Do a Little Back to School Shopping for NYC's Homeless Children

Does Seneca House have a website or e-mail address? My sister and I make educational children's activities and would love to donate to their cause if they can use them. If you have any contact info that you could pass along to me, that would be great.

I just went to order some supplies, and the shipping was the same amount as the supplies! I'd rather spend $30 on the kids than $15 on supplies and $15 on shipping. Is there any way around this?

I am the office manager of Seneca Houses. With the support and consent of our Executive Director, Maritza Alvarez, I have been able to research and contact wonderful people that have donated items to our facility. Educational activities would be a wonderful asset.

If you would like to speak to Ms. Alvarez her number is 718-378-3334, I also can be reached at this number.

Thanks for your kind thoughts.

Jennie Velazquez

Thank you to the above commenter who mentioned the cost of shipping. I was concerned about this also, but it wanted to be able to do something quickly to help these kids and this seemed like the simplest way to do it.

However, in response to your comment I have created a second option. Seneca House doesn't take cash donations, but if you would like to donate cash, I have created a PayPal donation button in the left sidebar of the site. At the end of next week I will take all the money donated and buy as much as I can of whatever the kids still need and deliver it to them myself.

Hopefully these two options will make it easy for everyone to participate.

Seneca Houses Tier II Facility, a family homeless shelter with 74 families, would like to give a warm and sincere thank you to MommyPoppins for her generous and heartfelt help in ensuring that our kids' summer was a happy one. The children were elated to be able to go to trips such as Splish Splash last Monday. They were lined up in front of the shelter and when the school bus arrived, they jumped up and down with glee.

It only takes a thought and a group of persons to come together for fun festivities to become a reality. The kids weren't the only ones that were elated with happiness, the staff here at Seneca Houses was also. The kid inside of us enjoyed watching the smiles on the kid's faces as they boarded the bus to go to their outing.

Seneca Houses is only one of the two shelters that I am in charge of. Freeman Houses is the other shelter with only 22 families. But the kids from both facilities enjoyed the summer trips. And, although Freeman Houses is a separate shelter, we join forces to ensure that the needs of the kids at both sites are met.

I would also like to thank all of the readers of the MommyPoppins website for their generosity in ensuring that our kids go back to school with everything they need. There are no words that can express the joy that the staff here at Seneca Houses feels in knowing that there are many hearts joining forces and helping our kids.

Again, many, many thanks!

Maritza Alvarez
Executive Director
Seneca Houses

I would like to thank MommyPoppins for her assistance with this years Summer Recreation Program for the kids at Seneca Houses, of which Freeman Houses (our other shelter), also partook of.

MommyPoppins was an angel in disguise for us and ensured that agencies that provided fun activities for children, opened their hearts to our kids.

I feel very fortunate and proud to have MommyPoppins as part of our team to ensure that the kids, whomever they are and whereever they come from, get the opportunity to be just that...kids. Our kids from both facilities were allowed to be the happiest and busiest kids ever! They had tons of fun this summer!

I am grateful that although I am the Office Manager at Seneca Houses, our Executive Director, Maritza Alvarez, has always allowed me to go full force in doing research and working on projects so that our kids can develop and have fun in healthy ways.

I would also like to thank all of the readers, whose hearts have been touched by our kids, and whose generosity is beyond words. Our kids will be writing their "wish lists", and as I get them, I will let Mommypoppins have them.

Thanks so much to everyone!

Juana (Jennie) Velazquez
Office Manager
Seneca Houses

I love what you are doing with Seneca house. I have always expressed to my daughter how important it is to give back.
We would go on annual outings to various charities and hospitals..dropping off toys, books and clothing.
It has however been a while since we have had one of these outings...as I am happy to do some on line clicking at the Amazon page set up..I realized that we are way overdue for an outing.

It is really great what you are doing here!

Seneca Houses and Freeman Houses fall under the umbrella of the New York City Department of Homeless Services who assist many of the homeless populations via shelters throughout the five boroughs.

Seneca Houses and Freeman Houses are operated and managed by SEBCO Development, Inc. for the Department of Homeless Services.

Ms. Maritza Alvarez is the Executive Director of both facilities and I am the Office Manager for Seneca Houses.

Although what we do and who we service is not just a job for us, we welcome the assistance of people like you that find a special place in their hearts and take a little of their time to share with our families.

Like you, my mom and I used to give back to those that did not have even the most basic of necessities. As an adult I continued this tradition by participating and later forming Toy Drives of my own. In fact, I remember that my mom used to get together the senior citizens and they would donate money from their social security checks, buy toys, and give to the kids. My mom has passed away now yet I still continue the tradition and have been blessed to be allowed to this this at my own workplace...to find individuals like yourself willing to share. It lets our kids know that people care no matter who you are.

