Little Flower impacts lives of people with disabilities
By Nelson A. King
Little Flower Children and Family Services
of New York, a local human services
nonprofit organization, says it has been
committed, since 1929, to improving the
well-being of children, families and people
with developmental disabilities across
New York City and Long Island, “so they
can reach their full potential.”
Taressa Harry, the Guyanese-born told
Caribbean Life on Tuesday that Little
Flower was founded in 1929 in Bedford-
Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, and continues its
work in New York City through its flagship
office in Brooklyn and headquarters
in Wading River, Long Is.
“Our staff of over 500 people builds
well-being by providing foster boarding
home care, residential treatment care,
adoption services, programs and services
for individuals with developmental disabilities,
and medical and mental health
services,” she said.
“Little Flower provides safety and security
to more than 300 children who are
unable to remain home by placing them
with foster families who provide love,
stability and a nurturing environment,”
Harry added.
“Our partners are our foster parents,
who receive extensive training to provide
the best possible care to ensure the wellbeing
of the children in their care,” she
continued. “All children in foster care
receive medical and mental health services.”
Harry said young adults in foster care
participate in the “Preparing Youth for
Adulthood” program, “which prepares
young people for when they leave the foster
care system.”
She said youth, ages 14-21, participate
in activities and workshops centered
around creating vocational training
opportunities, job readiness programs
and independent living skills.
Youths are also offered a youth leadership
development program, “The Emergence
ProjectSM,” to prepare them for the
working world, Harry said.
She said the youths participate in
hands-on workshops on various topics,
such as resume writing and interview
tips, which are hosted by partners in the
local business community.
At the end of the program, Harry said
the youths are offered internships at Little
Flower’s partner’s companies “to help
them continue to learn and grow.”
She said Little Flower provides residential
programs for people with developmental
and intellectual disabilities through 11
residences across New York City and Long
Island, and a day habilitation program on
its Wading River campus.
In addition, Harry said Little Flower
offers a Family Care program in which
individuals live with families in the community,
“providing opportunities for
growth and independence.”
At the Residential Treatment Center on
the Wading River campus, she said Little
Flower offers a “therapeutic environment”
to about 100 children experiencing
trauma, social, emotional or behavioral
challenges, or are on the autism spectrum.
Caribbean Life, N 26 OVEMBER 12-18, 2021
“They receive care from an integrated
interdisciplinary treatment team of social
workers, medical and mental health staff,
child care and recreational staff and educator,”
Harry said.
“Our clients benefit when they can see
new possibilities for themselves and their
families,” she added. “Whether that is
through reunification, adoption, transitioning
successfully into adulthood, gaining
community and independence, or
learning to overcome trauma, and managing
abilities and disabilities, Little Flower’s
essential frontline staff work closely
with all our children, families and individuals
with developmental disabilities, so
they can reach their full potential.”
Harry said Little Flower was “proud
of” its diverse staff, stating that it has
employees from “all backgrounds and
nationalities,” and that it does not track
specific nationalities, such as Caribbean
nationals.
However, some Caribbean nationals
were willing to offer their views to Caribbean
Life.
In quoting slain civil rights leader, the
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Vincentian
Hyacinth Tyson, who holds a master’s
degree in social work, said: “The time is
always right to do the right thing.”
Jamaican Kemeisha Douglas-Gibbs
said: “You have your good days and bad
days. But, at the end of the day, you
have to remember that the kids coming
through our doors are coming with traumatic
experiences, and we have to show
them compassionate care and love.”
Barbadian Edison King said he saw
himself as “very privileged to be able to
be a part of an organization that provides
quality service to those whom we serve –
an organization that strives to empower
the youth we serve to aspire to their full
potential by way of their independent
thoughts and actions while seeking permanency.
“It is kind of ironic that I joined the
agency on the 30th of November, which
is my country’s birth, Independence Day,”
he disclosed.
Haitian Yardley Jean Calixte, a licensed
master social worker (LMSW), said she
has been working at Little Flower two
weeks shy of 16 years.
“While I’ve occupied several positions
during my time at Little Flower, most of
my years were spent working as a case
planner, and those are the years I’m most
proud of,” she said. “Working one on one
with families really gave me a chance to
carry out the agency’s mission, which is
transforming caring into action.
“Being able to advocate for parents to
be given a second chance at raising their
children gave me great pleasure knowing
that children were achieving permanency,”
Jean Calixte added. “The fact that
I was entrusted with assessing children’s
safety and well-being on an ongoing basis
also reminded me of the importance of
the work that we do.
“Making a difference in the lives of
children one family at a time is the reason
why I still do the work that I do,” she
continued.
Harry said she was also “proud to support
and elevate the work of Little Flower’s
heroic essential workers.
“During my eight years with Little
Flower, I’ve seen and heard countless stories
of our staff going above and beyond to
ensure the needs of the children, families
and individuals with developmental disabilities
are being met,” she said. “It is
truly an honor to serve with such remarkedly
selfless colleagues.”
Harry said Little Flower is currently
accepting donations of gift cards for the
young people in foster care for the holidays.
Anyone interested can email frageaua@
lfchild.org to learn more and about other
holiday-giving options.
Little Flower Children and Family Services
of New York is located at 630 Flushing
Ave., 3rd Floor | Mailbox #58 | Brooklyn,
NY 11206.
Director of Communications, Taressa Harry. Taressa Harry
Social worker at Little Flower Children
and Family Services of New
York, Vincentian Hyacinth Tyson.
Hyacinth Tyson
Barbadian Edison King. Edison King
Kemeisha Douglas-Gibbs. Kemeisha
Douglas-Gibbs
/lfchild.org
