The Child Center of NY, founded in 1953 as a children's counseling center in Queens, has become a powerful community presence in the city because of our work in the most underserved areas of the city.  

Harlem, located in upper Manhattan, has a storied history as a center for Black culture and innovation. Despite this, residents still face the legacy of institutional racism and poverty The poverty rate in Harlem is 29%, compared to 7% in some parts of NYC.  

We’ve established Cash+Community Works (C+C) cohorts in Harlem, a program with a peer-driven change model centered on removing inequitable structural barriers and challenging top-down approaches to supporting low-income families on the path to self-sufficiency.  

The Child Center is running C+C Works (C+C) cohorts in Harlem, partnering with two other Harlem-based community organizations, GOSO (Getting Out, Staying Out), and Custom Collaborative. GOSO has established itself as one of the most effective reentry programs in the New York City area for 16- to 24-year-old justice-involved men. Fewer than 15% of GOSO participants return to jail, as compared to a national average of 67% for their age group.  

Custom Collaborative trains, mentors, and advocates for and with no/low-income and immigrant women to build the skills necessary to achieve economic success in the sustainable fashion industry and broader society. At the heart of the organization is its Training Institute, a 14-week free program teaching the art, technique, and
business of fashion design.