Help Renovate Henry Street's ECE Playground

In Honor of Martha Gates Hays

July 30, 1945 - April 23, 2021

 

Martha’s love for children and for doing good led her to pursue a second career in education when she was 31 years old. She earned a Master’s Degree from Mills College while teaching at Mother Goose Nursery School in San Francisco, and developed a curriculum for how to teach children through art education. After earning her MA, she went on to teach eighth-grade English at Convent of the Sacred Heart. Even after suffering bilateral brain aneurysms at the age of 35 that left her both physically and cognitively disabled and unable to work full-time, Martha's warm heart pushed her to become a volunteer at Calvary Nursery School. Her courage, grace, optimism, and warmth throughout her life brought happiness to so many people. Her profound commitment to children and our family has inspired my life and inspired me to launch this campaign.

 

In her honor, I am launching this 30-day campaign to support the renovation of Henry Street Settlement’s rooftop playground for their early childhood education (ECE) program, which provides low-income, working families and their toddler and preschool children with an amazing full-day program filled with reading, arts and crafts, outdoor play, healthy meals, academic and development support, and so much more. The school and playground are located on the Lower East Side of New York City.

 

This $100,000 campaign will support Phase 1 of the $255,000 project to renovate Henry Street’s rooftop playground. Phase 1 will include installing a new poured-in-place multi-color safety surface and a new play structure with developmentally-appropriate slides and poles to encourage social interaction and outdoor play through activities like crawling through, climbing up, and sliding down. Phase 2 of the project will build upon this work to install shade coverage and additional play and sensory stations, including a water station, music wall, performance stage, chalk board, and garden section.

 

Henry Street is a Lower East Side settlement house that has helped struggling New Yorkers for 128 years. I have seen firsthand the impact they have and how they have supported the neighborhood during this unprecedented pandemic. After a very difficult year for the youth in our city, I am excited to support Henry Street’s toddlers by helping to build a new place for them to find joy and creativity.

 

I have provided some more information below about Henry Street’s early childhood education program. You can learn more about this amazing organization at www.henrystreet.org.

 

A special thank you to Theodore Liouliakis, a member of Henry Street’s Board of Directors and dear friend of mine who introduced me to this wonderful organization and gave me the opportunity to help.

 

Thanks to all who donate,

 

Nat Hays Boas

 

 

ABOUT HENRY STREET’S EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM

 

Henry Street Settlement’s early childhood education program provides a safe, structured, and holistic environment to promote the educational and social emotional development of approximately 75 toddlers and preschool-age children ages 2-4, helping them transition successfully into kindergarten.

 

The program serves a diverse population of low-income, working families and their children from the Lower East Side and other neighborhoods in New York City, including children living in poverty, experiencing homelessness, in foster care, English language learners, and those with disabilities.

ABOUT HENRY STREET

 

Henry Street Settlement’s mission is to open doors of opportunity for Lower East Side residents and other New Yorkers through social services, arts, and health care programs. The organization is distinguished by its commitment to listening to and learning from our neighbors—and then acting to meet the most pressing needs of our community.

 

To meet those needs, we offer more than 50 programs to people of all ages through our Abrons Arts Center/Visual and Performing Arts, Employment, Education, Sports & Recreation, Senior Services, Health & Wellness, and Transitional & Supportive Housing divisions. These vast programs range from preschool to Meals on Wheels delivery, job-readiness training to mental health counseling, and supportive housing to theater performances. We encourage you to visit the program pages on our website to learn more.

 

If you would like to donate through a Foundation or Donor Advised Fund, please note the gift is for the Playground Renovation and send to Henry Street Settlement, 265 Henry Street, New York, NY 10002. Henry Street is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, with EIN 13-1562242. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by the law. Please notify Christie Bowers at cbowers at henrystreet.org of any donations you are sending and contact her for wire information and with any questions on supporting the project. Thank you for your generous support.