The Felix Organization - Adoptees for Children

In 2012, Felix developed Beyond Camp, a mini-grants program that grants funding to NYC youth in foster care for extracurricular activities throughout the year. This program is one of our most encouraging and inspiring as it creates opportunities for self-sufficiency. In 2013, Felix distributed $5,800 via Beyond Camp for acting and singing lessons, textbooks for college, cameras and kickboxing lessons. In 2014, we will distribute $20,000.

This volunteer-run program provides experiences for teens living in foster care in NYC, including theater tickets, dining out, film screenings and sporting events. In 2013, Felix sent over 100 children to "Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark" on Broadway.The children were treated to a post-show meet-and-greet with Spider-Man. Modell's Sporting Goods sponsored 50 youth to attend a Mets game with the chance to meet some of the players.In addition, Felix served 50 foster children at the Thanksgiving Feast-i-val. Lastly, Vincent Pastore invited 25 children to see the play "Wild Children".

This is a gift-giving initiative that provides holiday cheer to older youth in foster care from New York City who are often overlooked this time of year. With the support of actress Lorraine Bracco, in 2013, Secret Santa disbursed over $16,000 worth of gift cards to youth from The New York Foundling and Good Shepherd Services, two NY- based agencies.

In August 2017, The Felix Organization began a pilot program in partnership with Good Shepherds Services, one of New York City’s largest social services agencies, sending 12 teen girls in foster care to adventure camp in Kent, Connecticut. In August 2018, the program expanded to two week-long sessions, and 25 young women from the New York City foster care system each spent a week in the Berkshire Mountains participating in an assortment of enriching camp activities.

These young women reside in a diagnostic treatment center, a temporary residential facility. As such, these girls are part of an extremely at-risk population, as they are unlikely to be adopted, and most will be aging out of the foster care system in a few short years without the support of a permanent guardian. Most of their counterparts in the general community continue to receive the emotional and financial support of a parent, guardian or family member past the age of 18. These young women will not have this safety net.

Due to the instability of life in foster care, these teens are unlikely to have ever been given an opportunity to go to camp. Camp Felix Teen Girls Getaway provides this unique opportunity, and with it, a chance to focus on social/emotional growth and skill building as well as exercise and self-care.

Camp Felix Teen Girls Getaway is a partnership with Good Shepherds Services, a large New York City-based social services agency, which provides the campers and the social work staff to accompany and supervise them during the camp session. The program also includes a partnership with Club Getaway, the site where the camp takes place. Club Getaway provides the food, lodging, activity staff, and physical infrastructure during the camp week.

The recreational activities at Club Getaway include unique activities like zip-lining, rock climbing, a treetop obstacle course, canoeing, kayaking, and so much more, giving the girls an opportunity to expand their horizons and participate in activities they wouldn’t otherwise have access to. When the girls first arrive, many of them express that they can’t see themselves doing some of the activities. By the end of the week, most are fearless experts, climbing up the hill to zip line again and again!

In August 2018, we launched a new pilot program for teen boys called Bryan’s Camp Felix, in partnership with the New York Foundling and the Bryan Jacobson Foundation.

19 young men from the New York City Foster Care system spent 5 days at Club Getaway in Kent, CT for a life-changing experience.The boys were accompanied by New York Foundling staff and former Camp Felix Putnam Valley Assistant Director, Travis Welcome, who served as the Bryan’s Camp Felix Director.

In addition to adventure sports like zip-lining and rock climbing, the boys enjoyed special activities with guests visitors, including a discussion with Felix co-founder, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, and workshops with animation teacher, Kyle Warren.

Bryan’s Camp Felix gave the boys the opportunity to leave behind the daily struggles they face at home, and participate in personal-growth activities, make new friends, and take a breath of fresh air in nature.

At the end of the week, each camper filled out a survey about their camp experience and here’s what they had to say:

-100% of campers said they tried a new activity at Camp Felix.
-100% of campers said, "my counselors encouraged me and helped me succeed at Camp Felix."
-94% of campers said that Camp Felix helped them learn to overcome challenges.

Through this program, we send a group of teens from the Good Shepherd Services and Seamen’s Society programs in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island on day trips to destinations outside of New York City each Friday in July and August.

The Road Trips give our youth the opportunity to step outside of their neighborhoods to explore nature and participate in unique activities during the summer when they might otherwise be at home. Destinations visited include Boscobel House and Garden, Storm King Art Center, Little Stony Point Park for Seine Fishing, and a sailing trip on the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater.

In partnership with Land to Learn, we established a Garden program for a group of children and teens at the Children's Home of Poughkeepsie.
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For eight weeks in the summer, the young people build and care for a garden with seven beds on the premises of their group home.

Our youth plant a variety of fruits and vegetables including tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, watermelon, beets, and so much more, which they get the chance to prepare and enjoy in an annual end-of-summer celebration!

Launched in 2021, the Level Up Conference is an inspiration 1-day virtual conference for foster youth aging out of the foster care system. Presented by The Felix Organization, in conjunction with The Purple Project and Music Is Unity Foundation, 2021's Level Up Conference included keynote speakers, panel discussions, and workshops in the following areas:
Future Planning
Safety / Health
Self Care
Relationships

Camp Felix Pride is a groundbreaking new summer camp for LGBTQ+ youth and allies in the New York City foster care system, launching summer 2022. This exciting week-long camp will give youth, ages 10 to 16, a life-changing experience resulting in personal growth and connection to a supportive community.