Final: Welcome to the Table

When a family gathers at the table, love surrounds and embraces each member, providing a safe and welcoming space for them to grow and thrive.

Hour Children’s story is steeped in this love, for we provide that welcoming space for families to reunite and grow.

The love and dedication of Hour Prison Program staff is evident as they care for the women and babies in the nursery, provide workshops and counseling to assist the women in strengthening their parenting skills, and help the women stay meaningfully connected to their children during incarceration.

Hour Children’s communal housing is, for the women who come to us, their first experience of home; a home filled with love and support, encouragement, and challenges. They form their own family.

Hour Food Pantry and the Hour Working Women Program bring families and community together, building connections to a larger family and giving everyone a feeling of ownership of their future.

The love embracing the children in Hour programs is Hour testament to the future. Providing childcare, afterschool care and opportunities for Hour teens, helps to ensure that Hour children have bright futures that can be free from involvement in the justice system.

Christina’s connection with Hour Children began when she was justice system involved. “Hour Children has been a stoic, constant presence in the facilities – helping women, connecting mothers to their children,” says Christina. In her last few years inside, she began working for Hour Children teaching parenting classes such as Responsible Parenting, Parenting From a Distance, and Letter Writing for Mothers.

After her release, Christina moved into Hour Children’s Astoria House, a communal, supportive housing space, where other residents offered her bowls and plates of food until her HRA came through. She also participated in Hour Working Women Program (HWWP). There, she says, she learned the ins and outs of technology. “I had to learn this new language,” says Christina. “I dove into it?tackled it, and unlocked it bit by bit and learned to navigate?difficult government websites. It was like, wow, I did it.”

Christina believes the crucial support Hour Children provides is giving people the tools they need to make their own decisions. She came from “an environment where everything concerning me basically were decisions made by an authority…Coming out here it was such a difference…I think Hour Children played such a wonderful role in helping me, but not coddling me, not doing everything for me…At the end of the day, I made the moves.”

Making her moves, Christina gained full-time employment. Now, Christina is Hour Children’s Office Coordinator for the main office in Long Island City. She is the first point of contact for many clients, community members, and guests. She prides herself on being a welcoming presence to anyone visiting us and recognizes the importance of her position.

“I’m proud of myself for gaining and maintaining employment. And I’m proud of myself for having the drive, continuing to take the steps to pursue the things that I want to do. Because I’m not done yet,” says Christina.

Christina is planning to go back to school to become a social worker and hopes to publish her book one day. “I don’t want to wait too long, but I do know it’s never too late… As long as I’m still taking those forward strides.”

Hour Children is honored to support our incredible program participants, like Christina. They, and their families, are the reason we come to work every day, no matter the obstacles, and work tirelessly to support their goals and dreams for the future.

2021 has been a challenging year for all of us here at Hour Children. However, what has sustained us is the belief that Love Makes the Difference and Change Takes Time. We are grateful to all that make up the Hour Children family –

Hour women,
Hour children,
Hour program participants,
Hour staff,
Hour volunteers,
Hour board
Hour donors

Each of us plays an important role in this large and diverse family, supporting each other in our own unique ways. Together, we are changing and sustaining thousands of lives every year. We are grateful that you join us at Hour table.