City Living Ny

AT CITY LIVING NY, OUR MISSION IS TO EMPOWER YOUTH AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE TO SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITION INTO ADULTHOOD BY PROVIDING CONCRETE RESOURCES, TOOLS, AND SUPPORT SERVICES.

IN FY2022 CLNY SERVED 155 YOUTH IN OUR HOME GOODS ADVOCACY (HGA) PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF BOTH OUR YOUTH AND OUR REFERRAL PARTNERS. ALL YOUTH ORIGINALLY ENTER CLNY VIA THE HGA PROGRAM. A CITY LIVING SOCIAL WORKER DOES AN INITIAL CONSULTATION TO DETERMINE THE YOUTH'S HOUSING STATUS AND HOME GOODS NEEDS. DURING THIS INTAKE CLNY ALSO DISCUSSES THE YOUTH'S LONG-TERM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, SUCH AS EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION AND COUNSELING NEEDS TO ASSESS IF THE YOUTH WOULD LIKE ASSISTANCE WORKING ON THESE GOALS IN THE NEXT THREE TO SIX MONTHS. IF THE YOUTH IS NOT INTERESTED IN PURSUING GOALS BEYOND HOUSING STABILITY, HE/SHE REMAINS IN HGA AND RECEIVES HOUSING SUPPORT FROM CLNY SOCIAL WORKERS. SPECIFICALLY, CLNY PROVIDES HGA CLIENTS HOUSEHOLD GOODS, CHECKS IN QUARTERLY ON HOUSING STABILITY TO ASSURE ANY CONCERNS ARE DETECTED EARLY, AND INVITES THE YOUTH TO CLNY'S WORKSHOPS AND TRAININGS WHERE THEY BENEFIT FROM THE PEER COMMUNITY AND INTERACTIONS THAT OCCUR THERE. CLNY'S HOUSING CHECK-IN IS DESIGNED TO ASSURE ANY ISSUES THAT COULD IMPACT HOUSING STABILITY ARE DETECTED EARLY. IF, ON THE OTHER HAND, THE YOUTH IS INTERESTED IN AND HAS THE WILLINGNESS TO PURSUE EDUCATIONAL OR EMPLOYMENT GOALS, HE/SHE ENTERS CLNY'S COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES PROGRAM (CSP), OUR MORE INTENSIVE HANDS-ON PROGRAM.

IN FY2022 WE SERVED AN ADDITIONAL 101 YOUTH IN OUR MORE INTENSIVE CSP PROGRAM. SOCIAL WORKERS CONTACT THESE YOUNG PEOPLE WEEKLY TO CHECK IN AND HELP STRENGTHEN THEIR PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL STABILITY. FOR YOUTH WITH AN EMPLOYMENT GOAL, CLNY ASSISTS YOUTH WITH RESUME WRITING AND JOB SEARCHES, CAREER COUNSELING, INTERVIEW READINESS, AND REFERRALS TO VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO FURTHER THEIR EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS. FOR YOUTH WITH AN EDUCATIONAL GOAL, WE ASSIST WITH A VARIETY OF EDUCATION CHALLENGES HELPING COLLEGE YOUTH WITH TUITION ISSUES, INTERNSHIP GUIDANCE, REENROLLMENT CHALLENGES, LAPTOPS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES, SCHOLARSHIP SEARCHES, AND REFERRALS FOR TUTORING AND ACADEMIC ADVISEMENT. FOR OUR NON-COLLEGE ENROLLED YOUTH, WE MAKE REFERRALS TO APPROPRIATE HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY OR VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND HELP THEM PLAN FOR THEIR FUTURE. CLNY PROVIDES YOUTH WITH MENTAL HEALTH REFERRALS, FINANCIAL LITERACY TRAINING, PARENTING ITEMS AND NUTRITIONAL WORKSHOPS. MOST IMPORTANTLY, SOCIAL WORKERS ASSURE HOUSING STABILITY. WHILE THE OVERALL STATISTICS ON FORMER FOSTER YOUTH RATES OF HOMELESSNESS ARE STAGGERING, AS OF TODAY, 100% OF CLNY'S CLIENTS CURRENTLY REMAIN IN THEIR APARTMENTS.

CLNY ADDITIONALLY HAS AN EMERGENCY GRANTS PROGRAM TO ASSIST OUR YOUTH IN NAVIGATING A VARIETY OF CRISES. THIS PROGRAM EXPANDED DURING THE COVID YEARS AS OUR CLIENTS FACED INCREASED SHORT TERM EMERGENCIES. THE EMERGENCY GRANTS PROGRAM ASSISTS WITH ISSUES SUCH AS: RENTAL ARREARS AND MOVE-IN EXPENSES SUCH AS BROKER FEES OR SECURITY DEPOSITS TO SECURE HOUSING; FOOD EMERGENCIES; PARENTING EMERGENCIES SUCH AS FORMULA OR DIAPERS; PAYMENT FOR UTILITIES SUCH AS HEAT, WIFI, PHONE BILLS, AND ELECTRIC; EXPENSES RELATED TO SECURING EMPLOYMENT SUCH AS UNIFORMS, METROCARDS, OR VOCATIONAL PROGRAM FEES; AND EXPENSES RELATED TO STARTING, OR MAINTAINING, EDUCATIONAL GOALS SUCH AS TUITION ARREARS, LAPTOPS, AND BOOKS/SCHOOL SUPPLIES. CLNY SERVED OVER 100 YOUTH IN THIS PROGRAM DURING FY2022.