ON A MISSION

Driving to deliver the urgent, requested needs of housing-insecure NYC public school children and their families who are identified to us by public school and social welfare professionals.

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Services

The mission of the Sled is to assist low-income NYC Public School students and their families. Nearly 90% of the students we assist are homeless or temporarily housed, living in shelters or other doubled or tripled up with other extended family in temporary housing.

We deliver individualized assistance to children and families who are identified to us through school professionals. The Service Sled coordinates with school officials throughout the year while our Sugarplum Sled launches in time for Thanksgiving and ends with the New Year. Learn more about our drives or find out about established city services for those with needs beyond our mission.

If you know of a family in need who meets the criteria mentioned above, please encourage them to reach out to their children's school professionals about their needs. We hope to help as many students and their families as feasible.

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The Sled's First Ride

The Sled got its start on November 19, 2019 when The New York Times featured a story on the day-in-the-life of two of New York City's 114,085 homeless students , Sandival and Darnell, who attend PS 188 on Manhattan's Lower East Side and PS 76 in East Harlem. That very day, an annual holiday drive for PS 188 (that was inspired by this story) was canceled. Fearing the children's wishes would go unfulfilled, a few fearless friends took action, and ultimately fulfilled over 1000 wishes while raising $55,000 in a three-week effort that has expanded over five years. These Sled Drivers made new tracks, delivering essential, emergency relief to children and families experiencing crises through the coronavirus pandemic and every season since. Still, each holiday, they - and their Sugarplum Sled Fairy Force - sprinkle ever more of the wish-making magic that started it all.

Read about it on CNN

About Us Anchor

The Sled Drivers

Your group are like magic fairies.
You are saving people's lives. I swear, you are the best thing about what I do.

Manager, Office of Community Schools

Read more said about the Sled

Co-Founder

Erica Hill

Erica is a documentary filmmaker and private small-business owner with experience in the not-for-profit sector. Erica personally worked with and organized donations to PS 188 for three years before the start of the Sled. She has two daughters who attended New York City public schools.

Co Founder

Rana Strazza

A writer/director of a developmental theater, Rana produced large scale and theatrical events for over a decade. She was a Trustee of a non-profit expanding opportunities in housing, health, and human rights and her two daughters graduated from NYC public schools..

Co-Founder

Lisa Gottheil

Lisa has worked in the music business for 30 years and is part-owner of a PR firm in that industry. She is on the board of a non-profit that works to fund education for nurses working on bone marrow transplant units. She has worked with PS 188 for four years and has two children who attend NYC public schools.

Co-Founder

Katie Sperling

Katie is a former adjunct assistant professor at Columbia and has held positions as PTA president, Treasurer and Fundraiser at three public schools. She served on a Joint Task Force for Gifted and Talented Education chaired by Borough Presidents Diaz and Adams. She has two graduates of NYC public-school education.