Thank you and may you also always be blessed for the good that you do for others and instill in your children to do also.

Jennie Velazquez
Office Manager
Seneca Houses

Seneca Houses received a box with 20 boxes of Crayola crayons today and would like to thank the person(s) that ordered them. Our children will be so, so very happy.

I was also just informed that another company has donated 74 bookbags which will arrive this weekend.

We will be filling the bookbags with all the goodies that arrive and will give them to the children before school starts. The parents of the children already have been informed of the pending arrival of bookbags and goodies of whatever is sent and they are very grateful.

Again, thanks to the generosity of the readers and that of MommyPoppins for mentioning us in her article.

Maritza Alvarez
Executive Director
Seneca Houses/Freeman Houses

Package received for distribution to the children by:
Jennie Velazquez
Office Manager
Seneca Houses

Seneca Houses Tier II Facility would to extend their deepest thanks to Carmen Lorenzo, for her generous donation of school supplies for our children.

Ms. Velazquez, Office Manager for Seneca Houses who is also in charge of arranging activities and other fun things for the children, spoke with Ms. Lorenzo earlier today and was happy to hear from one of the persons that was donating school supplies.

As Seneca Houses receives the supplies, we will send a separate letter of thanks to all of you, and additionally post a comment.

If you would like to donate to an individual child, please let us know.

We will ask our children to write their own thank you letters, which we will send to MommyPoppins for all of you to see.

Thanks again,

Maritza Alvarez
Executive Director
Seneca Houses/Freeman Houses

Seneca Houses received a package today on behalf of Mr. Edwin J. Elton with school items for our children. We thank you so much for your heartfelt genorosity and our children are extremely happy with your donation of school items.

There is no price for the kindness that came from your heart......thank you.

Maritza Alvarez
Executive Director
Seneca Houses/Freeman Houses

Jennie Velazquez
Office Manager
Seneca Houses

We would like to thank again the person who ordered from shoplet.com and donated 20 boxes of crayola crayons. The shipping label came with no persons name, just shoplet.com in the from column.

Again, thank you for your heartfelt thought and wonderful donation for our children. If you would like to let us know who you are, please e-mail us at:
jvelazquez@senecahouses.org so that we may thank you personally.

Maritza Alvarez
Executive Director
Seneca Houses/Freeman Houses

Jennie Velazquez
Office Manager
Seneca Houses

Seneca Houses just recieved another 3 boxes containing expanding file binders, crayola crayons and 1 box of 2 pocket folders.

Again, the shipping label indicated no customer name except that it was from Shoplet in Richmond, Virginia.

To whomever donated these items, we would like to thank you immensely. The items will be included in the children's bookbags when we fill them up.

Maritza Alvarez
Executive Director
Seneca Houses/Freeman Houses

Packages received by:
Jennie Velazquez
Office Manager
Seneca Houses
718-378-3334

Seneca Houses would like to thank Nita J. Kang for her generous donation of school supplies for our children.

There are not enough words to express our gratitude for your heartfelt donation.

Maritza Alvarez
Executive Director
Seneca Houses/Freeman Houses

Package received by:
Jennie Velazquez
Office Manager
Seneca Houses
718-378-3334

Seneca Houses received another package of 100 rulers but the invoice did not have the sender's name. To whomever donated the rulers, we would like to extend a heartfelt thank you on behalf of our children.

Maritza Alvarez
Executive Director
Seneca Houses/Freeman Houses

Package received by:
Jennie Velazquez
Office Manager
Seneca Houses

Seneca Houses would like to thank Ms. Christine M. Fox for her generous donation of school supplies for our children.

Thank you for keeping our children in your thoughts!

Maritza Alvarez
Executive Director
Seneca Houses/Freeman Houses

Package received by:
Jennie Velazquez
Office Manager
Seneca Houses

Seneca Houses would like to thank Courtney DeCristofaro for the generous donation school supplies for our children.

Thank you for keeping our children in your thoughts!

Maritza Alvarez
Executive Director
Seneca Houses/Freeman Houses

Package received by:
Jennie Velazquez
Office Manager
Seneca Houses

Seneca Houses would like to thank Jae Carey for the generous donation of school supplies for our children.

Thank you for keeping our children in your thoughts!

Maritza Alvarez
Executive Director
Seneca Houses/Freeman Houses

Package received by:
Jennie Velazquez
Office Manager
Seneca Houses