Many thanks to the GenNx Foundation, the Horace Mann School, the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Ponce Bank, and so many individuals like you who made the holiday possible for LSA families.

The post The 2020 Turkey Drive appeared first on LSA Family Health Service.

Sr. Lachapelle, a community health nurse at LSA, reflected on what a day at the agency looks like.  Now more than ever, the need for caring in our community has become apparent.  We thank Sr. Susanne, and all of our nurses and staff on the front lines during this crisis.

As I was getting off the elevator, going to get some supplies for the nursing program, the door opened and Kathy, the receptionist, called out in a loud voice: “I need some help here, we have an emergency! I just opened the door and this man came into the Center crying ‘Help me, my hands and feet are frozen, and so is my face.’ ”

He was soaking wet — the last two days we had been having continuous rain — so we put a chair in the bathroom and started to help him take off his clothing, which was dripping all over the place. He was shivering and very shaky, unable to maintain his balance when he tried to stand. As we peeled off his clothing, we could see his ribs.

We asked him when he ate last, but he couldn’t say. Bob was his name; he was from the Midwest and had been in New York City “for a while.” He was about 6-feet, 2-inches tall, with a crew cut; he had a hospital I.D. on his wrist and revealed that he had been discharged a few days ago. Another staff nurse came to help and discovered that he had a well-bandaged lower left leg which he said he injured “on the street.”

He had moderate to severe pain in his hands and feet, and the color stayed a dusky red. He had been living on the street. Meanwhile, Kathy was busy running back and forth to the Sharing Place (our thrift store) until she found him underwear, a warm flannel shirt, warm pants, socks, shoes, a sweater, a full-length lined coat, and warm gloves.

He calmed down a bit, but kept saying he asked for help on the street and the people told him to go to the Little Sisters of the Assumption Family Health Service, our center in East Harlem. He really didn’t know where he was, as this neighborhood wasn’t familiar to him. We feared some frostbite and kept asking him if we could call for an ambulance. But he became very agitated with even the suggestion of calling for help. He finally closed down that suggestion with, “If you must know, I have a warrant for my arrest that will put me in jail for 14 days. Please don’t call, I don’t want to go back to prison.”

Then he shared that he was an ex-Marine who had served in Afghanistan for four years. We asked him if we could call the Veterans Affairs (formerly Veterans Administration; VA) and see what they could do for him, and he consented. After some searching, Rosa, one of our workers, found a counselor at the VA who spoke to him for a long time, verified his identity and other details, and offered some help but no place to stay immediately.

In the meantime, we asked if we could give him some food, and he said yes; he couldn’t remember when he last ate. Just before that, a delivery of hot food left over from a school party in the neighborhood was dropped off for us to give out. I am sure he thought he must be near heaven when he saw a heaped plate of very good, hot food brought to him. He ate it like a true Marine! And we were so grateful to have it to give away!

After he ate, he decided to leave and we begged him to go to the shelter at Bellevue Hospital where they wouldn’t turn him away, and ask for a doctor to check his extremities which were still discolored. We gave him our contact information and he had the telephone number and other information of the VA counselor. He had a metro card and we also gave him a cane, as he remained very unsteady on his feet.

When I saw the condition he was in and heard some of his history, I was overcome with gratitude that we could take part in helping him. He bears the wounds of having fought for freedom. This experience confirms my conviction that war is never the solution to problems. I was also so grateful to our donors for the variety of items we receive from many sources — donors who may never know or experience what it means to meet human needs, and yet they are faithful in their giving.

The door barely closed before a mother came in asking for infant formula for her baby. She had missed her Women, Infants and Children (WIC) appointment because another child in the home was ill, and now she couldn’t collect the WIC voucher until a certain amount of time elapsed. What could she do? We were able to provide her with some formula that had recently been donated to the center. She breathed a sigh of relief.

Then it was time to join the neighborhood in a gathering of prayer on the corner of 116th Street and First Avenue to support the family whose 3-year-old son had been killed at the intersection a few days before. This child and his parents had participated in our parent/child development program for three years, and they are like family to us. There wasn’t a dry eye in the large group that prayed with them. We also petitioned the police and political representatives present for a change in the safety rules, to prevent this type of accident from occurring again.

