Association to Benefit Children (ABC)

Yesterday, ABC hosted its annual Staff Development Day! Every staff member from our various programs met at Holy Trinity Church, home of Merricat’s, Fast Break Plus, and the Children’s Mobile Crisis Team, for activities, introductions, and overall fun. Here are some of the smiling faces from the “ABC Carnival” photo station. Stay tuned for a full recap of yesterday’s activities early next week!

Labor Day might only just be over, but we are already thinking ahead to Thanks for Giving. On November 14, we will be back for our annual celebration. This year, we will have a variety of silent and live auction items, a new cocktail hour ticket option courtesy of our Junior Committee (more info coming soon), and food and drink from some of New York City's finest chefs. You can buy tickets and tables at https://buff.ly/3B1qnRa.

🎒✨ ABC was thrilled to join the Back-to-School Community Fair organized by the Manhattan Division of Child Protection, the Administration for Children's Services, and PSA 5. Our All Children's House (Preventive Services) and In Good Hands (mental health coordination) teams were on hand in East Harlem, giving out over 200 mood rings and connecting with children and families. We also shared information about ABC’s other programs, making sure our community can access the resources they need. It was an amazing day supporting East Harlem as we prepare for the school year ahead! 💫 #BackToSchool #EastHarlem

This summer at Camp Calvin, Coach Tani helped our kids get fully immersed in soccer! ⚽ He taught our campers some basic ball tricks and skills and organized teams for lively games. The kids had a blast on the field and learned lots about teamwork! 🏃🏽♂️🏃🏽♀️ Huge thanks to Coach Tani for showing the kids how fun exercise can be and inspiring the next generation of soccer stars! 🙌🏽

Going for Gold! 🥇 Students at the Graham School recently learned about the Olympic Games and practiced in events such as relay races, the bobsled, and weightlifting. They made artwork out of the Olympic rings and medals, and connected what they learned to themes of movement and wellness. Check out these ABC champions! 🏋️️ #Olympics #Paris2024

🎓✨ Celebrating Milestones at Cassidy’s Place! ✨🎓 We’re thrilled to share the graduation of our 4-year-olds at Cassidy’s Place! These young learners recently participated in a professional photo shoot to mark their transition, and the results are nothing short of inspiring. 🌟👗👖 Our little graduates showcased their unique personalities and confidence, embodying the spirit of achievement and growth that we strive to nurture every day. Their journey is a testament to the commitment of our educators and the support of our community. Thank you to Paula Lin Photography for capturing this moment on camera! Here’s to these young achievers and their bright futures! https://buff.ly/3A2PhQ0 https://buff.ly/3yqbYNO https://buff.ly/3WNBLJ7

✨Last week, 15 of our amazing school-based mental health team members facilitated Dialectical Behavior Therapy sessions for the incoming 9th graders at one of our high schools! 🏫 Over 250 students participated, and it was incredible to engage with them in this setting. We divided the students into 7 classrooms, providing them with essential skills to support their high school journey. Afterwards, they joined the Fast Break Plus team for a thrilling team-building activity at Escape the Room! 🙌We tackled three different challenges: escaping a witch with her magic stones, saving a subway from going off the tracks, and beating the clock in a baking competition. Talk about an adrenaline-packed day! 💫 #EscapeRoom #MentalHealth

💃 This summer, Camp Calvin collaborated with Harlem School of the Arts to teach students dance and percussion. Our campers learned Latin dances like salsa, the cha-cha, and merengue. They also learned some Djembe drum patterns to make beautiful rhythmic music. 🎶🥁 A huge thank you to The Trustforte Corporation for making this experience possible! 🙌 #Dance #Percussion

Study Buddies just had their first official graduation ceremony! 📚 🎓 Our 18 amazing graduates have shown incredible dedication and perseverance, earning stellar grades and mastering executive functioning skills throughout the year. We couldn’t be prouder of our 2024 grads and their awesome volunteers! 🙌 Although tutoring services are wrapping up, we’re so excited to welcome these alumni into our brand-new SBC Alumni community! Our End of School Year event was a blast, filled with fun activities, yummy cupcakes, and cool prizes A huge thank you to all the volunteers, parents, and kids who joined us. We had so much fun hanging out with you all! 🤗 Check out what our graduates had to say: 💬 "Thank you for helping me become a better reader and also understand books in a deeper way." — Milagros (7th grader) 💬 "Study Buddies has connected me to a person who is invested in my life and future, and who has helped me grow in new ways!” — Esmeralda (headed to John Jay College)

🎉🌟 Congratulations to the Koala Room on your step-up ceremony! 🌟🎉 These incredible children truly shone as they performed beautifully in front of their proud parents and loved ones. They also showed off their art skills with an elaborate “waves in the sea” backdrop. 🌊 We couldn’t be more proud of all they’ve achieved this past year—making friends, learning new things, and having a blast along the way! Here’s to their continued growth and success! 👏 #StepUpCeremony #ProudMoments