Fragments of Hope is a youth-centered organization in the Bronx dedicated to supporting children and teens ages 7–18 who are carrying the silent weight of parental incarceration. Our work is rooted in lived experience, trauma-informed practice, and the belief that healing becomes possible when young people feel seen, anchored, and supported by a consistent community that understands their reality.
Across the Bronx, thousands of youth are forced into premature adulthood, navigating instability, school disruption, emotional distress, and the breakdown of family structure long before their time. These young people are often overlooked by systems until a crisis appears. Fragments of Hope intervenes earlier, filling the gaps with mentorship, mental health support, creative expression, and family stabilization.
At the center of our mission is The Fragment Studio, a healing-through-art model that transforms trauma into expression through mixed media, journaling, collage, photography, and spoken word. Alongside it, our Mentorship Circles pair youth with trained mentors from their own communities who mirror their lived experience and offer grounding, guidance, and emotional regulation tools. Our Family Support Program works with caregivers navigating the secondary effects of incarceration, ACS cases, housing instability, school challenges, re-entry transitions, and chronic stress. Our interdisciplinary team includes LCSWs, LMHCs, Creative Arts Therapists, psychologists, case managers, youth mentors, teaching artists, and wellness instructors. Every program is intentionally designed to be culturally responsive, trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate, and accessible.
Impact happens one anchored child, one stabilized
family, one rewritten story at a time.
As we launch our first program year, we seek visionary partners who believe in the Bronx, believe in prevention, and believe that a child’s potential should not be determined by the choices or circumstances of their parent. Together, we can build a future where no young person becomes a statistic, where every fragment becomes the start of something whole.
Founder & Executive Director: Desteny Peña