We work with families to help them get ahead of the system, not just defend them against it.

Oftentimes, a family first meets CFR on one of the worst days of their lives. They have been threatened with family separation, or their children may have already been taken away from them and placed with strangers in the foster system. They find themselves facing the “child welfare” system, which surveils and punishes their family and requires them to fight every step of the way for the resources they need. 

For some of our clients, the difference between keeping their children and ACS taking them away is the purchase of a single piece of safety equipment. 

At CFR, we believe that helping families get these resources just makes sense. Rather than tearing families apart, we want to help families safely stay together. When families are forced to face a complex and punitive family policing system, we show up instead with empathy and resources, ready to defend and support them. 

As we work alongside other advocates to change the system, we continue to defend families in our four boroughs and connect them proactively to resources—helping with everything from housing to health care needs. We do this because we know that families are safer when they’re together and communities are stronger when we invest back in them.

Engaging with the Community

We host community presentations and events that teach parents and community members about their rights and connect them to resources and services that may benefit their family.

• We offer community-based presentations for parents, youth, and community members. These discussions range from Family Court 101 to De-escalating Encounters with the Police. One of our most important presentations is Know Your Rights. In it, we provide an overview of the family court and foster system in New York City and explain a parent’s rights during an ACS investigation so that if ACS does ever knock on their door, they know their rights and how to protect their family.
• We host backpack drives, family fun days, and other community events that bring families together to have fun, access valuable resources, and learn more about how to navigate the family policing system. Everyone is welcome to these events hosted across the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. We also seek to highlight other community events hosted by others in New York City so that our clients and other service seekers know what resources exist to support them and their family. 

Partners & Coalitions

We are currently members of several coalitions and advocacy groups like the Parents Legislative Action Network (PLAN), the New York Mandated Reporting Working Group, and the New York State Cash Alliance dedicated to family, criminal, and immigration policing abolition and harm reduction, youth advocacy, and anti-poverty work.