Invest in hope for a better, more inclusive future for all

Now's the time to give to local, grassroots organizations like NYC Kids Project that are making real change in your community

At NYC Kids Project, we see firsthand that inclusion-based programming is the key to building a better future for our students, and that kindness and empathy create strong bonds that help communities grow together in the face of divisive rhetoric. By partnering with local school communities, we meet kids where they are on an individual level. These partnerships give us hope that a brighter future is possible, and your continued commitment to Inclusion, Empathy, and Respect for All will help us get there.

A donation to NYC Kids Project is a statement that Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are essential tenets of a healthy society. Your support is an investment in a future where all people are respected for exactly who they are.

What teachers are saying about NYC Kids Project:

"There's lots of things we're trying to teach in kindergarten. Taking turns, physical space, how to write - but I think the most important thing that we need to learn in kindergarten and we have to remember for the rest of our lives is kindness. What I love about the puppets is the kindness. Even I - as an adult, as a teacher - I can be inspired by NYC Kids Project's puppets. That kindness helps them make a connection and makes them feel seen, makes them feel heard. The kindness that we hear from the puppets really makes a difference in all of the children's lives, in every classroom they go to."

"NYC Kids Project is a forum for all students to be able to see different kinds of people and not be afraid of them. They have this opportunity to talk to them, communicate, and ask questions. Eventually, they see that we really have more in common and are more the same than different. This type of program is vital for all students, especially during these really difficult times right now in the world. We really need to come together. We need to talk to each other. We need to learn to accept and understand and respect one another. NYC Kids Project is one of the ways that we can do that.

"Kids have a lot on their minds. The things that keep us up at night are the same things that keep them up at night, too. They really want to talk about these things and NYC Kids Project gives them the opportunity to do that through puppetry. Puppetry really brings people together and allows a type of expression that one normally doesn't get in regular conversation."

ABOUT NYC KIDS PROJECT
Young people’s worlds are as big as their adults make them. If we expose children to people from diverse backgrounds, identities, and abilities early on, they will understand that the world is vast and that not all people have similar experiences to their own. If we pair that exposure with meaningful interactions, in age-appropriate forms, then children learn that while we may not all look alike or experience the world in the same way, we share hopes, fears, and dreams.

NYC Kids Project seeks to create an inclusive society where all people are valued for who they are by developing empathy among New York City youth. We partner with schools and community centers across New York City, with a focus on Title 1 schools, and use puppetry and storytelling to create immersive experiences for young children that allow them to practice empathy, inclusion, and kindness.

NYC Kids Project’s mission is to teach children to embrace and nurture inclusion, belonging, and respect for all through puppetry. We believe that early interactive exposure to characters of diverse backgrounds, identities, and abilities helps children see the richness of the world, become curious about the differences and commonality that are an essential part of the human experience, and empathize with those who are different from them.

Our interactive experiences and classroom programs use puppets, storytelling, and facilitated dialogue to help children develop critical social-emotional skills, most notably empathy and social awareness. Our programs are intentionally designed to make children feel comfortable asking questions and processing ideas that they might otherwise not know when or how to articulate, and to provide open-ended answers to those questions that they can continue to discuss in their classrooms and with their families.

Giving Season 2025 at NYC Kids Project

By NYC Kids Project Inc

Giving Season 2025 at NYC Kids Project

Help us build a more inclusive world for all!