhile, Saratoga Early Ed’s Tree Unit encouraged students to learn about how trees grow and what they provide. After exploring different fruits that grow on trees, they blended their discoveries into smoothies—a fun and nutritional snack.

The Afterschool programs kept kids engaged through exciting partnerships and skill-building activities. Young photographers at Williamsbridge sharpened their skills with Kids With Cameras, learning the basics of DSLR photography while experimenting with focus, exposure, and composition. In Allie’s Place Afterschool, kids stayed active through the cold months with hip-hop classes led by National Enrichment Group, building confidence and rhythm. Cooking has been a key focus at both Saratoga Afterschool and Williamsbridge—also with National Enrichment Group. At Saratoga, the kids have been learning essential kitchen skills and nutrition basics, while at Williamsbridge, parents and kids cooked side by side, making dishes like Caesar salad and chicken fettuccini Alfredo.

Families across our residences have embraced the spirit of celebration, marking Lunar New Year, Valentine’s Day, and Black History Month with engaging activities. Allie’s Place Early Ed honored Black History Month by learning about artists like Alma Thomas and Jean-Michel Basquiat, inspiring children to create their own vibrant masterpieces, while Prospect Afterschool discussed influential Black leaders and crafted collages filled with empowering quotes and images that celebrate Black history. Saratoga Afterschool is also preparing for their annual Black History Month Showcase—stay tuned! In Allie’s Place Afterschool, kids explored Lunar New Year traditions, discovering their Chinese Zodiac signs and playing New Year Bingo. Valentine’s Day was also a highlight—Saratoga Early Ed hosted a gathering where families decorated picture frames and created sensory water bottles, while Allie’s Place held a Valentine’s Day Jam featuring outreach tables, a makeup giveaway, and a spread of sweet treats prepared by Allie’s Place Center for Culinary Education & Employment.

With spring around the corner, we look forward to even more opportunities for creativity and connection across our programs.

This autumn, HFH Family Residences were alive with seasonal festivities, from Halloween to Día de Los Muertos. Here’s a look at how the HFH community came together to celebrate!

Thanks to a donation from Village Community School and volunteers from the NYPD Community Affairs team, Allie’s Place Family Residence kicked off Halloween with a costume distribution event. Families chose the perfect disguise with the help of volunteers and staff before painting pumpkins, jamming out to bewitching tunes, and enjoying treats from the Culinary Team. Later in the week, they rocked out at a Halloween bash featuring games, crafts, and a costumed Family Services team leading everyone in a Halloween-inspired Electric Slide.

At Allie’s Place Early Ed, the littlest trick-or-treaters donned their best costumes and paraded through the halls, stopping at Administration and Family Services offices to collect sweets and spread the spooky spirit.

In honor of Día de Los Muertos, culinary students at Allie’s Place Center for Culinary Education & Employment whipped up a traditional feast. From Mole Pipián Verde to sweet Calabaza en Tacha, the workshop highlighted dishes that bring families together in celebration of life and remembrance.

Clinton Family Residence hosted a fang-tastic Halloween gathering with a special visit from MLB Store NYC. Families, decked out in costumes, came for pizza, candy, and a gourd-geous line-up of activities, including a classic bean bag toss.

Prospect Early Ed’s little artists dove into pumpkin painting with autumn colors galore! They experimented with mixing colors as they brought their fall masterpieces to life.

Saratoga Afterschool brought down the haunted house with a Halloween performance. The kids took to the stage in their creepiest costumes for choreographed dances that thrilled their friends and family.

Saratoga Early Ed’s Halloween parade and costume party were a scream! After trick-or-treating around the building, families joined the kids for pumpkin painting, witch hat decorating, and ring toss—with Halloween-themed treats to match the spook-tacular celebration.

Williamsbridge Family Residence was transformed into a wicked wonderland courtesy of Knock Knock Give a Sock and Lev Capital. Families enjoyed a lively carnival, complete with cape and mask decorating and slime-making.

Our Early Childhood Education Centers—staffed by Certified Teachers licensed by the NYC Department of Education—recently recognized the achievements of the youngest learners with “Moving Up” ceremonies. These events marked significant milestones for the children and their families and celebrating the growth, learning, and progression to the next phase of their educational journeys. Take a glimpse into the festivities at Prospect, Saratoga, and Allie’s Place Family Residences’ Early Ed.

