As the 50,000 children, youth, and families we serve in New York City recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, social workers will be there to provide help -- at every step of the way -- to address the mental health, foster care, and hunger needs that still exist.
Today, 46 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds report feeling symptoms of anxiety and stress-related disorders due to the pandemic, and about half of the 50,000 we serve are still grappling with food insecurity. The unemployment rate in New York City has surged to 11.4 percent, and 49 percent of all New York City workers lost employment income since March 2020.
If you make a $50 gift March 8 - 12, it will be instantly half-matched to become $75. With $75, our social workers will be able to provide any of the following: a one-hour counseling session to a young person; a duffle bag to a child in foster care transporting items to a new home; payment on a family's utilities bill to keep the lights on; or, three emergency food baskets to help families struggling with hunger.
Our social workers provide therapy and counseling to children, youth, and families, helping to prevent long-lasting emotional trauma caused by hardship or loss. Social workers are also equipped to provide family supports to kids in foster care and families in crisis, helping to maintain the stability every child needs in the home. For families experiencing food insecurity, they are eligible to receive hunger relief packages.
