Nourishing Hearts started with a Prince.  NYC foster mothers Nekiya Brown and Helen Lee first met in 2022 when Helen provided respite foster care support for Nekiya, and took care of Nekiya's 2-year old foster son, Prince.  Their love for Prince created a strong bond and friendship between the mothers, which grew into sharing their broader goals and dreams for doing more to help children in foster care.  Their first collaboration was for Prom Dreams 2023 held at the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) Children's Center, which involved helping to dress teens and pre-teens in foster care in formal attire for prom or other educational milestone celebrations such as graduation, awards ceremonies and school dances.  Prom Dreams was a tremendous success and turned into an annual partnership with ACS. 

Nekiya and Helen are now joined by other amazing women on the Nourishing Hearts team who are either fellow foster mothers or are social care professionals working with foster children or other underprivileged communities in NYC. Please see the ‘Meet the Team’ page for more information about the Nourishing Hearts team.

Nourishing Hearts is dedicated to transforming the lives of children and youth in foster care or in need of family support. We focus on empowering these young individuals and their families by providing a holistic range of physical, emotional, and educational resources, alongside advocacy and community support.

Our mission is to improve the quality of life for children in foster care, helping them achieve stability and equipping them for adulthood. By addressing both immediate needs and long-term challenges, we work to create a compassionate, resilient, and inclusive community where every child has the chance to thrive. Nourishing Hearts is committed to inspiring lasting change, ensuring that every child grows up in a loving, supportive, and nurturing environment.

• To build a world where children and families in the foster care system are embraced by a network of compassionate, encompassing support.

• To create a future where every foster child's physical, emotional, and educational needs are met with empathy and care.

• To ensure that no child faces life’s challenges without the guidance and resources needed to thrive.

• To develop programs that address the full spectrum of a child’s well-being, including:

  • Access to nutritious food

  • Emotional counseling

  • Educational opportunities

• To foster a compassionate community that values and uplifts every child and family in need.