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Homepage Uncategorized CityLimits Opinion: Restoring our Children’s Future Through Ecosystems of Support
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CityLimits Opinion: Restoring our Children’s Future Through Ecosystems of Support

To read full article on CityLimits click here:

By Wesner Pierre
Published March 5, 2024

“While Community Schools—New York’s exemplary model for engaging children in school and guiding them to maturity—were spared in January from millions in anticipated city budget cuts, come July, they will still lose critical COVID-related funding that supports the youth and families who need it most.”


(Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office) NYC students lined up for the first day of school in 2021.

At a time when the expiration of pandemic funding has driven poverty levels up to 22 percent, affecting one in four children in New York, most under-resourced families are facing another funding cliff in a matter of months.

While Community Schools—New York’s exemplary model for engaging children in school and guiding them to maturity—were spared in January from millions in anticipated city budget cuts, come July, they will still lose critical COVID-related funding that supports the youth and families who need it most.

This could sweep away a broad swath of programs, like the newly-opened food pantry and parent resource center Partnership with Children recently launched at the Riverdale Avenue Middle School in Brownsville, where 95 percent of students experience poverty but a visionary school culture sustains them.

In many neighborhoods, students are still drowning in the pandemic’s disastrous effects: two decades of learning gains wiped out, especially among students of color; chronic absenteeism stubbornly high in New York; and mental health challenges at alarming rates among children of all ages—with suicide rates of Black youth up 60 percent.

Community Schools are a proven way to fight back against this tide with their wide variety of supports—from social workers helping kids navigate their emotions, to culturally-inclusive reading centers. By engaging teachers, administrators, parents and nonprofits like ours, they make schools places children want to be.

Here’s how it works in the schools Partnership with Children serves: public school principals are supported by our Community School directors, social workers, and family outreach coordinators to deliver in-school counseling and extra supports that are often funded separately in wealthier districts. Students benefit from on-the-spot mental health interventions, anti-bullying rallies, and vibrant art programs to help them find their voice.

With a comprehensive approach encompassing multiple disciplines, these schools become ecosystems in which a child builds independence, agency and confidence. Students learn they are not defined by their circumstances. Most leaders hailing from humble circumstances will attest to the transformative influence of a counselor or teacher. For me, it was my middle school social worker who taught me to play chess and ensured I could practice piano in the community center. There is magic in the guidance of a trusted adult setting a child on the path to a better future.

As a 115-year-old nonprofit that advocated for children from a time when there were few child protection laws or social services, we are familiar with the insidious effects of structural racism and intergenerational poverty. Hardships like food scarcity, inadequate health care, loss of a parent, and homelessness can result in paralyzing toxic stress that can stall a child’s maturity and cascade to significant health and developmental issues throughout their lives.

This creates a perpetual “fight or flight” state of being, making it nearly impossible to function. That’s where clinically-trained social workers can moor a child struggling with deprivation, grief, and isolation. They can also operate more subtly, taking pressure off teachers in class by helping an anxious child decompress in a “cozy corner.” These services are critical for students of color who access mental health care at school at a greater rate than their counterparts.

A recent New York Times article on learning loss recovery trends cited examples of how some lower-income, diverse school districts advanced ahead of others. That’s due to channeling funds towards additional educational support in classrooms, social workers and mental health awareness.

Our surveys reflect the positive effect of these factors in the schools we serve. In 2023, 90 percent of students said they were able to make progress or achieved their goals; 80 percent said there are adults at their school who they trust and can turn to for help. Six out of 10 students in the tumultuous middle and high school years said they learned how to make better decisions and manage their strong emotions.

Among our youngest elementary school students, nearly three-quarters said they look forward to coming to school more with our programs, they get along better with their teachers, and are happier. That is the most important scorecard: a child’s ability to succeed in school and in life. Funding Community Schools should be our top priority.

A true celebration would be for the leaders in this great city—government, corporations, foundations and individuals—to replace the expiring federal funding and demonstrate to our children that we are committed to their future. It’s time for New Yorkers to take an historic, heroic stake in reclaiming the promise of a generation.

 

Wesner Pierre is CEO of Partnership with Children, a 115-year-old nonprofit providing trauma-informed counseling, community-based programming, and healing-based arts education benefitting over 27,000 children and families each year.

