As I grew up, my Tita Karen supported my mom and I, and she was one of the few people to understand our situation. Tragically, we lost her to a brain aneurysm in 2013. It was during my teenage years that I began to understand the profound impact she had, not only on me but on countless individuals through her dedicated service as a child psychiatrist and through her global outreach. After studying medicine in the Philippines, her career was marked by notable achievements, including managing the child psychiatry inpatient unit at Bellevue Hospital, supporting the psychiatric hospital in Monrovia, and pioneering mental health services in Uganda. Later, she continued her mission at the Children's Aid Society and The Northside Center for Child Development, providing essential services to children in Harlem. I founded this organization in her memory, inspired by her commitment to support the mental health of myself and most importantly, disadvantaged children. It is in the spirit of her selflessness and passion that we hope to extend her memory in the Philippines, the place she called home.
Patrick Jennings
Founder/President