Skip to content
Donate Become a foster parent
  • About Us
    • Our Mission & Approach
    • Our Impact
    • Leadership
    • News and Publications
  • Our Services
    • Family Support
      • Preventive Services
      • The Family Permanency Center
      • Partners In Parenting
      • Healthy @ Home
      • Family Wellness
    • Medical & Mental Health
      • Medical Clinic
      • Mental Health Clinic
      • Peter Haje Center for Autism
      • Building Blocks
      • Health Home Care Management
      • Home-Based Supports
    • Foster Care & Adoption
      • Special Medical Foster Care
      • Post-Adoption
      • Become a Foster Parent
    • Education & Youth Development
      • Education Services
      • Tutoring & Literacy
      • College Bound Program
      • Youth Development & Mentoring
      • Safe Haven
      • Recreation & Social Enrichment
  • Get Involved
    • Volunteer
    • Junior Board
    • Internships & Training
    • Work at NAC
    • Become a Foster Parent
  • Ways To Give
    • Donate
    • Events
    • Fundraisers & Drives
    • Become a Corporate Partner
Get Help
  • About Us
    • Our Mission & Approach
    • Our Impact
    • Leadership
    • News and Publications
  • Our Services
    • Family Support
      • Preventive Services
      • The Family Permanency Center
      • Partners In Parenting
      • Healthy @ Home
      • Family Wellness
    • Medical & Mental Health
      • Medical Clinic
      • Mental Health Clinic
      • Peter Haje Center for Autism
      • Building Blocks
      • Health Home Care Management
      • Home-Based Supports
    • Foster Care & Adoption
      • Special Medical Foster Care
      • Post-Adoption
      • Become a Foster Parent
    • Education & Youth Development
      • Education Services
      • Tutoring & Literacy
      • College Bound Program
      • Youth Development & Mentoring
      • Safe Haven
      • Recreation & Social Enrichment
  • Get Involved
    • Volunteer
    • Junior Board
    • Internships & Training
    • Work at NAC
    • Become a Foster Parent
  • Ways To Give
    • Donate
    • Events
    • Fundraisers & Drives
    • Become a Corporate Partner
Donate Become a foster parent

Stories

More Stories

Natalia

Joanne

Juscion & Keyanea

Natalie & Elijah

Susan & Kevin

Norma

Justin

Tyrese

Tamara

Tamara’s mother had 10 children to care for and saw no alternative to leaving her in the hospital for her first five years. NAC helped Tamara’s mother and family bring her home for good.

There was a lot that people didn’t know about Tamara when she was five years old and living at the Foundling Hospital. That she had a talent for art. That she loved to learn and was curious about everything. That she read the NY Times. Or that one day she would become the first in her family to attend college. Living in a hospital did not give her much hope to nurture her potential.

Tamara was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, or brittle bone disease. Her bones are very fragile and can break doing everyday activities, such as turning in bed or getting dressed. As a child, Tamara would sometimes have up to 5 broken bones a year. Her care was too overwhelming for her family, who had little support at the time.

When NAC found Tamara still living in the hospital at age 5, a team of social workers immediately started putting the appropriate supports in place for Tamara’s family to take her home. NAC helped to make their apartment accessible and comfortable for a child with a disability. At the same time, services were provided for the entire family from medical advocacy to mental health care and educational services. Her siblings received recreational and therapeutic services. Once home and safely being cared for, Tamara received the health and educational services she needed. When she was 15, Tamara joined NAC’s newly formed art therapy group, which had a profound effect on her life.

Tamara excelled in school. Yet, when it was time to apply for college, her high school counselor told Tamara that she should only apply to a “two-year college.” Not happy with that answer and armed with the encouragement of everyone at NAC, Tamara set a goal to attend Hunter College. She registered for the SAT’s, only to find out that the room where the test was being given was not wheelchair accessible. With characteristic tenacity, Tamara advocated for a wheelchair accessible room, took the SAT’s, and was accepted to Hunter. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in psychology, and then went on to complete her Master’s degree from New York University’s Graduate Program for Art Therapy.

Today, Tamara uses what she has learned to help others. She is a strong advocate for people with disabilities; she has met President Obama in the White House; and works full-time for an organization dedicated to making adaptive equipment. She is also part of the NAC’s Alumni Group, which meets monthly to discuss important advocacy issues and ways that alums can give back to younger NAC kids.

Main Office

37 West 26th Street

New York, NY 10010

212.696.1550

Bronx Office

1775 Grand Concourse

Bronx, NY 10453

212.696.1552

  • Contact Us
  • Work at NAC
  • Annual Reports
  • Diversity Equity Inclusion and Belonging
  • Policy/Legal
Sign up for the Newsletter

Search NAC

Copyright © 2023
New Alternatives for Children, Inc.