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.

 

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Crisis Respite

This program provides timely respite services for families in Queens coping with children who have a serious emotional disturbance. The child is temporarily placed with a respite family so their family can take advantage of some time needed to attend to other issues.

Who Can Benefit from this Program

Families/foster care providers in which a youth with SED needs a temporary separation from his/her current living situation.

Age Criteria

5-18 years of age

How to Access this Program or Service

Referrals accepted via foster care providers, private families, HCBS waiver providers and other mental health providers

Success Stories

Westbrook Prep Helps Sam Build a Brighter Future

"I may have Asperger's, but Asperger's doesn't have me." Learn More

Fadwa’s Story

Foster Care and Education

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

Last year,

106

children were adopted by loving forever families

We help

2,500

people with special needs develop skills to reach their full potential