The families of the kiddos in Prospect Early Ed gathered with flowers and balloons, excited to honor their children’s accomplishments.

“I’m nervous about him going up to kindergarten … there will be new teachers … new friends,” one mom shared about her son.

The kids performed a song, and families enjoyed a slideshow showcasing the year’s learning highlights. The kids loved seeing themselves, and parents were amazed at how much their children had grown since the start of the school year. Sand buckets with fun toys for the kids to enjoy during the summer—including toys for outside and a graduation teddy bear—were distributed to close out the event.

“I am proud of our 3-K group, I am also very proud of our pre-K group because they are getting ready to go to kindergarten and our 3-K are moving up to pre-K,” said Rafaela Bruno, Director of Early Childhood Education at Prospect. “We are very proud of the progress they have made this year. I just want to say thank you to the parents—this would be impossible without your help. Thank you very much to our staff that we have here at HFH—this would be impossible without you as well.”

The celebration at Saratoga Early Ed was filled with excitement as the children moved up to kindergarten and pre-K. The students performed two songs before being called up to receive their certificates. Families captured the moment with photos and enjoyed refreshments, and the little graduates each received a goodie bag containing crayons and coloring books. The occasion concluded with a spirited dance party.

At Allie’s Place Early Ed, the moving up ceremony commemorated the young learners as they take their next big step. The kids performed the song I’m Ready to Go, recited the poem I’m a Little Graduate, and gathered for a family-style lunch. The gathering wrapped up with the distribution of certificates and gifts, including new backpacks and school supplies to prepare the students for their educational paths ahead.

For information on enrolling your child in one of our Early Childhood Education Centers for fall 2024, visit https://www.hfhnyc.org/programs/education/.

The dads and kids at Allie’s Place had a great time at the Father’s Day Barbers and BBQ bash. The Culinary Team prepared and served up smokin’ to-go BBQ meals and kids made cards while their dads received haircuts from volunteers with a local barber shop, Joaa’s Luxury Cutz.

Saratoga Early Ed celebrated with a family picnic to honor their dads. Families enjoyed pizza and collaborated on crafts—including beading and watercolors—and the little ones gifted handmade picture frames to their fathers.

Families at Clinton enjoyed a lively Father’s Day celebration filled with games and a pizza party lunch. While kids played their favorite board games, parents interacted over Father’s Day themed activities including “Pin the Tie on the Dad.”

Prospect Early Ed showed their appreciation to their dads with a hands-on art project. The kids crafted cards using their handprints to create colorful ice cream scoops and wish the coolest dads a happy Father’s Day.

Spring is in full swing and HFH Early Ed is staying active and sprouting young minds. Take a sneak peek at how our youngest learners are blossoming—from morning movement to hands-on learning about our earth’s ecosystem.

Prospect Early Ed has been kickstarting their mornings with energizing morning movement. The little ones stretch and dance to get their bodies moving and set the tone for a day of learning.

They have also been loving their free time at sensory stations! The kids have been fostering cognitive development and building fine motor skills exploring the elements at the water table and molding masterpieces with Play-Doh.

Saratoga Early Ed has been springing into action outdoors! The kiddos are soaking up the spring sunshine and exploring the blooming nature during their free time on the playground.

They recently dug into Earth Day with a hands-on activity—they made delicious ‘dirt’ cups using crushed Oreos, chocolate pudding, and gummy worms. The class talked about the interconnectedness of nature and the importance of preserving the earth’s ecosystem!

Allie’s Place Early Ed has been mastering the art of Tai Chi with NY Enrichment Group. The weekly classes are a great way to stay active while promoting lifelong health and wellness habits through building strength, balance, and focus.

The young book worms have also been enjoying independent reading time, which they have dubbed “book buddies.” The kids are exploring their favorite stories while fostering a love for reading.

The Early Childhood Education Centers across HFH shelters have been expanding their wisdom of wardrobes during a recent Clothing Study—part of NYC Public Schools Early Childhood Education Creative Curriculum.

“Our goal is to find out what the students already know about clothes and expand their knowledge based on their curiosity,” said Rafaela Bruno, Director of Early Childhood Education at Prospect Family Residence. “From an early age, children are curious about clothes. As infants they used their five senses to understand this thing their parents put on them every day since birth. Now, as 3K and Pre-K students, they are exploring language and developing their phonological awareness skills.”

