On Thursday November 20th, 2014, my group and I went to WIN (Women In Need) organizations East Harlem branch to do some volunteer work.

WIN, started in 1983, is an organization that provides homes, education, and childcare for homeless or struggling women in New York City. WIN has 10 homeless family shelters, and one women’s shelter in each borough, totaling with other standard shelters to over 1,200 locations.

After hopping off the 6 train we made our way over to their location and rang the buzzer. After signing in and showing I.D. we made our way through a plain hallway in the building to the Child Care Center. The door was decorated with flowers and all things kids with the bold letters stating it was the Child Care service.

As we walked into the room the first thing I heard was the chatter among the older kids, and the screams and occasional cries from the babies. The room was divided into sections, the younger children, complete with cribs soft mats and dolls, and the older children, a table with chairs. On the right of the room was a washing machine and a bathroom. Once we were fully in the room we sat down at a tiny child table with chairs that stand to about the height of my mid calf. We had a brief orientation with Cierra Jordan who gave us a few basic rules like no photos of the kids, etc. She then gave us the materials and told us to get started.

We walked aroundto the older kids section, divided from the rest of the room by a log bookcase. Cierra told the children, ages 4-12, what we were doing, introduced us, and then we got to work. I walked around to every kid and passed out the color paper of their choice, light pink was the most popular choice. Our project was to make hand turkeys for Thanksgiving. You trace your hand on paper and then make your thumb into a head, add legs, and then decorate the other fingers as if they were feathers. 

I  walked to a little boy who looked completely baffled. I asked if he knew what to do and he gave me the answer I expected, “no.” I showed him how to trace your hand, leaving a line of dark blue marker lining my hand in the process. He seemed to understand a started making his turkey on his light blue construction paper. He drew black eyes and a beak, had me draw the legs, and colored the main part of the turkey light blue with purple stripes. He glued on a feather and a few pom pom’s, adding some blue glitter glue in the process.

After getting to know the kids and finishing arts and crafts, the little boys and girls started to go home. One by one they all left and at the end it was just Monica, Siena, my stepmother, and I waiting in these tiny chairs alone.

All these children are the children of women/families that are living in the Win housing services. The parents drop their kids off while they work or take part in WIN services. Overall this experience was amazing and I’m so glad I got to meet these kids and talk to them about their families and school and favorite colors or foods. This is a place that I would go back to anytime and I hope to do so soon.