For the Press

Press Inquiries should be directed to Topher Nichols, Public Relations Specialist.
914.693.0600 x1819 or cnichols@childrensvillage.org

Organizational History and Purpose

The mission of The Children’s Village (CV) is to work in partnership with families to help society’s most vulnerable children so that they become educationally proficient, economically productive, and socially responsible members of their communities.  CV was founded in 1851 to shelter New York City’s immigrant adolescents.  Over the decades, CV has evolved to become an innovative leader in strengthening the most at-risk youth in New York’s child welfare and juvenile justice systems.  Each year, CV’s campus in Dobbs Ferry provides short-term residential care for more than 1,200 youth, while our preventive and other community-based programs reach almost 8,000 children and their families.  We focus on keeping children safe and, whenever possible, in their community with family.

CV is distinguished from other organizations by our extensive experience and recognized capacity for effective, short-term residential interventions, the diverse populations of at-risk youth and families we serve, and the breadth of our services.  CV’s programs are part of a continuum of innovative, evidenced-based services that are at the forefront of transforming the juvenile justice and foster care systems in New York State.  Much of our work provides preventive services that intervene to support families and reduce the need for out-of-home care.  CV’s services address diverse needs such as permanency, mental illness, behavioral problems, homelessness, education, domestic violence, substance abuse, life skills training, housing, and employment.

In 2011, CV was presented with the Council on Accreditation’s Innovative Practices Award for new and forward looking practices that have raised the quality of services provided to vulnerable children and families. CV was recognized as “Agency of the Year” by the Alliance for Children and Families, June 2011 “Agency of the Month” by Nonprofit Press and, in 2010, the Child Welfare League of America and the Walker Trieschman Center selected CV as the recipient of the inaugural David Liederman Award, which recognizes innovation in leadership development and workforce practices.  CV is accredited by the Council on Accreditation and the Better Business Bureau, fully meeting all 20 standards for charity accountability.