Forestdale, Inc.

About Forestdale, Inc.

Forestdale’s roots date back 171 years, when a group of women affiliated with a church in Brooklyn founded an industrial school for children, which later became Forestdale Inc. Forestdale’s mission is to ensure that children and families have the assets needed to thrive and live independently. Forestdale works to heal and prevent childhood abuse and neglect. While Forestdale serves various groups, its primary focus is on families in the child welfare system facing challenges like mental illness, addiction, domestic violence, poverty, racism, and social marginalization - all factors that contribute to family instability. While traditional child-welfare programs were designed to ensure the safety of children, Forestdale is committed to going beyond the basics by actively pursuing innovative and evidence-based approaches to address the changing needs of families across Queens and Brooklyn. We embody this commitment by providing a comprehensive continuum of services to help children and families heal from trauma and overcome intergenerational cycles of poverty. Forestdale offers essential support services; families that have undergone a crisis or trauma often come to us seeking help to recover from their experiences, care for their children, and help to create a happier and more stable future. In FY2024, Forestdale engaged over 4,000 families.