Family, friends, and colleagues of Sophie Gerson founded Sophie Gerson Healthy Youth in June, 2013. Now, heading into its 10th year, SGHY has positively impacted the lives and futures of so many middle school students.
About Our Mission
- To promote active lifestyles and the physical fitness of young people and to foster the values of good sportspersonship;
- To advance leadership and life skills through the common language of sports, dance, performing arts, and hands-on science, with special encouragement for girls;
- Using athletics, the arts, science, sociology and an integrated summer camp program, SGHY helps break the cycle of poverty by creating a sense of achievement, and reduce the incidence of bullying;
- To help the young adults understand that giving back to the community is a worthwhile endeavor.
About Our Programs
To achieve our mission, Sophie Gerson Healthy Youth provides year-round enrichment programs in the areas of sports, dance, hands-on science, outdoor nature, cultural exchange, music, drama, and summer camp. We provide these programs in partnership with five NYC public middle schools serving children from very-low-income households, including children living in homeless shelters.
About Our Corporate Status
Sophie Gerson Healthy Youth, Inc. (“SGHY”) is a New York State not-for-profit corporation, with Federal 501(c)(3) tax deduction status.
All contributions to SGHY are fully tax-deductible beyond the value of any goods or services received.
About our Affiliation
SGHY affiliates with the Fund for Public Schools, a wholly owned not-for-profit subsidiary of the NYC Department of Education. SGHY utilizes the Fund primarily as a fiscal intermediary to compensate school faculty for after-school hours. SGHY provides the Fund with funds for compensation in accordance with the amounts set forth in collective bargaining agreements for DOE compensation for after-school time.
About the SGHY Unique Program Model
SGHY does not directly operate programs or activities. Rather we develop program ideas with our partner schools; identify, vet and bring to our schools the best program providers in their respective fields; create collaborations between those providers and school faculty to deliver the programs; fully fund the programs; and provide administrative support, including transportation and meals.
About Student Selection
Schools or programs select the students who participate in SGHY activities or receive SGHY scholarships, with parental permission, based on criteria Sophie Gerson Healthy Youth establishes in consultation with the educators and program providers and in compliance with all applicable Department of Education regulations. Summer camp scholarships go to students whose families cannot afford the tuition. SGHY plays no role in the selection of individual students.
About No Fees for Students or their Families
Sophie Gerson Healthy Youth offers all of its programs and summer camps 100% free of charge to all students and their families. This includes all ancillary items; when a child living in a homeless shelter cannot afford a bathing suit or needs prescription goggles for our swimming program, we discreetly obtain and provide that without charge.
Sophie Gerson Healthy Youth aims to raise sufficient funds to accommodate as many young people as possible.