he Blue Hill Troupe is proud to partner with The New York Foundling as the charity for the 2009-2010 season. While the name "Foundling," meaning "abandoned child," reflects The New York Foundling's early work caring for abandoned children, the organization has evolved over the last 140 years into one of New York City's oldest and largest social service agencies, today serving over 13,000 of New York's neediest children and families.

The Foundling protects children from abuse and neglect; helps teen mothers and overstressed parents meet the challenges of parenthood; provides after-school and summer programs for children from some of the most disadvantaged neighborhoods in New York; provides educationally enriched child care and preschool; helps developmentally disabled people achieve maximum independence; and, most recently, opened Mott Haven Academy Charter School, the first school designed specifically to meet the needs of children in the child welfare system. The school's goal is to close the achievement gap between these children and those in the general population.

Proceeds from this year's partnership with The New York Foundling will help fund The Mott Haven Academy's Arts and Music Program, which will enable students to participate regularly in dance, music, visual arts and theater. The poverty and family instability challenging these children often precludes even the most basic exposure to the arts and to the cultural life of our City. The Arts and Music Program, when fully realized, will not only develop young scholars' skills and arts appreciation, but will also utilize the arts to engage students in core subject areas. Funds raised will support the purchase of theater, art and music equipment and supplies, as well as the artists-in-residence and instructors who will regularly engage our students in all aspects of the arts.