New York Cares harnesses arts-focused Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programming to help disadvantaged New York City youth understand emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel empathy for others, and establish and maintain positive relationships. New York Cares virtual programming empowers volunteers to assist with various arts activities cultivating creative thinking and problem solving for New York City youth. In what has been an incredibly challenging time, SEL and New York Cares’ arts-focused programming is critical for our city’s children to cope effectively.