Washington Heights

March is National Social Work Month, and Children’s Aid is proud of our social work staff for their tireless efforts in the communities we serve. Every week in March, we will shine a light on one of our very own social workers, caseworkers, case planners, and family advocates, all of whom are fulfilling the organization’s mission to help children and their families succeed and thrive. This week we put the spotlight on Veronica Miller.

Veronica, a family advocate at P.S. 5, is working with families to ensure that they help their children develop. Her dedication to Children’s Aid stems from her own experience as a parent seeking the same resources and opportunities she provides her clients today.

“I know how it feels to be a parent," she said.  It’s not an easy task. I wanted to give to someone else what I felt I got from Children’s Aid."

Her drive to assist parents begins with the idea that if parents receive the tools they need, their children will succeed. In her words, “If the parents are okay, the children are okay.”

Her commitment to Children’s Aid began 17 years ago when she was a volunteer for a parent engagement group with P.S. 8. She then earned her degree in early childhood education and became a home-based teacher two weeks after she graduated. However, she later realized that her passion was in helping Washington Heights families receive the professional, medical, and educational resources they needed to thrive.

“I said, ‘We need to do something to help these people.’”

In 2007, she took on the role she holds today. A true testament to her work is the fact that she has attracted a number of people to join the Children’s Aid Society. In total, seven parents have become family advocates or teachers in Washington Heights.

“Children’s Aid is close to my heart because it did a lot for me,” Veronica said. “We all go through what we go through. Why not share it?”