Helene Marks Early Start Foundation News

HMESF receives overwhelming responses to Donation #3

Jaime Marks — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 22:55:26 GMT

After our last donation to our partnering centers, we have received some very positive responses. I thought it would be nice to share some of the Directors comments.

Peter Gorham, the Executive Director of the Kennedy Child Study Center, writes "we are very grateful for the continuing partnership with HMESF; it means a great deal to the children and families of the Center." The grant is supporting their new sensory gym and has helped the center purchase the following: a no-spill bubble tumbler (to help children develop oral & visual motor tracking skills,) hand held massagers (to aid children with sensory input & calming vibrations,) velvasoft weighted vests ( to help with body awareness,) and other equipment (playdoh, crayons, & blunt tip scissors to assist children with the development of small muscle coordination, endurance, and strengthening skills.

David Garza, Executive Director of Henry Street Settlement, "thanks HMESF for the recent contribution to expand the Creative Curriculum by hiring Music & Art Specialists for the 2-3 year old students. Through this planning the students will receive lesson plans, and engage in hands on learning by playing with instruments, creating art through different mediums."

David Nocenti, Executive Director of Union Settlement Association, is thrilled to receive a grant for "the Early Childhood Services Music Program. These vital services would not be possible without the generous assistance of supporters like you. The staff, volunteers, and especially the families we serve thanks you!"

Bill Stritzler's take on Early Education

Jaime Marks — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 23:18:48 GMT

Bill Stritzler, the managing director of Smugglers’ Notch Resort chairman of the Vermont Business Roundtable, spoke on a radio show addressing the issues of early childhood education as being a great predictor of future economic success. He suggests that by investing in early childhood education, will be a serious pay out in the long run that makes the investment financially worth it. He states “ Businesses need public policies that support development of next generation jobs in order to continue leading and innovating.”

http://www.vpr.net/episode/48995/

HMESF Donates to 11 Centers in NYC

Jaime Marks — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 22:49:04 GMT

On July 6, 2010 HMESF made our third donation, in a series of small, meaningful grants. We asked our partnering centers to provide us with some information about the programs and/or projects they anticipated for the upcoming year that will serve children from birth to three years of age. Specifically, asked the centers to identify and briefly describe initiatives that we may support, in whole or in part, as well as an estimated budget for the initiative. We supported the following initiatives:

Safe Horizon- Queens Oasis Children’s Reading Corner,
Help Morris Infant/toddler programs and parent education,
Riverside Montessori School- Infant Gym: For children ages 3 mos to 2 yrs.
Sunshine Learning Center- school supplies.
Jackson Avenue Family Residence- Bronxworks, in support of the early learning program- educational books, games, a field trip to promote early learning.
Women In Need- After School Program, Therapeutic Childcare, Camp Win, and Kid Sista.
Henry Street Settlement- -will be hiring additional Music and Arts Specialists, who will work with our two and three-year old daycare students once a week and help them get a better start and grasp of these necessary and often underfunded educational elements,
Lenox Hill Neighborhood House- Using it to support Parent Engagement program which is vital to the social, emotional and academic development of children
Kennedy child Study Center- to support equipment for a sensory gym. The center believes that each child regardless of ability is capable of further growth and achievement,
Union Settlement- (2 locations) to fund music programs.

June 9th Spring Time Happy Hour

Jaime Marks — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 22:47:11 GMT

On June 9^th, HMESF had their spring happy hour at Gallery Bar. Despite the inclement weather the event was very successful. The funds raised went towards our third grant donation to our 13 partnering centers to support efforts to improve the quality of early childhood care and education in New York City.

Mayor Bloomberg eliminating $44 million in critical funding for early child education

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 15:16:42 GMT

NYC public advocates are asking Mayor Bloomberg to reverse severe budget cuts that will eliminate 6,000 child care seats in New York City.

