Kids Shine!

Experiencing parental incarceration during childhood can have many negative affects on children including higher rates of behavioral and emotional problems, school difficulties and multiple moves. By providing weekly Saturday recreational and educational programming, the Kids Shine program provides a consistent and structured space for children ages 9 through 12. Program activities are designed to assist them in finding and developing their talents as well as empowering them to make positive decisions regarding their future.

Youth are matched with screened college interns who serve both as role models as well as accompanying children to the program activities to ensure their attendance without adding a burden to their families.

Youth are encouraged to share their feelings about their mothers' incarceration, discuss the shame and stigma that they often experience, explore their hopes and options about their futures, and actively work to develop the skills and abilities to transformtheir hopes into realities.

Some of the activities have included visiting the Natural History Museum, learning African drumming at the Caribbean Cultural Center, making face masks out of paper mache and visiting a Halloween event at Central Park. We currently work with 24 children over the year.