Horizons for Homeless Children

Thanks to the generosity of our community, Horizons for Homeless Children continues to provide high-quality early education, opportunities for play, and comprehensive family support services to the growing number of children and families experiencing homelessness. Check out a few highlights over the past year: https://lnkd.in/gDfP5U6H

We are incredibly proud that the Pink Chair Storytellers Magazine included Horizons’ very own Jayd Rodrigues and Shavon Drayton in their current edition honoring women who say, “I will help.” The magazine profiles the back stories that led them to becoming key leaders of Horizons’ Early Education program, their approach to the work, and their motivation for supporting children and families experiencing homelessness. Click the link to read their interview. https://lnkd.in/gyUTVf8s

This summer, Horizons' Playspace Program hosted a series of parent-child playgroups designed to support young children’s growth development with fun activities and innovative ideas! In our latest session, we delved into strategies for fostering positive social-emotional development in the first five years. A highlight was learning how to use mirrors to model facial expressions. This simple technique helps children recognize and understand emotions, building their empathy and emotional awareness. We loved working with all the amazing parents who joined us and made these sessions memorable! #HorizonsPlayspace #ParentChildPlaygroups #EmotionalDevelopment #ParentingTips #CreativePlay #volunteer

Recently we got an update from one of our former moms, Portia, who shared her story several years ago at our virtual gala. In addition to her current role as a Unit Coordinator at a local neighborhood health center, she recently published her very first book, a collection of short poetic stories. This summer she conducted writers’ workshops with teens. She’s inspiring others to explore writing as a means of self-expression and empowerment. Meanwhile, her sons are thriving, including little Christian who previously attended Horizons and is doing very well in an inclusion school. “It was all for the help and support of Horizons, they really went above and beyond to make sure I achieved my goals of going back to school and supporting my boys the best way I could. I can’t emphasize enough – they gave me the right amount of support and the kind of support I needed, ” Portia shared.

Tickets to this year's event are now available. Get yours today! Visit our event page to learn more about our sponsorship and individual ticket opportunities. https://lnkd.in/ebVudsDb Event Details: Thursday, October 10, 2024 8:00 – 9:30 a.m. (Registration open from 7:15 - 8:00 a.m.) Boston Marriott Copley Place 110 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02116

Children in our preschool classroom are encouraged to build narratives around content they have learned in the classroom. The children act out their story to share it with the class and this helps their teachers determine how much their language, sentence structure, and social skills have improved over time. Through this exercise, with the support of early educators, Natisha French, Diana Herrera and Kateri St Jean, students Alyza and Margaretha successfully published a journal with illustrations of stories they’ve created! This is one of many ways Horizons’ classrooms are promoting #literacy and dramatic play in the curriculum while creating fun memories and keepsakes along the way. 

Do you want to make a difference in your community? Join us as a Playspace Activity Leader! We’re looking for caring and dedicated volunteers to spend two hours each week playing with children experiencing homelessness across the state. If you like Play-Doh, LEGOs, arts & crafts, story-reading, and making a child’s day, this is the perfect volunteer opportunity for you! New volunteers must complete an online application, attend a virtual training session, and consent to a CORI background check. Upcoming volunteer trainings are scheduled for Monday, August 19 at 6 p.m., Tuesday, September 10 at 6 p.m., and Thursday, September 26 at 6 p.m. Learn more and sign up at https://lnkd.in/dnVGgGFe

Call us Inspired! Encouraging children and their families to imagine a brighter, more successful future is part of Horizons’ philosophy. Our local Olympians, Frederick Richard and Stephen Nedoroscik are role models for what’s possible when a child believes in their capabilities, has access to opportunity, and sees greatness modeled for them. To us, you are heroes in #Paris and back home. Thank you for inspiring the next generation of champions!

We’re seeking a leader with experience in human/social services settings serving families affected by homelessness, poverty, and trauma. Join our team and impact the lives of vulnerable families at an organization that is thriving and making a great impact.

Indoor beach day fun! At Horizons, we believe every child deserves enriching playful experiences as they learn, grow and thrive. Not all families have the means or opportunity to spend the day at the beach, so we brought the beach to them. Today, one of our classrooms enjoyed this special indoor activity, filled with sandcastles, smiles and summertime fun!