The local nonprofit “WIN” hosted a carnival on Monday afternoon in midtown Manhattan for children who are living in the city’s homeless shelters across the five boroughs.  

The carnival had everything from balloons to face painting and slime as part of Camp WIN, a summer program for children facing homelessness.  

WIN is the largest provider of shelter and supportive services to homeless families with children, housing around 2,500 to 2,700 kids per night. The camp is part of the nonprofit’s mission to ensure the children can enjoy their lives like kids no matter the circumstances.  

Around 600 kids in the program between the ages of 5 and 17 have spent their summer learning about science, history and exploring the city, checking out sites like the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Children’s Museum and Prospect Park Zoo.  

“What this carnival is hopefully about is creating a few hours where our children forget they are homeless,” said Christine Quinn, president and CEO of WIN. “Being homeless is a trauma, and if you don’t address that trauma when someone is a child, it will just fester and grow.” 

Camp events for these kids will continue until the start of the school year in September.