Directions For Our Youth

It’s National Voter Registration Day! Take 30 seconds to register to vote, check your registration
status, or find a registration event on or offline near you! NationalVoterRegistrationDay.org

We at DFOY would like to wish everyone a happy and well-deserved holiday. To those who work hard day in and day out, this is a time to relax and enjoy the company of your loved ones. Let's make the most of this holiday and recharge for the busy school year ahead! Happy Labor Day to all!

The DFOY Board of Directors is pleased to extend a warm welcome to Danielle M. Officer as our newest member on the Board. We are confident in her dedication and passion for DFOY's mission, and we are thrilled to have her join us in advancing our goal of providing exceptional programs that serve and strengthen our community.

✨🎉 Gather with us at the Butler Community Center for a day filled with family, fun, and memories! Let's kick off summer together and bring our community closer. 🌞☀️

📷Excited to show you all the amazing talent at our DFOY Middle School 498 showcase. Our participants have been busy this summer with various activities, and we couldn't be prouder! But we need your help to continue empowering our kids. Our DFOY Board members are giving their all by running the New Balance Bronx 10 mile to raise funds for our organization. Join us and let's make a difference in the lives of our youth!🙌

https://secure.qgiv.com/event/dfoynewbalancebronx10mile/

Join us in supporting Directions for Our Youth, Inc. by donating to participants running the New Balance Bronx 10 mile. With over 2000 young people and their families served annually, DFOY plays a vital role in our community by providing essential programs and services. From after-school care and homework assistance to STEAM activities and college advising, DFOY empowers youth and builds stronger families and neighborhoods. By donating to this cause, you can make a direct impact on the lives of our youth and help shape a brighter future for our city. To donate https://secure.qgiv.com/event/dfoynewbalancebronx10mile/

We at DFOY wish everyone a happy and safe 4th of July!

PS 72's staff from DFOY's Employee Appreciation Party - Cruise en Blanc, last Friday. Stunning! Looking good team!

Check out the images from our DFOY employee appreciation event - Cruise en Blanc! We celebrated the best team in the industry last Friday on a 3hr party boat around the city! Special shout out to the exceptional efforts of party planner extraordinaire and LTW Program Director Lauren Wilson, M.Ed., and our charismatic host and Assistant Director Robert Sanders.

Cheers to Simon O, a remarkable staff member at DFOY MS 180, on completing his studies at Baruch College! Your accomplishment serves as a testament to your dedication and perseverance. We have no doubt that you will continue to excel and make a positive difference in the world.

Happy Juneteenth everyone!

"The DFOY Board of Directors warmly welcomes Rochelle Bent and Jeff Garcia to the Board. They are committed to DFOY's mission and are excited to work together in promoting our commitment to offering students high-quality, enriching programs that support our community."

MS 498's End of Cycle featured a hair care table so irresistible, even our Administrative staff had to participate. Great job, Mr. Nana!

Learning to Work (LTW) is a transformative initiative designed to empower and support young people in their educational and career journeys. is calling on to restore and baseline $33M to ensure LTW can support the youth for years to come.

Learning to Work is a vital program that helps young people graduate from high school and connects them to jobs and further education. NYC needs LTW to ensure no young person falls through the cracks!

Last month's MS 180 End of Cycle. Layover at AIRDFOY. We ask that your seats and table trays are in the upright position for take-off! First stop, DFOY's Cultural Monopoly.

At PS 204...When bestie plays too much!

Satellite Academy’s LTW student intern Love Jones drew a thought provoking image for the Stop The Violence National Campaign! Great job!

Last week, PS 204 celebrated their End of Cycle with a unique and inspiring event called "Lego Dreamscape: The DFOY Experience. Topic: Who Am I?" Students showcased their creativity by using Legos to build representations of themselves, their dreams, and their community.

‼️ Calling all Social Workers: Sign up for the Week of Action to call State leaders and demand !

Government-contracted social workers make 30% less than what government workers make - for the same work. Our State leaders can help change that by including Wage Board Legislation in the final budget, which would develop recommendations for closing this pay gap.

For , let’s all pick up our phones today: bit.ly/JustPay-Social-Work-Action

Nonprofit human services workers make 30% less than government workers - for the same job. A Human Services Wage Board will help achieve pay parity by bringing recommendations on closing this gap to the Governor and State Legislature.

With the final budget coming up soon, this is our last chance to make sure Wage Board Legislation is included. Let’s make this happen by calling State leaders to demand : bit.ly/JustPay-Social-Work-Action

This month, 200 human services workers turned out to Albany to demand ! Our advocacy got us a 3.2% COLA for State-contracted human services workers in the one-house budgets - a major win.

However, the budgets were missing Wage Board Legislation, which would help achieve pay parity between government human services workers and nonprofit human services workers - who make 30% less than government workers for the same work.

This legislation would establish a Human Services Wage Board to investigate these pay disparities and produce a report with recommendations on salaries and benefits of human services workers, which will be given to the Governor and Legislature.

There’s still time to make your voices heard. Sign up for the Social Work Week of Action to call State leaders TODAY and demand Wage Board Legislation in the final budget: bit.ly/JustPay-Social-Work-Action

Today, our HSEI students protested planned budget cuts at City Hall.

Stand with us: Support our DFOY LTW students in the fight against budget cuts.

Korean BBQ is always better with friends. Looking good last month with !

BIG NEWS: just announced that City-contracted human services workers will receive over 9% in wage increases over the next 3 years. This is a major win for , and is the result of thousands of calls, emails and actions from human services workers!

Here’s what to expect:
A 3% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for FY25 – on top of the $170 million already allocated for the Workforce Enhancement Initiative from the last two years
A 3% cost-of-living adjustment for FY26
A 3% cost-of-living adjustment for FY27

Since we launched the JustPay campaign in 2021, we’ve been calling on the City to make long overdue investment in the essential human services workforce. There is much more advocacy to do to ensure human services workers are paid fairly. But with decades of divestment and underfunding, this City COLA announcement is a step in the right direction.

Thank you , First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives Ana Almanzar, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom, and all our champions – including , .brannan, and – for listening to our voices!

Happy Monday from the MS 498 UNITY Dance/Steppers. Check out their amazing Talent Showcase performance!
https://conta.cc/3wIwury

Today we celebrate Lucrecia Martinez and all of our amazing women staff at DFOY. They are crucial in shaping our community and making a difference at the heart of DFOY.

Our DFOY Van Nest Academy PS/MS 498 Dance Step Performed for the District 11 schools Black History Showcase!

DFOY VNA Dance/Step Team Black History Month Performance. Our DFOY VNA Dance/Step Performed Wednesday February 28,2024 for the District 11 schools Black History Showcase

Join us in celebrating our wonderful staff. Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication to enriching the lives of so many in our community! We love you!

"With our future ahead of us and the ancestors beside us, there's nothing we can't do." Join us as DFOY celebrates !