Cuts like these are forcing parents, mostly working mothers, to choose between their work and their families. Times are tough and parents want to provide for their families and they are being asked to make really tough choices. In some cases when they are forced to stay home to look after their children, their only choice is to seek public assistance.

“Preserving New York City's capacity to provide high quality early childhood education is essential for parents to be able to support their families in this troubled economy while also preparing young children for school success,” Executive Director of Citizens' Committee for Children, Jennifer March-Joly said. “New York City's working parents need more child care, not less.”

There are a lot of sad things going on in the world. We really have to sacrifice for the sake of our children. When we make cuts with regard to childcare and education, we're really doing a major disservice to our children and their future. I hope there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and we hope there are more organizations like us that can step up and fill the voids being created by our government.

Childcare cuts are affecting low-income families

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 15:01:16 GMT

An article in the NY Times from May 24, 2010 (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/24/business/economy/24childcare.html?pagewanted=1), looks at the cuts to subsidized childcare programs and how these cuts are affecting low-income families - particularly, single-parent homes. The article links the importance of access to childcare to the ability of these families to hold a steady job and to remain off cash-assistance programs (for instance, welfare). In some of the states with the most cuts to their subsidized childcare programs (Arizona and others) the only way to qualify for these programs is to be a family being monitored by child protective services or a family receiving welfare assistance; all others most remain on an seemingly unmoving wait list. In particular, the article looked at two women who had to give up their paying jobs in order to enter the welfare system and thus receive childcare. The Obama administration has increased federal funding (the first substantial increases since 2001) however, given the current economic times and the record high unemployment rates, these increases are nowhere near enough.
Given all this information, it is clear that the donations made to the childcare centers we support are coming at the right time. With increased donations it may be possible to someday sponsor the tuition of a child at one of our centers - thus helping out a family truly in need and combating the issue highlighted in the NY Times article.

Study Finds That Quality Child Care Leads to Smarter and More Well Behaved Teens

Marisa Amirian — Tue, 25 May 2010 00:22:22 GMT

An article posted last week on WebMD (http://www.webmd.com/parenting/news/20100514/quality-child-care-leads-to-smarter-teens) cites a study by the National Institute of Child Health and Development on Early Child Care and Youth Development that points to the positive, long lasting effects of quality child care from an early age. Results show that at age 15, teens who were placed in high quality child care in their early years performed better on academic and cognitive test than other teens, and also had fewer adolescent behavior problems. All the more reason for HMESF to keep building support and raising awareness for those quality child care programs in the New York area!

Buy books from Barnes and Noble and help kids!

Marisa Amirian — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:08:10 GMT

As part of our newly formed partnership with Barnes and Noble, HMESF will receive a percentage of proceeds from the sales that are generated by clicking on the Barnes and Noble link to make a purchase. Barnes and Noble will be a part of future HMESF events either through special offers or on-site book fairs.

The partnership allows HMESF to better serve the needs of our organizations by giving the gift of reading. Barnes & Noble is a company driven by the principle that bookselling is important work. They believe a great bookstore is also a reflection of its community. They pioneered the concept of a retail store as a community center, and annually host more than 100,000 community events nationwide. Their events enrich the minds of readers of all ages, and raise funds for local schools and literary and cultural organizations. Examples include our annual Summer Reading Program, during which over 1 million books are given away to children; Holiday Book Drive, which invites customers and booksellers to donate books to local charities, and Bookfairs, which are fundraising events for schools and nonprofits.

It's easy! Buy books from Barnes and Noble by visiting HMESF.org first and clicking on the link above and proceeds from that purchase will go to the programs at HMESF that are so near and dear to our hearts.

HMESF Library Intiative Continues,

Marisa Amirian — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:02:01 GMT

After the excitement generated from the recipients of the first Library Initiative program, we decided to make a series of small and meaningful grants to continue to support efforts to improve the quality of childcare and education. We sent a letter to our eight centers requesting them to submit a proposal about a program or projects they anticipated for the upcoming year. We asked that the projects serve children from birth to three years of age.