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ARCHIVE

2025
  • PWC CEO, Wesner Pierre, Honored As One Of Crain’s New York Business Notable Black Leaders of 2024
  • PWC’s Senior Director of Equity Lola Martin Featured As One Of City & State New York’s 2024 Responsible 100
  • PWC CEO, Wesner Pierre, Recognized As A PoliticsNY & amNY Metro Nonprofit Power Player
  • Partnership with Children Students Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness
2024
  • Freedom Schools Students speak out against gun violence in Brownsville
  • CBS NEWS: Annual Inspiration Gala held in support of Partnership With Children
  • Bronx Times: Leaders discuss youth mental health, its causes and ‘real solutions’ during panel at Bronx Borough Hall
  • NYN First Read Opinion: Addressing mental health solutions for Bronx youth
  • North Arrow: Impact Mapping for PWC
  • Mayor Adams Announces New York City’s First-Ever Nonprofit Advisory Council
  • CBS NEWS: Councilwoman wants to expand laundry facilities in high-rate shelter student schools
  • PWC CEO Wesner Pierre Honored Among City Luminaries 2024 Manhattan Power List
  • CityLimits Opinion: Restoring our Children’s Future Through Ecosystems of Support
  • News 12 Brooklyn: PWC & Riverdale Avenue Middle School New Food Pantry & Parents Resource Center
  • PWC & Robin Hood Investment of “Next Generation” Community Schools
2023
  • ABC Here and Now: Supporting Youth Mental Health in Schools
  • Helping kids post-COVID-19: A Q&A with Partnership With Children’s new CEO Wesner Pierre
  • Partnership with Children Names Annie Cleary Chief Development Officer and Promotes Franklyn Pintado to Chief Financial Officer
  • Partnership with Children CEO speaks to News 12 State of Our Schools
  • Rockaway Collegiate Students Collect Food to Help Support the Community
  • School social workers are an essential support for children’s mental health: Read our Op-Ed
  • Our Holiday Wish: Deep, Necessary Investments in Children’s Mental Health
2022
  • FPWA 100th Year Anniversary!
  • Virtual Job Fair October 26, 2022
  • A Message From Our CEO, Wesner Pierre
  • Partnership with Children awarded the UHC Empowering Health grant!
  • Partnership with Children’s Theater Programs Featured in City Limits News!
  • Read PWC’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Newsletter, April/May 2022
  • Partnership with Children’s CEO, Wesner Pierre, was featured on News 12!
  • Partnership with Children featured on PIX11 News
  • Read PWC’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Newsletter, February/March 2022
  • 2022 Inspiration Gala!
  • Partnership with Children Names Wesner Pierre as CEO
  • Join Partnership with Children and Dr. Ibram X. Kendi
2021
  • To Meet Children’s Mental Health Crisis, Support Our Social Workers: Read our op-ed
  • Partnership with Children Names Tom Booker, André Branch and Castleigh Johnson to its Board of Directors
  • Partnership with Children Names Angela Jefferson Chief Program Officer
  • Watch our Year In Reflection Town Hall and SEL Discussion: Social Emotional Learning with an Equity Lens
  • CAE’s Senior Program Director published in the New York Daily News
  • Partnership with Children featured on NBC News
  • Partnership with Children’s Inspiration Gala in NYN First Read
  • Meredith Sherman named Senior Program Director at The Center for Arts Education at Partnership with Children
  • Partnership with Children Welcomes Jessica Rawlins as Chief Development Officer
  • Our vision for re-opening schools: Read our op-ed
  • 2021 Inspiration Gala!
  • PWC Offers Crisis Counseling Support for New York City During COVID-19
  • Partnership with Children Welcomes Travis Rodgers as Chief Equity and Strategy Officer
2020
  • Watch our 2nd Virtual Town Hall: Advancing Equity for NYC Children during the COVID-19 Crisis and Beyond
  • PWC Town Hall: Advancing Equity for NYC Children during the COVID-19 Crisis and Beyond
  • Our Commitment
  • Watch our Virtual Town Hall- PWC on the Ground: COVID-19 and Children’s Mental Health
  • Partnership with Children will be a Recipient of the BET Relief Fund
  • PWC on the Ground: COVID-19 and Children’s Mental Health
  • COVID-19 Response: Meeting the New Needs of Students
  • Partnership with Children Joined by The Center for Arts Education to Broaden Social-Emotional Learning and Improve Schools
  • PWC CEO Joins City Officials at Press Conference Celebrating Community Schools
  • PWC CEO’s op-ed on the proven need for social workers in schools
  • PWC Chosen as a Holiday Feature on Bloomberg Businessweek
2019
  • PWC Featured in Enterprising Women
  • P.S. 67 Freedom School Summer Programming Featured on CBS New York
  • PWC Partnering with the Children’s Defense Fund on 3 Freedom Schools this Summer
  • PWC Welcomes Four New Board Members
2018
  • LaToya Williams-Belfort named one of The Network Journal’s “40 Under Forty”
  • Franklyn Pintado Recognized by NYN Media
  • PWC to partner with the Children’s Defense Fund and the Ford Foundation on 3 Freedom Schools this summer