The little learners made connections between the clothes they wore every day and the changing weather outside. They also had the opportunity to share about the cultural clothes from their countries. Each week, students explored questions relating to clothing, including “Why do people wear clothes?” and “What types of different clothes are there?” and practiced identifying clothing worn in different professions.

“Mira es por el fuego! (Look! It’s for the fire),” one student at Prospect said to identify a firefighter’s uniform.

“A police for the people,” another student said about the police uniform.

In addition to their discussions, the kids engaged in various hands-on activities, from washing clothes at the water table and hanging clothes on the clothesline in the dramatic play area to “sewing” mittens and creating clothing out of different materials to dress outlines of themselves. They added a playful touch by building a play washing machine out of a cardboard box to incorporate into the dramatic play area—with a coin slot, opening door, and all!

This study not only provided a fun way for the kids to learn about clothes but also nurtured creativity through imaginative play, helped them develop essential language skills, and taught them practical task skills.

At HFH Family Residences, families and staff welcomed the beginning of the holiday season with Thanksgiving celebrations. These cheerful festivities are more than just gatherings with friends and loved over delicious food—they serve as a way to engage with HFH families and connect them with their community.

At Saratoga Family Residence, the kids in Afterschool enjoyed a dinner hosted by the Lions Club—a special annual tradition. After cheerfully chatting over the tasty meal, the kids participated in an action-packed round of musical chairs to work up an appetite for dessert—apple pie and cookies.

Saratoga Early Ed was filled with excitement as the little ones were joined by their parents for Thanksgiving wreath making and snacks—followed by a lively dance party.

The little turkeys in Prospect Early Ed celebrated with hand-crafted turkey art and a festive feast with friends—they shared lots of laughs over some delicious bites.

Allie’s Place Early Ed hosted a Friendsgiving lunch where parents were invited to share a meal with their little ones. A surprise visit from one parent added an extra sprinkle of excitement to the festivities.

The Culinary Team at Allie’s Place Center for Culinary Education & Employment whipped up a Thanksgiving spread to distribute to the families at Allie’s Place. Residents were excited to stop by and pick up prepared to-go bags with mac n’ cheese, turkey, buttery garlic green beans, homemade cranberry sauce, fresh baked rolls, and a sweet potato cheesecake pie.

The Afterschool kids at Allie’s Place gathered with their Gator friends for a Friendsgiving meal. The flavorful feast was the perfect setting for the kids to celebrate their gratitude for their pals while enjoying each others company.

Saratoga’s Afterschool crew unleashed ‘Scary-toga’­­—a spine-chilling spectacle for their friends and families. Decked in their spookiest attire, the little ghouls and ghosts danced the night away in a fang-tastic performance.

The young ones at Saratoga Early Ed went all in with their spook-tacular costumes for a day filled with Halloween fun. After pumpkin painting with their families, the kids paraded around the residence—trick-or-treating at the administration, security, and family services offices—in search of sweet treats, and wrapped up with a piñata boo bash!

Allie’s Place Early Ed threw a magical costume party—the little ones masqueraded as their favorite characters and posed for a festive photo shoot.

The families, staff, and Afterschool kids at Allie’s Place had a ghoulish gathering where they crafted spooky pumpkins and enjoyed delicious treats made by the rather otherworldly Culinary Team.

The Clinton Family Residence received a frightfully fun visit from the MLB Store NYC. Sprits were high as the volunteers handed out goody bags and posed with the families to capture the boo-tiful moment—the babies couldn’t get enough of Michael Myers!

At Prospect Afterschool and Early Ed, the kids embraced the Halloween magic with bewitching costume parties. The Afterschool kids dove into a wicked good game of candy corn bowling—adding a sprinkle of spooky to the festivities!

A spooky spin on picture day—the Early Ed kiddos and staff at Prospect Family Residence were dressed to impress for a spook-tacular photoshoot.

Saratoga gave us pumpkin to talk about with their scary skelebration! The Afterschool staff assembled an eerie-sistible spread of treats, and the kids crafted ghosts out of construction paper and cotton balls.

Allie’s Place Early Childhood Education Center threw a frightfully fun costume party. The youngsters competed in an “egg-and-spoon” race, limbo, and musical chairs—dressed as their favorite characters!