Based upon the initiatives that were requested, HMESF allocated $1000 to seven centers to help fund some of these programs.

We found that each center had a variety of ways in which they were looking to utilize their funds. For this reason, we did not want to limit the scope of our donations. We recognized that each individual center had many unmet needs. We were so excited that our donation was helping to fulfill these programs.

Below is how each of our centers utilized the donations:

T.O.P.S for you: Resource materials for training of staff. The money used will train staff for the on-site nursery as well as for family day care providers.

Kennedy Child Study Center: During the School week, nearly 99% of the children in the program receive speech therapy and 80% receive physical and occupational therapies. With the money the therapists will set up a lending library of therapeutic equipment so that the work that takes place at the center can be reinforced in the home.

Union Settlement Association: Start the Music program is an introductory music program for 18-20 of the three year old children. Through lively sessions, they will learn basic rhythms and movement and take part in age-appropriate hands-on lessons with musical instruments and singing. The belief is that the benefits of such a program- music instruction has been showed to contribute to “school readiness assisting in cognitive development, memory, fine motor skills and more- will be immense.

Women in Need: Women In Need is one of the few agencies that provide childcare in conjunction with its services. WIN provides a safe, emotionally responsive environment for children of all ages at nine sites- seven WIN transitional shelters and at two outpatient substance abuse treatment centers. WIN knows that the welfare of children and the knowledge on how to care for children is central to the success of the family unit. Helping mothers nurture their children is the primary focus of the childcare programs.

Help Morris Early Childcare Program: Subscriptions to educational magazines and book clubs for staff and Scholastic Weekly Reader and National Geographic selections for kids

Safe Horizon- Lily House: Read To Me Class that meets once a week in a relaxed and playful environment, with children & parents. The program will have a strong language based pedagogy that will help lay the foundation for speaking and reading as well as to promote positive mother-child interaction. Through age appropriate books, stories and fun play, the class will provide joyful learning opportunities in the areas of vocabulary development, number sense, social-emotional development and listening

Riverside Montessori School: a) Dramatic Play supports children’s language, social-emotional development, creativity and problem solving skills. A space to be created in the gym that provides children with these experiences. Includes child-sized pretend materials.

b) Help children develop their scientific minds through exploration and observation. Provide children with books, photos and artifacts/small models related to nature and animals. Intent is to create one nature box for teachers to share. The box would contain a collection of different topic related materials.

The response was overwhelming from our centers. With great excitement and pride I share some of the responses from the centers upon receiving the grant.

Sister Betty Nickels, the Executive Director of T.O.P.S For You says:

“Each day finds us more and more involved in the development of this wonderful program of Skills training for the Family Day care Provider in the community. With this wonderful grant we will be in the position to hire extra consultants to assist in improving trainings and support for the providers. Know that your gratitude is sincere; and know we are grateful to The Helene Marks Early Start Foundation. Your support translates into great development and peace-filled days for families here in Bushwick.”

Bonnie Stone, President and CEO of Women In Need, says:

“WIN can continue to effectively respond to these challenges faced by families in NYC in these uncertain economic times. As always, WIN remains committed to providing a broad scope of high-quality, comprehensive programming to help these families regain their independence. We are sincerely grateful for your renewed confidence and support of the HMESF.”

Peter Gorham, Executive Director of The Kennedy Child Study Center says:

“your grant makes it possible for us to purchase therapeutic equipment for a “lending library” so that the work we do with the children at the center can be reinforced at home. In this way the children will have continuity as they receive speech, physical and occupational therapies, which will accelerate their development. “

Dave Nocenti, Executive Director of Union Settlement Association thanks HMESF for

“your generous contribution.”

Furthermore, they attribute their ability to continue to be able to provide a wide array of services and assistance to the local community including childcare classes, to donations such as ours.

