Fadwa’s Story

To say Fadwa is driven is an understatement. She doesn’t dream of becoming a surgical nurse, she is actively taking steps to make it happen. And to make her mother proud.

Fadwa lost her mother to cancer when she was just 13 years old. Her father expected Fadwa to assume her mother’s responsibilities and moved the family often, keeping them distanced from any extended family. She was not allowed to have friends or participate in extracurricular activities. She attended five different high schools and managed to maintain excellent grades while she cooked, cleaned, and took care of her two brothers and father.

At 17, she was abandoned by her father and placed in SCO’s foster care program. SCO helped stabilize the teen, placed her with a foster family, and eventually was able to locate a maternal aunt who opened her heart and home to her long-lost niece through kinship foster care.

Despite her early challenges, Fadwa stays focused on the opportunities ahead of her. SCO’s foster care staff helped her prepare for college; guiding her through the application process and helping her achieve both a Dream USA Scholarship and a Youth in Foster Care Award.  Currently a student at Borough of Manhattan Community College, SCO helped her secure an internship with a surgeon at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Fadwa’s goal is to keep her GPA high enough to get into nursing school. And we have no doubt she will achieve this and so much more.

 

Holiday Giving 2023

Here are 5 ways you can support:

1. Give to SCO – Your monetary support helps us provide life-changing services year-round.

2. Donate toys and more to our Holiday Gift Drive. See our flyer for gift ideas.

3. Visit our online gift registries:  Target, Amazon, or Walmart

4. Sponsor a Program – Find out how your business or community group can sponsor one of our programs for the holidays.
For more information about our Holiday Gift Drive or how you or your organization can sponsor a program, please contact Marnie Katzman at 631-213-0155 or [email protected]

5. Like us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram– Connect with us on social media and see how we’re making a difference every day.

Happy Holidays From Our Family To Yours!

Adam Graves

"Garden of Dreams is the single most important thing we do.” Learn More

Fadwa’s Story

Foster Care and Education

“I’m going to be successful regardless of what I’ve been through." Learn More

93%

of adults with developmental disabilities living in SCO’s IRAs (group homes) made meaningful connections by participating in community inclusion activities

91%

of babies in our Nurse Family Partnership were current with immunizations at 24 months

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