  • Op-ed by PWC Executive Director highlights successful ‘Renewal’ school partnerships
  • Principal Kyesha Jackson shares her school’s successes in “PS 67: A Brooklyn School On The Rise”
2017
  • Maria Astudillo awarded NASW Image Award
  • Partnership with Children on Broadway!
  • PWC Staff Interviewed by Education Week About Community Schools
  • Coalition School for Social Change profiled in Chalkbeat
  • The Atlantic highlights our successful partnership with PS 67
  • Martin Van Buren H.S. Shows Academic Improvements
  • Jan 17: Omino Gardezi’s documentary, Lead the Parade, launches in honor of MLK Day.
2016
  • The Atlantic and Politico feature our work with homeless students
  • Positive school climates shown to narrow achievement gaps
  • National Leader on Restorative Justice Visits Our Program
  • Partnership with Children goes Back to School
  • Education Dive features our partnership with Riverdale Avenue Community School
  • Partnership with Children in The New York Times
  • CityLimits features one of our community schools, PS/IS 284
  • Slate features Partnership with Children and emerging science that informs our work in schools
  • “Ushering in a Process of Change: Introducing Restorative Practices at the Middle School Level”, Brooklyn Community Foundation
  • New talent featured in New York Business Journal
2015
  • New York Knicks star takes our students on a shopping spree for the holidays
  • “Help With School and Life in East Harlem”, The Wall Street Journal
  • “At a school in Brooklyn’s poorest neighborhood, literacy is up and disciplinary problems are down”, The Hechinger Report
  • “Crown Heights Middle School Getting Special Staffer to Lower Suspensions”, DNA Info
  • Press Release: Brooklyn Community Foundation Funds Restorative Justice Programs in 4 Brooklyn Schools to Reduce Suspensions and Arrests
  • “CEO Corner: Margaret Crotty, Partnership with Children”, New York Nonprofit Media
  • “As city acts on their cause, community school advocates carve out a new role”, Chalkbeat
  • “Chocolateship with Children” for Partnership with Children!
  • Partnership with Children’s Summer Quest Featured on NY1
  • Partnership with Children Raises $1.16 Million at Annual Spring Gala
  • Partnership with Children Staff is New Yorker of the Week!
  • TD Five Boro Bike Tour
  • “Partnership with Children Elects Four to Board”
2014
  • Partnership with Children to run 3 programs under Community School Intiative
  • “Rockaway communities still feeling emotional toll of Sandy”, Queens Ledger
  • Partnership with Children Awarded $6.5 Million for the Social Services Block Grant
  • “How to Get Kids to Class”, New York Times
  • “In its third year, an expanded Summer Quest looks to prove its academic effects”, Chalkbeat
  • Partnership with Children Raises $800,000 at Spring Gala!
  • Red Cross Awards Grant to Provide Emotional and Mental Health Supports in Schools
  • Partnership with Children Elects Two New Board Members
2013
  • New York Times article focuses on a Partnership with Children student
  • Our Advice for NYC’s Decision Makers
  • Closing the Achievement Gap During the Summer
  • Partnership with Children Conducting Year 2 of NYC Summer Quest
  • Camp Robin Hood visits Partnership with Children at P.S. 3
  • Park Avenue Garage Sale benefiting Partnership with Children
  • Partnership with Children participates in Skype’s Read Aloud Program
  • Robin Hood Receives the Anne Vanderbilt Award for Achievement
  • Partnership with Children Gala Raises $750,000
  • Partnership with Children 2013 Gala Kick-off
2012
  • Celebrating The Staten Island Foundation
  • Sharing Our Response to FEMA “Project Hope”
  • Students Invited to New York Theatre Ballet’s “The Nutcracker”
  • A Taste of the Good Life 2012
  • Partnership with Children chosen for FEMA “Project Hope”
  • Hurricane Sandy Update
  • October is Bullying Prevention Month
  • Partnership with Children featured on WNET!
  • Associate Executive Director Barbara Cavallo cited in School Board News Today
  • Partnership with Children Selected as Part of NYC Summer Quest
  • Margaret Crotty named new Executive Director
  • Councilman Jackson takes MS 296 Students on Tour of City Hall
  • Spring Gala Success!
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Tuesday, 14, Jan
PWC CEO, Wesner Pierre, Honored As One Of Crain’s New York Business Notable Black Leaders of 2024
Tuesday, 14, Jan
PWC’s Senior Director of Equity Lola Martin Featured As One Of City & State New York’s 2024 Responsible 100
Tuesday, 14, Jan
PWC CEO, Wesner Pierre, Recognized As A PoliticsNY & amNY Metro Nonprofit Power Player
Tuesday, 14, Jan
Partnership with Children Students Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness
Tuesday, 30, Jul
Freedom Schools Students speak out against gun violence in Brownsville
Monday, 17, Jun
CBS NEWS: Annual Inspiration Gala held in support of Partnership With Children

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