Roll with me a moment...heal your inner child.

Have you ever heard people suggest to take up hobbies that heal your inner child? Truthfully, it's always made my eyes roll. However, this summer, I've found that I am starting to understand what that means. A few examples I've had the opportunity to do over the last few months: swimming, make collages, board games, signed up for a Paint and Sip for my upcoming birthday. I'm starting to see the value of finding activities that you have absolutely ZERO intention of being good at. (Listen, it's Virgo season, so forgive my type A tendencies.) I have found great joy and even some inner peace by purposefully choosing activities that are forcing me to silence my inner critic and simply just be.

I challenge you this month to find a form of movement that doesn't force you to be so perfect (yes, even Pilates!). May this month's principle and focus be FLOW. Flow for the sake of joy and for that inner kid in you. ​

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This month, 20% of our proceeds go to New Yorkers for Children.

New Yorkers for Children (NYFC) improves the well-being of youth and families in the child welfare system with an emphasis on older youth aging out of the system. NYFC provides direct educational, financial and emotional support and develops programs to fill gaps in the system in partnership with foster care agencies, community organizations and the NYC Administration of Children's Services.

NYFC was founded by Nicholas Scoppetta, the former Commissioner of the Administration for Children's Services (ACS). Having gone through the New York City foster care system himself, Nick devoted much of his life to ensuring that youth in foster care have the opportunity to lead lives of value, dignity and joy. 

They work to enroll older foster youth in college, support them through graduation, and help them gain the skills needed to enter the workforce by providing: 1) direct academic scholarship programs, 2) innovative pilot programs, 3) youth development events, 4) wraparound supports, including one-on-one academic coaching and mental health support, 5) technology for schoolwork and 6) emergency funding coupled with financial coaching. 

NYFC is a safety net for our city's most vulnerable and resilient young people. For this reason, their focus is on youth who are aging out of the system and are at greatest risk of depression, poverty, homelessness and interactions with the criminal justice system. Each and every youth that we serve has touched the NYC child welfare system in some way. They're here to support them as they move forward. NYFC provides direct services and scholarship support to about 1,000 youth annually, in addition to overseeing about 21 unique programs, including 47 private grants from foundations and corporations to support education programs and pilot initiatives in partnership with agencies and organizations in the child welfare landscape.

To learn more about their important work, visit their website: https://www.newyorkersforchildren.org/

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