Furniture Donation Shines a Spotlight on Critical Social Issue of Supporting Teen Moms Still in Foster Care

While life for young women in foster care is challenging, when they become mothers, they have even greater challenges to their ability to rise above their adverse circumstances—or ensure a good future for their babies. Fortunately, the Leake & Watts’ residential Mother & Child Program provides a nurturing home and support for teen mothers in foster care so they can live up to their full potential as adults and as parents.

Now, Leake & Watts’ residential Mother & Child home will be more welcoming than ever, thanks to a generous donation of furnishings from Bob’s Discount Furniture. The retailer delivered a truckload of furniture today to the program at 225 E. 234th Street in the Wakefield Section of The Bronx. Every bedroom in the single-family house will have a new bed, dresser, and mirror; the children’s playroom will have new tables, chairs, and sofa, and group meals will take place at a new spacious dining room table. While the furniture will remain at the residence once the mothers and children are ready to move out, each mother received a $600 gift certificate from Bob’s Discount Furniture to spend on her own.

Leake & Watts' administrative offices are in Yonkers, New York. The award-winning nonprofit agency supports more than 11,000 children, adults, and families in New York City and Westchester County.

Furnishing a Support System

Although New York City does not track the number of pregnant and teenage mothers in foster care, the city’s Administraton for Children’s Services estimates that there are 200 children living with their young mothers in foster homes or residential foster care facilities, such as the Leake & Watts Mother & Child Program. At Leake & Watts, the program can accommodate up to 12 mothers and 12 children. Leake & Watts’ round-the-clock staff prepare mothers for life on their own by instilling them with parenting skills, independent living skills, emotional support, and a sense of self-worth. The program‘s on-site nursery enables young mothers to continue high school, graduate or obtain a GED, and go to college or seek job training and secure employment. Children receive medical care, early intervention services if needed, and preschool educational opportunities. Without such support, the children of these teen mothers might become foster children, too.

Alan Mucatel, executive director of Leake & Watts, said the new furniture will brighten the lives of everyone in the program. “We strive to make the physical space for our programs as appealing and uplifting as possible to create a positive and welcoming environment,” he explained. “We are grateful to Bob’s Discount Furniture for donating furnishings that will enhance the living space for our teen moms and their children. Private support is critical to our ability to do so..”

Bob’s Discount Furniture donated the furnishings to Leake & Watts as part of a grand opening celebration of a new store at 171 W. 230th Street in Riverdale, New York, not far from where the young moms live. The mothers were invited to pick out the furniture at the store on opening day Oct. 6th.

“We were thrilled to partner with such a wonderful nonprofit and group of young women,” said Cathy Poulin, director of public relations and outreach at Bob’s Discount Furniture. “It was heartwarming to see how carefully these young women shopped, both for the furnishings we are donating to the program and their future homes when they have the chance to live on their own someday.”Bob’s Discount Furniture partnered with the Pajama Program, a charity that donates clothes and books to children, including children supported by Leake & Watts, in making the donation to the Mother & Child Program.

In photo: Teen mom Nikita and her eight-month-old son are supported by the Leake & Watts Mother & Child Program.