‘That Tassle Was Worth the Hassle!’

July 6th was a special day at our East New York Transitional Family Shelter! Over 80 staff and residents came together to celebrate the academic achievements of 19 students, ranging from preschool to highschool seniors, as they moved into a new phase of their education. 

With moving remarks presented in both English and Spanish by Providence House staff, speeches from students, and two special dance numbers choreographed and performed by two talented young women, the event was a testament to the incredible spirit of our residents and the compassionate, creative staff.

Since opening its doors in 2020, our Glenmore site has served over 125 families. Our goal is to not only provide for their immediate needs, but to give them the tools they need to help break the cycle of poverty. One of our greatest assets in this work has been promoting education for our school-aged residents. 

According to Program Director, Tremaine “We are committed to ensuring that our families thrive while with us and beyond. We hope that events like this celebrating academic achievement helps to reinforce how important education is to moving forward and finding independence and stability.”

This year, one of our students named Jenny graduated  school this year and is now getting ready to start college. As noted by Azia Johnson, “Jenny is an amazing person. She worked really hard and is now going off to get her college diploma. It’s been so inspiring to watch her grow. We are confident that Jenny will be the first of many of our residents who will find their way into higher education.”

Of the 19 students celebrated on Thursday, 8 came from families who recently came to this country seeking asylum. As noted by Delores, “Last year, we started seeing more and more families seeking asylum. Our team did a great job building relationships with the schools to make sure these children were able to enroll in classes. We recently created a new Systems Navigator position to help solidify these efforts and ensure these students are able to thrive in the classroom.”

The success of this event was most noticeable in the faces of families watching their children be celebrated. The energy and enthusiasm created an atmosphere of hope for the future. We are so proud of 2023 students and look forward to seeing what 2024 holds!

If you would like to support our school-aged youth at our East New York residence as they head back to school in the fall, click here to donate.