HMESF had a great time with Justin Roberts Trio

Marisa Amirian — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:51:06 GMT

On Saturday, May 9th 2009, the Helene Marks Early Start Foundation held its annual Spring Benefit at Broadway Baby Bistro in New York City. This event was a fun-filled afternoon dedicated to our smallest supporters: the children!
The widely recognized, award winning Children's musicians Justin Roberts Trio* performed as children danced and sang along to their favorite songs like D-O-G and Last Night the Moon was Full. It was every little kid’s dream, as they enjoyed face painting, temporary tattoos, and HMESF teddy bears, their parents mingled and bid on over 50 exciting silent auction items ranging from autographed sports memorabilia to Interior Design consultations, David Letterman tickets, and Miley Cyrus & Michael Phelps autographed items. Hot dogs, popcorn , chocolate, and cotton candy were enjoyed by all!

The event was a great success, raising awareness of the Helene Marks Early Start Foundation as well as monies for additional libraries for the children.
*Justin Roberts was accompanied by Liam Davis and Gerald Dowd.

A children and parent favorite! Winner of the Parents Choice Gold Award in 2006

"Pure Fun" — Entertainment Weekly

"Some of the most inspired and intelligent kids lyrics ever." — Amazon.com

"As a kids' performer, Roberts is in a league of his own." — Chicago Tribune

"On your feet fun and laugh-out-loud funny." — People Magazine

HMESF Donates Libraries to Helene Marks Award Winners

Marisa Amirian — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:50:24 GMT

In accord with our efforts to promote and enhance programs that focus on early childhood care, the Helene Marks Early Start Foundation will donate libraries to the Helene Marks Award winner and to the nine runners-up. Each winner of the award is provided with 57 books which cater to children 0-3 and improve early learning.

Teachers Award Recipients 2009 Include:

Donna Kennebeck
"Book Nook"
Iowa Health Child Development Center
Des Moines, IA 50309

Katrina Robinson
"Make Me A Soft Space"
God's Rainbow Family Child Care
Savannah, GA 31404

Elizabeth Petersen
"Full Circle Gardnen"
Kitsap Childcare & Preschool/Head Start
Bremerton, WA 98337

Kathleen Kenshur
"Going Green"
Kenshur Family Child Care
Encinatas, CA 92024

Eleanor Swope
Kitsap Childcare & Preschool/Head Start
Tender Care Learning Center,
Allison Park, PA 15101

Martie Davis
"Giving Back with Books"
Rainbow Station
San Antonio, TX 78258

Anne Brooks
"Stepping Into Backyard Science"
Happy Feet Family Child Care
Clearwater, FL 33759

Heather Hurteau
"Multicultural Literacy Bags"
SUNY Cortland Child Care Center
Cortland, NY 13045

Kaleena Kafka
"Picture This"
Apple Tree Children's Center
Hamden, CT 6517

Connie Thompson
"Discovering Science Through Gardening"
Apple Tree Children's Center
Norwalk, IA 50211

HMESF Donates to Centers in NYC

Marisa Amirian — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 21:09:28 GMT

Determined to make an impression and extend Helene’s life’s work, HMESF wanted to align with organizations and centers that catered to the education of children 0 to age 3. With the help of Dana Friedman, of the Early Institute, and Nancy Kolben, of Childcare INC, both of whom are top authorities on childhood education and development, a set of criteria was developed to guide the selection process in determining what organizations in the New York area best serve this young community. The HMESF Strategic Planning Committee went on many site visits, meeting with directors of childcare facilities, before deciding who would best be served by HMESF donations.

We decided to donate to eight centers, ranging from early childhood centers in Manhattan to childcare centers in shelters catering to domestic violence and homeless parents and children. The eight centers vary in focus, but have impactful programs serving those 0-3 year olds. Below there is information on each of the centers.

They were so excited to have the libraries delivered. After our initial donation, our group revisited the centers to see how the library initiative was received. The directors, teachers, and children were thrilled to have new books. Some of the children in these centers never had the opportunity to have books at their disposal, or even to have the experience of having someone read to them. I know this response is something my mother would feel really good about. She would have loved to seen the smiling children and excited providers when they received the libraries.

