When In Need Foundation’s Mission of Mercy visits Forestdale Inc.
Queens, NY- Tuesday May 26, When in Need Foundation is days away from embarking on her global campaign to South America under the umbrella of Mission of Mercy designed to continue spreading love, changing lives and giving back. Founder and CEO of When in Need Foundation, Ms Chetachi Ecton’s passion and compassion for the needy inspired the visit and donations to Forestdale (When Families Need Us) with her team. Loads of supplies, food items and essentials for families were presented to Forestdale Inc., a Foster Care and Adoption type services facility. Forestdale, located in Forest Hills, Queens provides services for more than 700 youth ages 0-21 achieve their personal, academic and professional goals. During the visit, Forestdale Executive Director Anstiss Agnew, LCSM described and detailed how the program has changed lives since inception. Key services provided at Forestdale include Teen Choice, a 12 week sexual health education workshop including doula-matching service to help support mothers through childbirth and prenatal period, TXTLine, a free text messaging resource for health and childrearing issues, case management for access to housing, medical services and child care. Clothing, diapers and baby outfits were also presented through a collaboration with Baby Buggy. Forestdale’s program also helps 70 families per year avoid foster care intervention with intensive counseling to address unemployment, truancy and mental illness. Every year the Fathering Initiative prepares 250 noncustodial fathers to become more active and involved caregivers through parenting classes, anger management seminars and co-parenting counseling. The Passport to Parenting offers pregnant and parenting teens access to health services and parenting work.