That same evening, we participated in a Scripture reflection at St. Monica’s Church. Some verses of Psalm 146 was part of the preparation for the Third Sunday of Advent. When I listened to the words of the chosen verses, I let myself fall into them with relief, taking the experiences of that day and looking for some understanding of the previous hours. I found a clouded hope for each of those situations and felt much gratitude for the presence of God in our shared life.

In the span of a few hours all our lives were transformed. That Advent day carries me well beyond the Christmas season into the part of the liturgical season called “Ordinary Time” where we find Jesus healing the sick, feeding the hungry and comforting the heart broken — very much like these privileged encounters of caring for our frost-bitten veteran, the mother needing formula and the heartbroken family who lost their young child. Ordinary and Extraordinary!

[Susanne Lachapelle belongs to the Little Sisters of the Assumption, an international congregation present in 21 countries worldwide. A community health nurse, she is a staff member of the visiting nurses’ program. She has ministered in her congregation’s Family Health Center in East Harlem, New York, for 44 years.]

The post Ordinary becomes extraordinary! appeared first on LSA Family Health Service.

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing this note to explain why we are contributing money. My wife and I are the parents of 8 children. Even after our children were on their own and left the home, we had the practice where each family member picked the name of another member and bought them a Christmas gift. We finally realized that many times we didn’t need a gift and that others were more in need at this time. We started the practice of having one family selecting a charity in their neighborhood and that all others would make a contribution. This year one of our daughters who live in NYC has selected your organization for our annual family donation. 

Enclosed is our contribution. May God bless all of you.

*Edited for anonymity

Though this generous family wishes to be anonymous, we are grateful to them for making LSA the beneficiary of this year’s thoughtfulness and support.

If you would like to help East Harlem families this holiday, please donate here.

The post A Giving Tradition from one family to benefit LSA’s families appeared first on LSA Family Health Service.

Today, we take a look back at Prioska’s story published originally on the LSA blog in December 2015.

The post Flashback Friday – A DREAMer Gives Back appeared first on LSA Family Health Service.

My name is Kafayat Ibiyeye and I am from Nigeria.  I came into the country in 2015, with my husband and two children.  I gave birth to my little Princess on March 31^st, 2016.  That is when I came across the Little Sisters of the Assumption.  I was referred to them from Harlem Hospital after delivery, because of problems with my hips and other health risks.

Two weeks after the birth of my daughter, a nurse from Little Sisters named Brigida paid us a visit. She came at the perfect time.  My husband and I were new to this country and neither of us had jobs.  I was very scared.  I had no one to talk to apart from my husband, and no one to give us the right information about what to do.

Brigida came into our family to take care of me and our baby.   But she found other ways to help us, and she never left any stone unturned.  We had no food, clothing or baby supplies with us, but she provided it to us through the organization.  She was always there for us, listening to us, talking to us through our biggest fears.  She helped me feel “we can do it.” 

When my daughter was about a year old I learned that I would need to have a double hip replacement.  When I heard this, I was very scared and nervous because I had never had such a major surgery before.  Brigida stood by me, motivated me, told me stories of people who have had successful surgeries.  She also got books for me, referred me to YouTube to watch videos of transplant surgeries, and helped me feel more comfortable with the procedure.

With the glory of God the surgery was successful.

This organization has been a blessing to our family through Brigida.  She even referred us to a job site where my husband found a job.   Thank you.  Thank you so much to the Little Sisters.  Thank you also to Brigida.  We will never forget the day we met you. 

Photo above: Brigida (l) and Kafayat (r)

The post Kafayat’s Story appeared first on LSA Family Health Service.

This video, originally aired at the Spirit of East Harlem gala on May 8, 2018, shares who we are and what we do from the perspective of staff, volunteers, and the families we serve. It reflects the spirit of mutuality—that in lifting others, we are all lifted—that is at the heart of our work and that of our founders.

