Yancy Rivera's son Brian, 11, is autistic and painfully shy. Summers used to be the worst time, with Brian out of school and spending his days watching TV. So Ms. Rivera, a single mother who works in a Lower East Side pharmacy to support him and his older brother, began searching three years ago for a summer day camp.
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The first camp Brian attended terrified him; he lasted three days. A colleague told Ms. Rivera about Henry Street Settlement, a social service agency that provides dozens of programs, including Camp Henry, a summer camp just two blocks from the pharmacy. Staff members were friendly and seemed equipped to handle kids like Brian. They said they would work with him one on one.
After his first day at Camp Henry, Brian told his mom, "It's different." After the second day, he said, "It's not so bad." And after the third day, he gave the camp a thumbs up. Brian went to the camp in 2011 and 2012. But this past summer, Ms. Rivera couldn't afford the $500 fee. The camp turned to the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, an organization supported by The New York Times Neediest Cases Fund, which paid the fee. Ms. Rivera and Brian were both delighted.
"I used to dread summers," Ms. Rivera said. But finding the right camp for Brian has been a huge relief — and very rewarding. Last summer, he learned to ride a bike.
Donations to The Times's Neediest Cases Fund go to seven charities: Brooklyn Community Services; Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York; Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens; the Children's Aid Society; the Community Service Society of New York; the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies; and the UJA-Federation of New York. To help, please send a check to: The New York Times Neediest Cases Fund, 4 Chase Metrotech Center, 7th Floor East, Lockbox 5193, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11245. Or call (800) 381-0075 and use a credit card. You may also donate at www.nytneediestcases.com.
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