Today, The Children’s Storefront is pleased to announce the launch of our Ambassador Program and introduce you to our inaugural cohort of Ambassadors!
Our 2025 Storefront Ambassadors are parents, participants in our Play & Learn Program, and community leaders. Each has volunteered to support the Storefront by joining our Ambassador Program, a year-long engagement that will offer significant support to our organization. Ambassadors help to spread the word about The Children’s Storefront and will represent us over the course of 2025 at community gatherings, fundraising events, meetings at the Play & Learn Center, and online through digital engagement.
Say hello to our 2025 Storefront Ambassadors: Julie Hoppy, Ting Abric-Sun, Jamie Willingham, Nicole Chee, Christina Grell, and Shannen Miller Murray!
- Julie Hoppy: Julie is a happily married wife and stay-at-home Mother to her 19 month old daughter, Shea. Before becoming a mother she taught middle school and nannied in New York City. She has called NYC home for 13 years and been a resident of Harlem for 4 years. Julie grew up in Maryland and attended the University of Maryland School of Family Studies. Thanks to the Storefront, Julie and Shea have met so many new friends in the community!
- Ting Abric-Sun: Ting is a NYC mom of two, balancing parenting and work with her husband. Ting and her family believe in the power of education and community to shape bright futures, which is why she is passionate about supporting organizations like Children’s Storefront. Ting is thrilled to be an ambassador and help every child thrive!
- Jamie Willingham: Jamie is a Bronx native now residing in Harlem whose family and cultural roots are from the beautiful island of Jamaica! Jamie attended Florida A&M University and has been practicing as a RN for 10 years serving critical patients within the ICU. Jamie believes that community support is one of the most essential and fundamental aspects for cultivating strong cultural and family values; she appreciates that The Children’s Storefront has provided so many people with an opportunity to come together and feel supported at one of the most vulnerable times in their lives.
- Nicole Chee: Nicole is an Art Director and mom of three wonderful children, whose youngest has enjoyed experiencing The Children’s Storefront and its community. She loves to spend time outdoors at the park or playground or in nature as a family. Seeing how much her son has grown has been one the highlights of The Children’s Storefront, and watching him getting to know and interact with children that are the same age has been a great asset.
- Christina Grell: Christina is a native New Yorker, first-time mom, and marketing professional passionate about community, education, and financial literacy. She believes in the power of strong support systems for families, and is honored to serve as a Storefront Ambassador. Christina loves that TCS has given her family a true sense of community—it’s a space where parents and caregivers can connect, share experiences, and support one another in this incredible journey of raising children. She is so grateful to be part of this village!
- Shannen Miller Murray: Shannen is originally from Dallas, TX and moved to Harlem in 2022. She received her Bachelor’s & Master of Education at Texas A&M University. She currently teaches Pilates and Barre at Harlem Pilates and Life Time Dumbo. As a new mom, Shannen has enjoyed becoming a part of the Harlem community and meeting a diversity of families!
Since first planning the launch of our Play & Learn Center in 2022, The Children’s Storefront has held community members’ voices close to heart every step of the way. We gathered feedback through individual conversations, focus groups, surveys, and more so that we could create a program that was truly responsive to what families wanted and needed. That commitment has continued as we’ve grown our program, and we regularly collaborate with parents and caregivers to adjust our schedule and define new program elements. These efforts have resulted in a strong, caring community of families and our Storefront team members, who invest in each other, celebrate each other’s milestones, and offer support whenever needed. So, we were not surprised when this beautiful community answered our call for the Ambassador Program!
Parents and caregivers who have participated in our program know it best. We are so grateful that the 2025 Storefront Ambassadors will be sharing their stories and experiences and introducing new individuals to The Children’s Storefront.
For more information or to connect with any of our Ambassadors, please reach out to [email protected].