Join us in building community and creating opportunities for children and families to thrive!

[fruitful_btn link=https://littlesistersfamily.org/donate]Donate today[/fruitful_btn]

Video production by honto88.

The post Video: Celebrating 60 Years appeared first on LSA Family Health Service.

In East Harlem, health conditions due to poor housing are all too common. The rates of emergency room visits related to childhood asthma are disproportionately higher in East Harlem compared to other communities.

To help families breathe easier, Community Health Workers from LSA  work closely with families to improve the conditions of their homes and advocate with landlords to make needed repairs.

“LSA has been focused on the asthma issue for over a decade,” explained our Program Director, Ray Lopez in a 2015 Dateline NBC special on asthma called Breathless. “We’ve been working hands-on with families at home to eliminate mold, pests and toxins so they can breathe again.”

Rosario, one of LSA’s skilled Community Health Workers, made regular visits with Yazmin to improve the air quality in her apartment.  LSA provided the family with a new bed, play pen and storage bins. The family was also loaned a HEPA vacuum cleaner and provided integrated pest management, including vacuuming, cleaning, and sealing cracks and holes.

Today, the environmental asthma triggers are under control, the health of the children has improved and Yazmin and her family have a new, more positive outlook for the future.

“The situation was very sad when I met her, but now to see the smile on her face is all I need,” Rosario said.

“We’re very happy,” Yazmin said, describing how her son’s asthma has improved.  “He used to have a lot of problems, a lot of allergies.  Little Sisters really helped to improve our quality of life and the quality of life of our children.”

A 2017 report published by the New York Academy of Medicine described the impact of our program in reducing childhood asthma symptoms. Learn more.

LSA relies on the support of individuals to continue to providing services like this to families facing challenges to their health and well-being.

Help us make a difference and make a donation today.

The post Breathing Easier appeared first on LSA Family Health Service.

Cristian shared his moving story with guests at the 2017 Spirit of East Harlem gala.  Below is the speech he shared.

When I arrived in this country, I lived in Queens with my wife and our four children.  Unfortunately, my wife suffers from mental health problems. She began to abuse me verbally and physically and even threatened me.  I was very afraid and left home with my children.

For 8 very difficult days we lived in a shelter in the Bronx.  Then we moved into a family shelter.  They gave us emergency food and other help, but in a few days the food they gave us ran out, my children were hungry, and I didn’t have work or money for food. 

I spent hours thinking, crying.  One day I found a paper with information about Little Sisters of the Assumption pantry.  When I walked through the doors, they greeted me warmly.  They made me an appointment and gave me an emergency bag of food to feed my family.   I do not know if you know what that represents for a person who comes to your doors looking help.  I returned to the shelter with new inspiration. On my next visit to Little Sisters, they made an appointment for me to meet with an immigration lawyer. They invited me to support groups and even gave me vouchers to buy clothes. At that moment, I felt that a great weight was lifted from me. I felt that my problems and my situation were not mine alone, that someone wanted to help me. Little Sisters helped me in so many ways, they even gave me a turkey so that I could cook my first Thanksgiving dinner for my children. 

Soon I started volunteering at Little Sisters.  I came to understand that the purpose of life is to serve, love and help others.  I was assigned to volunteer only a few hours a week, but I felt so good about myself, that I came back every day.  Eventually, I was hired and made part of this wonderful family.

Today, with much pride and on behalf of my children, I want to say THANK YOU LITTLE SISTERS FAMILY HEALTH SERVICE.  My family and I will always be grateful.

To support our health, education and family support programs, make a tax-deductible donation today.  Your contribution will make an immediate difference for families in our programs.

[fruitful_btn]Donate Now[/fruitful_btn]

The post Cristian’s Story appeared first on LSA Family Health Service.

The post Video: Spirit of East Harlem 2017 appeared first on LSA Family Health Service.

Two mothers shared how LSA helped them through crisis to create a brighter future for their families.

This video was created thanks to the support of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York.

The post Video: Making a difference in East Harlem appeared first on LSA Family Health Service.