“You have been my village” is how one mother expressed Salvation Army youth services’ impact on her life. One of the largest and most comprehensive segments of our programming, our youth services help New York children of all ages mature into healthy adults able to take care of themselves and make positive choices.
While our programs are open to all types of families, they are most frequently utilized by parents who need assistance or guidance raising their children who would otherwise be unable to find or afford such support. All programs are either free or extremely affordable. And even the fees, sometimes as low as $3 a week, associated with small sliding-scale tuitions, is frequently waived if payment is not possible.
CHILDREN
- 5 day-care facilities, licensed by the City of New York, cheerful and all offering educational environments, serving 266 children, ages 2-5 years old. Each facility has trained qualified, and certified early-childhood education directors, teachers, and assistant teachers in each classroom
- 17 after school programs—which provide a safe, fun afternoon spot for kids with working parents, who would otherwise be at home alone—including The Greater Academic Incentives to Nurture Success (GAINS) program. GAINS operates in 5 of the 17 sites, serves 865 children, offers individualized homework help, and works closely with schools to monitor student achievement.
- Arts and enrichment programs like Staten Island's creative arts & music program, with academic enrichment, serving children in grades K through 8.
ADOLESCENTS
- The Urban Youth Leadership Program, operating in 4 sites in New York City, offers group college-prep activities, such as workshops and campus tours, in conjunction with the Borough of Manhattan Community College.
YOUTH OF ALL AGES
- Youth sports programs
- Weekly music, vocal, dance and drama lessons
- Star Lake Camp, a 400-acre camping complex in the woods of New Jersey