Mary Theresa McCombe
By Dan Murphy
Hearts to Homes, an innovative charity supporting young people aging out of foster care across New York City, Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Nassau, and Suffolk Counties, announced that it has achieved the joint milestone of more than 1,000 young people helped and its first decade of service.
Hearts to Homes provides young adults (typically 18-21) moving out of foster care into their first independent homes with new furnishings, apparel, gift cards, and other key home goods. These vital offerings help to make their transition into independent living easier and more stable, with a stronger foundation for success.
Since its origins in 2016, Hearts to Homes has contributed nearly $2 million in furnishings to its more than 1,000 alums – empowering them to make home a place they can truly call their own.
Hearts to Homes was founded in 2016 by Yonkers resident Mary Theresa McCombe, who recognized that young people transitioning from foster care to independent living often lacked basic needs, including bedding, kitchenware, and bathroom supplies. Hearts to Homes first provides young people with wish lists, enabling them to select from options their choices of furnishings and other home goods, which the organization then supplies. Hearts to Homes also supports young people aging out of foster care caring for children of their own, with key furnishings and supplies for young children.
“Young people aging out of foster care often have the deck stacked against them, with unforeseen financial expenses as they begin to build their new lives,” said Mary Theresa McCombe, co-founder and outgoing Executive Director of Hearts to Homes. “Home goods like beds, chairs, tables, and cooking supplies aren’t optional; they’re absolutely fundamental to well-being. Hearts to Homes is so proud to have supported more than 1,000 people to date, and we are so excited for the organization’s future and continued growth.
Led and operated in its first ten years by McCombe with the assistance of volunteers, Hearts to Homes welcomed Anthony Sabia this January as the organization’s new Executive Director. Sabia brings broad experience in New York social services, including leadership and programmatic roles at The Bridge Fund of New York, Covenant House New York, and Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Brooklyn.
“I am honored to have joined Hearts to Homes in the organization’s tenth-anniversary year,” said Anthony Sabia, Executive Director of Hearts to Homes. “Throughout my career, I have seen just how many obstacles there are for young adults aging out of foster care and bravely starting their new lives. The resources Hearts to Homes provides to lift up these young people are so critical to their thriving and happiness. As we celebrate more than 1,000 young people helped, we also look to expand on the supports Hearts to Homes can offer in the coming years.”
According to one Hearts to Homes alum, “What makes Hearts to Homes special is how personal and thoughtful their support is. They don’t just provide furniture or items—they listen to your situation, understand what you actually need, and help make your space feel like home. Their approach isn’t one-size-fits-all, and you can feel that they genuinely care about your comfort and well-being, not just checking a box.”
Another young person shared, “Hearts to Homes gives young people who are already struggling with embarking into ‘adulthood’ the breathing room to establish what they want their home to look or feel like without all the stress of affordability.”
Hearts to Homes works with partner agencies across New York for referrals to young people in need of the organization’s assistance. Hearts to Homes gratefully acknowledges the many volunteers, partners, and donors that make its work possible. The organization acknowledged Mary Theresa and John McCombe for their decade of service at its 10th-anniversary Open Hearts dinner in Manhattan on April 30.
Visit heartstohomes.org for more information.
