Herman C. Bagley, Life-Long Ambassador for The Children's Aid Society, to Retire

June 6, 2005

Contact:
Ellen Lubell, 212-949-4938
Emily Crossan, 917-286-1548

50-Year Agency Veteran is Longest-Serving Current Employee

NEW YORK – June 2005 – Herman C. Bagley, Assistant Executive Director for Community Affairs for The Children’s Aid Society, will retire this month after 50 years of dedication and service to Children’s Aid (CAS) and the children of New York City.

Bagley began his career at CAS in 1955 as a junior counselor at the agency’s Camp Wallkill, after attending as a camper for ten years. As a child in Harlem, he begged his mother to allow him to get involved with Children’s Aid and its activities. He didn’t realize it would become a lifelong association. After working in various capacities throughout the agency including program director, youth worker and counselor and receiving his Master’s Degree in Social Work from Adelphi University School of Social Work, Bagley became, in 1970, the Assistant Director of the Dunlevy Milbank Center in Harlem and Director of Drug Prevention Programs.

From 1973 to 1986 Bagley was the Director of the Frederick Douglass Center, a CAS multi-services center located within a New York City housing development. Between 1986 and 2001, he served successive positions as Assistant Director, Associate Director and Director of the agency’s City and Country branches. In 2001 he was promoted to his current position, which allowed him to leverage his compassion and expertise, as well as his innate ability to tell the stories of historically overlooked and misunderstood youth, to inform and educate New York City policymakers.

After a long and exceptional relationship with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, of which CAS is a founding member, Bagley received its Fifty Years of Distinguished Service Award this year. He has also been recognized by other organizations, including the Tray Whitfield Foundation Community Service Award, Herman Prescott Northeast Region Award, The Concerned Women of Brooklyn Inc. Award for Promoting the Dignity and Wellbeing of NYC Children and The Children’s Aid Society Board of Trustees Award for Exceptional Professional Services to Homeless Children and Families.

Philip Coltoff, CEO of Children’s Aid, said of his long-time colleague and friend, “From teenagers at our centers in Harlem to city assemblymen, everyone knows, respects and loves Herman Bagley, and for good reason. His life has fully been dedicated to advancing the lives of others. Children’s Aid will miss him greatly.”

Bagley recounted advice he received when he was considering dedicating his life to child welfare, “ ‘If you can help to make just one life better, you’ve accomplished something.’ I feel good knowing that I’ve done that and more for many children and families with The Children’s Aid Society.”

The Children’s Aid Society was founded in 1853. It is one of the nation’s largest and most innovative non-sectarian agencies, serving over 150,000 of New York’s neediest children and their families with a network of services that include community schools, neighborhood centers, camps, adoption and foster care services, teen pregnancy prevention, education, health and recreation. For more information about The Children’s Aid Society, visit our website, www.childrensaidsociety.org.