Housing & Supportive Services

Foster Care

If you are currently living in foster care or if you have been involved with the foster care system, The Door is here for you. Our youth centers provide a safe space to meet other young people, learn new things and have fun. Our dedicated and well-trained staff include lawyers, counselors, college and career advisors, and health care professionals who will ensure that you have all your entitlements, help you find housing, obtain your education or job training, or make your medical appointments.

The Academy Program (For Foster Care-Involved Youth)

The Academy is a unique program designed to support youth who have had experience with the Foster Care System (Preventive services, currently in care, aged out of care). We assist young people with their career and education goals as they move towards independence. The comprehensive – yet flexible – structure offers individualized academic and employment service, PAID Internships, support through case management, life skills groups, work readiness workshops and supportive counseling.

Internship

10 weeks, 10 hours per week at $15.00 an hour OR
5 weeks, 20 hours per week at $15.00 an hour

*Young people can apply on a rolling basis

Internships are for any person who is:

Academy Eligible (currently in or a history of foster care or preventive services)
In our HSE of Program
Are not job-ready and
Are not attached to any of our other internship programs

*All others will be assessed on an individual basis

Meet The Team

Marsha Pervil, Foster Care Coordinator—mpervil@door.org
Melissa Chalas De La Cruz, Housing & Benefits Coordinator—mecruz@door.org
Shavaughn Stewart, Supervisor of Foster Care Programming—sstewart@door.org
Cynthia Shields, Parenting Support Specialist—cshields@door.org

Additional Support

Therapy

Confidential in-house mental health services are available to Academy youth, virtually and in person. Our therapist works with participants to help them thrive in programming and treating their holistic, emotional, and psychological needs. Individual psychotherapy and group therapy are available. Group topics range from anger management to open art space.

Youth Leadership

Bronx Youth Council trains and develops youth to be leaders in The Door community and beyond with a focus on advocacy and support for system involved youth. The council activities include skills-based training (group facilitation, event planning, marketing, etc.), supporting Bronx Youth Center essential services and community, and planning events. Each youth leader is tasked with leading the planning and execution of an event of their choice at the end of the program.

This program recruits one cohort per year and runs from September to June.

Parenting

Parenting Journey

Parenting Journey is a small, closed parenting group that meets for 2 hours a week for 12 weeks. The program includes activities, discussions, and a family-style meal. The program is based on experiential learning, meaning youth learn by doing. Through a combination of hands-on activities and guided discussions, youth parents will develop knowledge and skills that support them as parents and role models. Youth are guided to reflect on their own childhoods to help them choose what kind of parent they want to be.

Parenting Support

Parenting Support includes hosting bi-monthly workshops lead by pregnancy, birth and childcare professionals. As well as making referrals to partner organizations, and keeping a stockpile of pampers, wipes and other baby/child essentials.

Housing & Support Benefits

For youth aging out of foster care, The Door offers an array of specialized services. Based primarily at Bronx Youth Center, youth with foster care history may access foster care case management to assist with housing placement and advocacy as needed. The Housing & Benefits Coordinator makes referrals to shelters, transitional living programs, and supportive housing and can help youth explore independent housing.

Other Services

Entitlements support—connecting youth with benefits such as SNAP, Medicaid, Women, Infants, Children (WIC), One Shot Deals, HSASA, Child Health Plus, Social Security, Disability, Unemployment, and Workers’ Compensation, among others.
Crisis management—facilitating access to basic needs like food and clothing, securing immediate shelter placement
Documents—assisting youth with getting copies of official documents such as State ID, Social, and Birth Certificate