NYC Partnership Brings Joy to Local Kids

Win Shelter Carnival at Inside Park Offers Enjoyment for NYC Children Experiencing Homelessness

For most kids, summer and holiday breaks from school can be an enjoyable time to unwind, marked by long days filled with free play, family time and their favorite activities. But for children experiencing homelessness, seasonal breaks can be difficult as school closures disrupt their daily routines. In addition, parents may experience challenges finding reliable childcare.

Win, the largest provider of homeless shelters and supportive housing in New York City, offers a summer camp program designed to combat the learning loss associated with shelter stays. Children in the program take field trips to fun destinations, such as the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Children’s Museum. The program culminates in the Camp Win Summer Carnival, a one-day event to celebrate the end of the summer season.

Win typically hosts the event in a local gymnasium or similar facility, but organizers wanted to try something different this year. They reached out to Megan Farmer, event coordinator for Inside Park, a Sodexo-owned restaurant located on the grounds of the historic St. Bartholomew’s Church. Farmer and her team were eager to get involved and help.

Inside Park’s 100-year-old building sits at the corner of Park Avenue and 50th Street, surrounded by notable landmarks in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. Its 4,000-square-foot terrace proved to be an excellent outdoor setting for a summer carnival with a variety of fun, kid-friendly activities, including slime making, face painting, bracelet making and sand art. A magician performed for the crowd, and a DJ added to the exciting atmosphere.

When it was time for a break, the children shuffled inside for lunch. Farmer had worked with her Sodexo colleagues, including Rashid Mamunur and Arleen Allendes, to reconfigure the dining room. Inside Park is usually set up as a traditional restaurant and bar, but for this event, they rearranged furniture to make the space more open for traffic flow, positioning it in a style reminiscent of a school cafeteria, so it would feel more familiar and welcoming for the children.

“It was a great experience for all of us here at Inside Park,” said Farmer. “We assisted throughout the event, but we probably had just as much fun as the kids. We are so excited that they decided to bring the camp here for the last outing of the season, and we're looking forward to supporting Win again in the future.”

Sodexo is committed to serving the local communities in which we operate, and an event like this aligns well with the mission and values of St. Bartholomew’s Church. Inside Park also regularly donates kitchen space to Crossroads, an organization affiliated with the church that provides food for those experiencing homelessness.

Sodexo is committed to creating a better day for everyone to build a better life for all. To learn more about how our teams support our local communities, read more stories under “Positive Impact.”