WE'RE HIRING


SDFS Partners with Hearts to Homes to Support Foster Children Who Have Aged Out

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Exciting news! We are pleased to announce our partnership with Hearts to Homes.  Hearts to Home is a nonprofit Agency whose mission is to assist newly independent young adults who have just aged out of foster care. They help to alleviate some of the stress during the initial transition by providing the essentials to furnish a new home. Over the past few weeks Hearts to Home has worked with us to provide furniture and other essential items to two of our foster children who have aged out. 

The reality is that many of these young adults leave foster care with few possessions and no family to help them make this transition. By helping to create a more comfortable living environment with support from good Samaritans like Hearts to Homes, we are able to positively impact the negative statistics of instability, homelessness, and multi-generational foster care that affect this demographic.


SDFS – One of Two Rockland Based Agencies Awarded Conditional CQA Contract for the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative (ESSHI)

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Saint Dominic’s Family Services (SDFS) was recently awarded a conditional contract for the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative (ESSHI). The conditional award is intended to provide services and operating funding in support of 40 permanent supportive housing units. SDFS willrenovate/purchase residential property in Rockland County for forty low-income clients and forty ESSHI clients. The ESSHI population will consist of 25 homeless/at risk clients with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) and 15 Homeless youth ages 18-24.

SDFS has provided permanent Supportive Housing for SMI in Rockland County NY since 1994. The Agency is one of two Rockland based Agencies to be awarded and currently has 50 scattered supported housing beds.

“New York State is a national leader in the development and ongoing support of housing for families and individuals living with mental illness and other special needs.  Supportive housing has been shown to provide stability, safety and the opportunity for individuals and families to live in their own homes and communities as they make their way on the road to recovery”. (Governor Andrew Coumo, 2021, News section, para. 7)


Friends of Saint Dominic’s Virtual Gala

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The New York City District Council of Carpenters Relief and Charity Fund Raises close to $1.2 Million for Saint Dominic’s Family Services

On March 16, 2021 close to 1000 leaders of New York City’s business and labor industry came together virtually to raise money for Saint Dominic’s Family Services. Mistress of ceremonies, Good Morning America’s Co-Host and Host of HGTV’s Flea Market Flip Lara Spencer, was joined by special guests Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Country Singer/Songwriter Caroline Jonesand more.  Featured guest speaker, Robert Lapidus, CIO of L&L Holdings, discussed the current state of the New York real estate market, as well as the overall market outlook for 2022. The entire virtual program, along with a complete list of corporate sponsors and individual donors can be seen here www.fsdvirtualgala.org. 

“The continued commitment of the business and labor industry has truly been remarkable, especially as our communities continue to struggle through the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Brian Finneran, President of the Friends of Saint Dominic’s.  

“With the generous support of the Friends of Saint Dominic’s, we are able to keep children safe from abuse and neglect, as well as enable children and adults with mental health and developmental challenges to live fulfilling, independent lives,” says Dr. Diane Aquino, President & CEO of Family Services of Saint Dominic’s.

“I am so proud of how our industry came together to support this cause in such a big way, despite the challenges of fundraising in a virtual environment,” says Eugene Peter White, dinner chairman of the Friends of Saint Dominic’s and Executive Vice President of Structure Tone. “It’s incredible that we were able to raise over $1 million yet again to help Saint Dominic’s and its mission.”

2021 would have been the 40th anniversary for the business and labor dinner typically held at the New York Hilton.  Since its inception, the dinner has raised over $26 million for Family Services of Saint Dominic’s. 


Agency Doubles Goal of Reunifying Children with Families

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As we celebrate National Adoption month, we are proud to announce that we have reunified 22 children this year with their birth parents or relatives. The Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) had set our goal at eleven children and we are thrilled to have exceeded it by 100%.

At Saint Dominic’s Family Services, our objective is to find permanency for a child with their birth parents or relatives. When we cannot, we look towards those parents willing to adopt and give a child renewed hope for a positive future. We want the child, whether with birth or adopted parents, to have the most fulfilling life possible. Adoptive families are equally important to our children as they create the foundation that these children could not find with their biological families.

These children and youth have been supported through intervention and counseling by Saint Dominic’s Family Services for up to 12 months. We recognize that many of the children placed in our care, and the families we serve have experienced intense trauma. We are here to support and guide these individuals through this difficult time. 

It is critical that these children are placed in a permanent home where that are loved and nurtured. Until then, our Family Foster Care Program provides a child with a safe loving environment that promotes growth and development and enables the child to maximize their fullest potential. For more information about our Foster Care and Adoption programs click here.


Celebrating Adoption Month at SDFS

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Throughout the month of November, the New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) recognized National Adoption Month by celebrating New Yorkers who have adopted and professionals who work to support the adoption process.

Meet Denise Chaddick, the SDFS 2020 Adoptive Parent Honoree who have adopted 3 children since the beginning of 2020.

National Adoption Month is celebrated every November across the country to remind everyone that there are children and teens in foster care who cannot return home and who need loving forever families.

We celebrate Ms. Chaddick for her selflessness and our dedicated team, who, despite the challenges have continued to support the process.