Supporting Families Living in NYC Shelters

What We Do

We work in partnership with Shelters through a few key projects and programs. Through these proven methods we are able to bring learning, education, and joy into needed spaces.

• Interactive Workshops—CMOM educators lead arts, literacy, and STEM-based programs in shelters and at the Museum, providing moments of joy and meaningful learning.
• Learning Hubs in Shelters—Permanent, child-friendly installations transform shelter spaces into interactive learning environments, designed for play-based exploration.
• Family Support & Professional Development—Workshops equip caregivers with tools to support their children’s development, while shelter staff receive training to sustain learning beyond CMOM-led programs.

“These programs give my children a sense of normalcy in a time of uncertainty. They get to be kids, and I get to be a parent, not just someone trying to keep things together.”
— Parent Participant

Impact & Reach

CMOM’s program removes barriers of cost, transportation, and accessibility, ensuring that children living in temporary housing don’t miss out on the vital early learning experiences that set them up for success.

• 30 workshops annually, serving over 600 children and caregivers in shelters across NYC.
• 53 permanent learning hubs citywide, reaching approximately 35,000 families.
• Expanding with 13 new learning hubs in partnership with Women In Need (Win) shelters, supporting 7,000 children annually.
• Over 200 free museum memberships distributed yearly to participating families.

The Power of Learning Hubs

In partnership with shelters across NYC, CMOM has installed over 50 learning hubs—permanent, interactive spaces placed in high-traffic areas such as community rooms and play spaces. 91% of shelter partners report daily engagement with the hubs, demonstrating their effectiveness in making early learning a seamless part of daily life for families.

• Two new hubs launched this year at Grand Street Settlement and Henry Street Settlement.
• Citywide survey showed 66% of sites rated hubs as “excellent” for engagement and impact.
• Expanding with 13 additional hubs in Win shelters over the next three years.

The Urgent Need for Early Learning Access

Nearly one in ten children in NYC experiences homelessness, and 120,000 children under the age of three live at or below the poverty line. Research shows that early childhood learning is crucial for breaking cycles of poverty, yet many families in shelters lack access to quality, play-based education.

CMOM Works with Shelters to Provide

We work with Shelters to ensure that we are providing:

• A safe and nurturing space for children to engage in creative, educational play
• Parent and caregiver workshops to support early childhood development.
• Free museum access to all families in our shelter partner communities.

“Before, my daughter had nowhere to play. Now, she runs straight to the CMOM area every day, and it’s helped her open up and make friends.”
— A mother at a shelter shared

To deepen our impact, CMOM is launching a three-year partnership with Women In Need (Win), NYC’s largest shelter provider, to bring early learning resources to 13 shelters serving over 7,000 children annually.

This initiative includes:

• 13 new permanent learning hubs, ensuring play-based education is always accessible.
• 60+ direct service programs annually, including parent workshops and staff training.
• A formal evaluation study measuring the long-term impact of early learning in shelters.

By training shelter staff and embedding play-based learning into daily life, CMOM is working to create a sustainable, long-term impact for families experiencing homelessness.

In the Media

• “Health and learning hub opens at Bed-Stuy shelter” – News12
• “Children’s Museum of Manhattan unveils 15th learning hub at homeless shelter for families” – NY1
• “New Learning Hub Looks to Bring More Educational Opportunities to City’s Low-Income Children” – NY1

CMOM Shares at National Conferences

Conference: Society for Research in Child Development, September 2022
Session: Child in Context: A Systems Approach to Supporting Development for Children in Poverty

This talk will discuss Building Baby Brain Hubs (3BH), a program designed to support literacy and executive function development for young children living in homeless shelters. 3BH installed interactive, museum-quality mini-exhibits—learning hubs—in shelters across the city. The hubs promote playful learning for young children. Along with the learning hubs, 3BH runs family workshops to promote intergenerational learning and rich interactions between adults and children and has developed a research-based curriculum that is freely available for families and people who work with families. Results of the 3BH program indicate significant gains in knowledge of child development for participating families. The learning hubs are permanent installations, so they are now a feature of the community that will continue to support playful learning for families and children.