NEW YORK KNICKS AND GARDEN OF DREAMS HOST ANNUAL “DAY OF CHEER:” DECEMBER 2022
Friday, December 2nd was a day to remember for not just one, but three very joyful reasons.
That day marked the annual Garden of Dreams and New York Knicks "Day of Cheer," which saw three simultaneous events spread plenty of smiles.
First, over at Maria Fareri Children's Hospital, young patients received a surprise gift delivery - not from Santa, but from current Knicks player Ryan Arcidiacono! It was the perfect way to spread some cheer and kick off the day.
Nearby, at fellow Garden of Dreams partner Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley, young person Joe showed up... Read More
A PAW-FECT DAY WITH KNICKS PLAYER JALEN BRUNSON AND AYANA
On December 6th, 2022, we took the only next step we could think of to bring even more smiles to a Garden of Dreams event - we added puppies to the mix!
While this special day was full of holiday joy, this story actually starts back in July, when the New York Knicks hosted an introductory press conference for summer signee Jalen Brunson. Garden of Dreams invited 20 young people from partner SCO Family of Services to help give Jalen a proper New York City welcome, and one of those young people, Ayana, even got to ask Jalen a question during... Read More
TWO FAMILIES, ONE LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE
When Garden of Dreams young person Fiona arrived at Jr. Knicks basketball camp this summer, she wasn't sure what to expect. Without much previous basketball experience, she was excited to try something new, but she did not quite know how it would affect the use of her prosthetic left leg.
By the end of camp, not only had Fiona enjoyed a fun-filled week, but she had won the Dave DeBusschere award for leadership on and off the court. Even more importantly, she joined the larger Garden of Dreams family, which is a community that surrounds you for a lifetime.
Knicks and Garden of Dreams Kick Off Thanksgiving At Children’s Village
On Wednesday, November 23rd - the day before Thanksgiving 2022 - a very special holiday feast took place.
At Garden of Dreams partner site Children's Village, hundreds of excited young people lined up for their own Thanksgiving dinner specially delivered by Garden of Dreams and the New York Knicks, and personally handed to them by two current players.
In total, 250 meals from local business Pik Nik BBQ made their way to the youth at Children's Village, many of whom do not have a home outside of that campus where they spend the holidays.
For... Read More
New York Knicks and Garden of Dreams Serve Up Holiday Cheer at the Annual Holiday Dinner 2022
On November 10th, 2022, the holidays came early for over 200 youth and families from Garden of Dreams partner, Department of Homeless Services.
These families arrived at TAO Downtown for the ultimate night out, enjoying a 360 photobooth, facepainting, family games, and of course, delicious hot meals served up by current Knicks players, alumni, and team staff!
But that's not all - special guest Jack Ryan was on hand to pull off some basketball-themed tricks and entertainment, and MSG's own Monica McNutt was the evening's emcee. Towards the end of the meal, she introduced special musical guest Miles,... Read More
GARDEN OF DREAMS AND NEW YORK RANGERS HOST ANNUAL HOLIDAY DINNER AT LAVO
On Friday, November 4th, 200 of our young people and families from Garden of Dreams partner, Department of Homeless Services joined us for a special Thanksgiving event to kick off the holiday season at LAVO.
Our young people and families enjoyed a variety of hot meals served by current Rangers players Jacob Trouba, Samuel Blais, and Zac Jones, and world-famous female boxer Amanda Serrano grabbed a serving spoon and joined the line as well!
Jacob Trouba, our New York Rangers captain, encouraged the little ones to eat more greens and veggies while serving from the green... Read More
Garden of Dreams Youth Tip-Off New York Knicks Season with Event at Rucker Park
On Saturday, October 8th, over 150 Garden of Dreams young people and family attended the Knicks Season Launch Event at Rucker Park.
80 young people from partners Children's Aid, Children's Village, New York Edge and Police Athletic League kicked off the day when they participated in a Jr. Knicks basketball clinic. Following that, our young people had many activities to enjoy throughout the day. These activations included face paint, photo opportunities, 360 selfie videos, and play time on the court.
The close of the festivities was a celebrity game, after which the actor Leon Robinson reenacted... Read More
MEET VANESSA: THE 2022 TALENT SHOW PERFORMER WITH AN INSPIRING PAST AND A BRIGHT FUTURE
Vanessa performed in the 2022 Talent Show after battling a rare cancer that affected, among other things, the mobility of her leg, requiring her to use a wheelchair at one point in her journey.
“Getting to perform on such an iconic stage in front of so many people meant so much more to me than just getting to sing,” says Vanessa. “For me, getting to be on that stage was a testament to all of the challenges I had faced in my life, and it was proof that I was able to come out as a better and stronger person because of it.”
Garden of Dreams Week: December 2022
From December 14th to December 21st, we celebrated Garden of Dreams Week 2022!
While the Garden of Dreams Foundation works year-round to bring life-changing opportunities to young people in need, our Garden of Dreams Week is a very special time for us to raise awareness of our work, while bringing joy to our young people and their families as part of our Season of Giving. Here are some highlights:
We kicked off Garden of Dreams Week on Wednesday, December 14th, when members of the Garden of Dreams team headed up to our partner organization WHEDco's site to help... Read More
Garden of Dreams families go behind the scenes at Knicks Open Practice
On Sunday, October 9th, Garden of Dreams youth and families gathered at Columbia University for an event usually reserved for coaches and players - a Knicks team practice.
However, this one was no ordinary practice! At the "Open Practice" event, 20 Garden of Dreams young people who represent our most enthusiastic Knicks fans sat front and center in the courtside "Dream Row," and attended a special meet-and-greet with the players after practice. One Garden of Dreams young person even participated in the "Kids Dunk Contest" to raucous applause from the crowd!
Overall, this event is one our young... Read More
Child Spotlight
Since 2006, Garden of Dreams has impacted the lives of more than 400,000 young people and families in need. Read about some of the amazing young people who have become part of our Garden of Dreams family.
The Garden of Dreams Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.