Kennedy Children's Center

We are proud that our nationally-recognized Grow Your Own Program is getting attention in our home state! GYO at KCC is currently featured on the New York State Education Department's website under GYO Program Highlights (check out "Highlights Across New York State – Community Organizations & Consortia" to see KCC at the top!). https://lnkd.in/ePjP9mzJ GYO at KCC remains the only GYO program in the nation focusing on early childhood and special education. GYO is just as critical for early childhood programs as for K-12, and we are excited to see our program highlighted as a notable example of a strong, community-based solution to the national teacher shortage.

Hear from a parent about their experience here at Kennedy Children's Center. "The biggest change that gives us such a great feeling is being able to watch our son walk." - Ariosto's Dad, Washington

“Love's peers look up to her as a role model. Her name is the true definition of who she is. She is SO KIND, compassionate, and has so much love to give to others. She has become so much more confident in her own abilities over the past 2 years.“ - Love’s Teacher Gabriella At KCC, learning kindness, caring and confidence is just as important as learning our ABCs. We are so proud of Love and we can't wait to see what she accomplishes in Kindergarten and beyond!

Jeanne Alter, CEO, recently joined the Innovation Fellows at Bank Street to talk about pathways into the early childhood special education field for high school students. Teaching is an exciting and high-demand industry, and by engaging principals as partners, Grow Your Own at the Kennedy Children's Center can provide training and opportunity to countless young aspiring educators. We look forward to partnering with this inspiring group to strengthen the field of early childhood special education by creating opportunities for young, aspiring educators.

#swipeleft to Meet Ariosto and read about his journey here at Kennedy Children’s Center. KCC serves nearly 400 preschoolers with disabilities every day, at no cost to families. Without KCC, these preschoolers would have nowhere to learn. Kennedy Children's Center helps children like Ariosto fulfill their potential. Visit www.kenchild.org/donate to make a donation, and make a difference, today. 

Our heARTs in Education benefit was a night to remember: our community helped raise over $130,000! Your generosity will help provide life-changing services to preschoolers with special needs, and train a new generation of diverse educators through our Grow Your Own Program. Thank you to EVERYONE who attended our event or made a donation to support our work. We want to give a few special shout-outs: To our Board of Directors, the evening wouldn't have been possible without you: Kathy Awanis Garcia, Jackie Dauhajre, Joseph Gannon, John Gibbons, Vijay Jesrani, Andrew Kraus, CIMA®, Sang Le, Edward Linden, Cindy Machles (our impeccable event chair!), Nicole Mar, Preeti Mone, Michael O'Hara, Shruti Patel, Melissa Salerno, Laura Shanley, Kevin Sullivan, Brett A. Tremain, Stacey Wolf. Your dedication makes our work possible! Our silent auction was a huge success thanks to donations from the New York Yankees Foundation, Marc Neer, Bask Suncare, Rare Matters Jewelry, and artist Gabrielle Mar, who inspired the theme for the evening with her beautiful and inclusive art project with our students. We were thrilled that our partners from Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York and LSA Family Health Service joined in the celebration. Working together makes all of us stronger. The money raised at our event will help accomplish amazing things for children and families in New York City. If you would like to learn more or make a donation, visit www.kenchild.org. To see all the photos from the evening, visit https://lnkd.in/exbR8UHV Thank you again! #givingback #autism #earlyeducation #feelingthankful #fundraisingsuccess

Every school week should start with an ice cream party! Our friends at Emack and Bolios donated enough ice cream to make Monday very sweet for all 150 of our Harlem preschoolers and our staff. Our "ice cream shop" had visual boards to help students choose their flavors, and needless to say, we had a lot of happy customers! A BIG thank you to Board Member Sang Le, who coordinated the donation with friend and Emack VP Jarrad Rook, and to our  Board Member volunteers who came to photograph and scoop: Cindy Machles, John Gibbons, and Edward Linden!

You're invited! Join us on Tuesday, June 4th for an evening of art and storytelling about the power of early childhood special education to change lives. Hear from parents and program participants who have been directly impacted by our life-changing services; enjoy an open bar and tasty bites; try your luck on our silent auction; and contribute to a vibrant community doing great things! Learn more and get your tickets at www.kenchild.org/celebrate

New York City's preschools need people who are passionate about working with young children with special needs. If you know someone who could be a great teacher assistant or teachers, forward this flyer to them! The 6-week program is FREE for participants, and covers the costs of all mandated screenings, workshops, and tests. We provide the hands-on experience people need to succeed in the classroom, as well as robust Job-Placement support to help trainees begin their new careers in education with confidence. Our next training starts on Monday, May 6th! https://lnkd.in/e9aFew8Y

Join our Teacher Assistant Training Program! This 6-week program is FREE for participants, and covers the costs of ALL mandated screenings, workshops, and tests. Apply Now: https://lnkd.in/e9aFew8Y