Below is a list of the centers in Manhattan, along with their descriptions.

Tops For You:
The Mothers' Nursery Room at T.O.P.S. For You, Inc. is a not-for-profit, community based resource center, licensed by the NYC Department of Health, Bureau of Day Care that provides quality childcare for mothers who are working and/or studying. In two nurseries, they care for 20 infants, newborn to 24 months, each day, serving the neighborhood of Bushwich, Brooklyn. The Mothers' Nursery Room was created 25 years ago with the mission of serving the community "to relieve the pressures and fears that stand between problems and solutions". In addition to the nursery services, the organization provides a unique opportunity for women by offering them training and preparation to become licensed family day care providers.

Kennedy Child Study Center:
The Kennedy Child Study Center is a nonprofit agency dedicated to assisting very young children who are undergoing significant difficulties in learning and other areas of early childhood development. It provides a coordinated system of evaluation and diagnosis, multi-faced therapy, specialized preschool education and partnership with families. Direct services and supports are available to parents and other caregivers as they seek to provide a rich family life in which these children can thrive. The Center also offers comprehensive evaluations and service coordination for older children to help them acquire the appropriate special education and other services in their communities.
For more information go to: www.kenchild.com

Union Settlement:
Since 1895, Union Settlement Association has been dedicated to solving urban problems in East Harlem. Through education programs and human services, the agency promotes leadership development and fosters economic self-sufficiency to help individuals and families build a stronger community. Operating from 17 locations, Union Settlement annually serves more than 13,000 people of all ages with effective programs in education, childcare, counseling, senior services, nutrition, the arts, job training and economic development. The association is a large local employer with a staff of 800 people and its childcare program provides one-sixth of all childcare services in East Harlem. Union Settlement states, "We serve 500 children and their families in six childcare and Head Start centers and 100 school-age children in after-school programs at two sites alone."
For more information go to: www.unionsettlement.org

Women in Need
Women In Need’s mission is to provide housing, help and hope to New York City women and their families who are homeless and disadvantaged. WIN’s unique, comprehensive services are citywide, with sites in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. They include transitional family shelters and permanent supportive housing; licensed alcohol and substance abuse treatment clinics; job readiness preparation and placement assistance; children’s services; domestic violence assessments and counseling; HIV prevention education; and aftercare and alumnae programs to support the continued success of formerly homeless families. Our Children’s Services are programmed to meet the developmental needs of children exposed to the trauma and instability of homelessness, poverty, violence and substance abuse.

Since opening the first shelter for 10 women in 1983, WIN has grown into a citywide agency that now serves over 9,500 homeless and disadvantaged women and children each year. Every night, WIN provides shelter for over 2,400 people, including more than 1,400 children. With 596 shelter units, WIN is now among the largest providers of homeless services for families in New York City. WIN helps thousands of these families move out of poverty, achieve dignity and rebuild their lives.
For more information go to: www.women-in-need.org

HELP Morris Early Childhood Program
HELP Morris Avenue, run by HELP USA, is one of the nation's largest providers of housing, job training, and social services for the homeless and victims of domestic violence. Help Morris Avenue alone provides housing to over 200 families and 80% of those are single mothers. Mike Ruiz is the Executive Director of the Bronx facilities while Ruth Freeman is the director of HELP Morris Early Childhood Program, licensed by the Department of Health. The day care facility contains four classrooms serving both the children of the families housed at the site and an additional 20 children from the Bronx community. The classroom structure is as follows: 16 children ranging from birth to one year approximately, 24 toddlers, 17 three year olds, 23-25 four year olds, and there are three childcare providers in each classroom. The children are in the childcare center five days a week.
For more information go to: www.helpusa.org

