Holiday Volunteers Spread Cheer
By Allison Schrag
Henry Street is extremely grateful to the 200 volunteers who came from 11 partners to make our holidays so much brighter. Thank you so much to our partners, Allen & Overy LLP, American Express, CAIS, CME Group, Credit Suisse, Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, Fir Tree Partners, Hill + Knowlton Strategies, Macy’s, Mizuho Bank, Morgan Stanley, and our board members for your generosity and support.
Daycare
Henry Street Settlement’s daycare provides early childhood education for 81 children ages 2 to pre-kindergarten. CAIS, Hill + Knowlton Strategies, and Macy’s all brought volunteers and holiday goodies to share with our daycare children. Santa even dropped by to distribute gifts! Highlights from these volunteer events included holiday arts and crafts, and story reading. These holiday traditions are an annual favorite for Henry Street, and for the daycare children, and we look forward to them every year.
After School
After School services at Henry Street Settlement provide a safe, engaging learning environment for over 500 students every week night. Allen & Overy LLP, Credit Suisse, Fir Tree Partners, and Mizuho Bank all came out to support our after school services with holiday parties, and American Express, CME Group, the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, and Morgan Stanley hosted gift drives. CME Group also hosted kindergarten and first grade students in their offices for a special holiday party. Highlights from our holiday parties with after school included gingerbread house building, a rockin’ dance party, cookie decorating, and face painting, as well as surprise visits from Frosty the Snowman and Santa Clause. Thank you all for such wonderful holiday events, and the lovely holiday gifts you provided for our students!
Emergency Housing
Emergency, temporary shelters at Henry Street provide a place for clients to call home while also offering them quality, on-site comprehensive social services. Credit Suisse and several members of our board, came out to spread holiday cheer for our residents. Credit Suisse’s annual Home for the Holidays party at the Urban Family Center is a much anticipated event, featuring holiday decorating, goodies, and arts and crafts. The annual holiday party hosted by board member Sebastian Echavarria was a wonderful time for the children from the Urban Family Center, and the residents of Helen’s House to enjoy each other’s company while participating in arts and crafts, and listening to holiday carols performed live.
Seniors
Good Companions Senior Center provides hot meals, and a place to socialize for the senior residents of Lower East Side. Fir Tree Partners hosted a wonderful holiday party for 120 seniors. Highlights included professional dancers and musicians as entertainment, catered food, and holiday gift bags.
Thank you so much to all who came to Henry Street to celebrate the joy of the season with us. We wish you and yours a happy, healthy new year, and we look forward to continuing to partner with you in 2014.
