Nearly 50 New York City high school and college students successfully completed the NYC Summer Youth Employment Program hosted by The New Jewish Home on our Manhattan campus. The number marked an all-time high for participation in the program designed to engage career-oriented youth with paid internships each summer.

Sponsored by a host of city agencies and organizations, including the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development, NYC Ladders for Leaders, 1199SEIU’s WorkForce 2000 and CUNY Summer Corps, the summer internships provided hands-on experiences for students interested in pursuing health care careers. The students interacted directly with The New Jewish Home residents and staff while having the opportunity to learn about the industry and gain important experiences that will last a lifetime.

Activities ranged from office and clerical work to helping pharmacy and nursing staff. One group of students recategorized the library to make it easier to find books by subject. But the most popular work assignment, by far, was directing bingo nights for residents!

“We place the students according to their skill levels and interests, and they are exposed to situations where they are interacting directly with mentors who can teach them something valuable they can take with them,” explained Miriam Levi, Director of Person Directed Care Education, who supervises the program.

“The whole idea is to foster opportunities for these students moving forward – to let them know there are jobs they can do that are fulfilling and also give them a chance to make a difference in people’s lives. Our residents really get a lot out of it, too.”

The New Jewish Home has a proud legacy of empowering older adults to live with purpose and enhanced well-being. We’ve been around since 1848 as one of the nation’s first nursing homes, and now serving older New Yorkers of all backgrounds through a portfolio of health care services, including post-acute care and rehabilitation, skilled nursing, adult day care, assisted living, and at-home care.

See how we continue to elevate health care for older adults through our Research Institute on Aging and our SkillSpring program (formerly known as Geriatrics Career Development program), which empower teens and young adults to begin careers in health care.