Safe Horizon - Lily House
Lily House is a transitional shelter program that provides temporary housing to survivors of domestic violence and their families from NYC. Lily House provides comprehensive services in order to assist clients achieve independence. These programs range from safety planning, legal advocacy, financial literacy and job readiness to after-school activities for children. In order to strengthen our children’s program we would like to implement an early reading program for our youngest residents. Currently, we have 51 children in our program out of which 24 children are under the age of three. As research has shown, reading to young children promotes language acquisition and correlates with literacy development and, later on, with achievement in reading comprehension and overall success in school.[1] We would like to give our residents an opportunity to have an early good start.
[1] U.S. Department of Education-National Center for Education Statistics, U.S.
For more information go to: www.safehorizon.org

Riverside Montessori School
Riverside Montessori School has been serving the preschool and nursery educational needs of Manhattan families since 1997. Riverside Montessori is a member of the New York State Association of Independent Schools, the Parents League, as well as being an affiliate school of Columbia University. Riverside Montessori invites children to develop a love of learning because they are nurtured, valued, and respected. Children are in a natural environment where they are free to learn independently at their own pace. Parents are at ease knowing that their children are cared for in an encouraging learning atmosphere—one that is supportive of intellectual, social, emotional, and physical growth.

Riverside Montessori has 10 rooms and can accommodate up to 138 children; six of the rooms serve children ages 0-3 and four of them serve children aged 3-5. Children enroll for a minimum of one school year however, on average most children stay at the school for at least five years. Each room has at least 1 Montessori certified and 1 New York State certified teacher, and most rooms have a total of three teachers at all times.

For more information go to: www.twinparks.org

Little Star of Broome
Little Star of Broome Street is a daycare program affiliated with the Chinese-American Planning Council and funded in part by New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) and the National Association of the Education of Young Children. The facility is located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and is surrounded by public housing, where many of the children reside attending Little Star reside. Parents must apply through the ACS and meet certain income requirements (i.e. below poverty level) in order for their children to be eligible to attend Little Star.

The focus at Little Star of Broome is providing a curriculum and activities that are developmentally appropriate to pre-kindergarten students, aged 2 to 6. The curriculum is designed to address each stages of a child’s social-emotional, linguistic, physical, and cognitive development. The program’s mission is to provide quality childcare for children between the ages of 2-6 years of age. There are 4 classrooms of 10-15 children each, with a total of 62 children presently enrolled organized by age (2 year olds, younger 3’s, older 3’s, and 4’s). Graduates of Little Star feed into the New York City public school system’s kindergarten program.

For more information go to: www.cpc.org

Vino Vino Wine Tasting

Marisa Amirian — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:12:53 GMT

On Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008, the Helene Marks Early Start Foundation held an intimate evening of wine tasting at Tribeca’s Vino-Vino. Everyone had the opportunity to socialize while learning about regional wines. To accompany the wines, an eclectic food menu of cheeses, cured Spanish/Italian meats and desserts was served. All wines sampled throughout the evening were available for purchase. There was a silent auction and raffle with a great selection of items! Many of the attendees brought a book for the children as well.

The proceeds from the event went to The Helene Marks Early Start Foundation.

This memorable event was fun filled and a huge success!

Check out the photos in the events photo gallery!

HMESF's First Benefit is a Huge Success!

Marisa Amirian — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:29:53 GMT

HMESF came out with a bang! Our first event at Mantra raised over $20,000! It was a warm night in the heart of Manhattan but with a turn out of over 100 people for our opening event, no one at HMESF could complain. The "Mantra" of the night was having fun. The Friends of HMESF took turns volunteering as guest bartenders with all proceeds from the bar going directly to HMESF. Our specialty drink the HIKE - named after Helene - was a hit. Folks lined up for this Cosmo-like concoction, all in the name of children's education. The event got really sizzling in the last few moments of the silent auction which saw a flurry of activity and competition from some very generous supporters. We auctioned off a high quality photography session, a bike, and a yacht trip! We heard from President Jaime Marks about all of the exciting plans that HMESF has planned for the future. We were that night and will continue to be inspired by Helene.

Check out the event photos!