Volunteering has been a life-long mission for Tom. In college, he was an active member of the Appalachian Project volunteering across the country and state. For his last two years of college, Tom and a group of volunteers worked on 103rd and 3rd, in the heart of East Harlem.

“I have a soft spot for East Harlem from my college experience,” said Tom. “After that, I went on to raise a family and have a career, so the amount of volunteer work I did for a good long stretch of time was kind of limited.”

Being out of the ‘volunteer-force’ for those years didn’t stop Tom from jumping right back in once the time was right. About 10 years ago, he started assisting families with tax returns around the city, and two years ago, upon his retirement, chose to commit a large share of his time giving back.

“I said, ‘I really need to do more’” said Tom. “[My wife and I] made the decision to spend our time giving back…and that’s really what this world needs today.”

And that’s just what he’s done. For the past two years, Tom has been an ever-present face in the LSA Food Pantry.

“It’s a family – the LSA family,” said Tom. “You see the same people on a regular basis…there’s a certain bond with the people you see each week, and there’s a certain continuity that I think the clients appreciate.”

It’s more than just the clients who are grateful to Tom. The whole LSA family is grateful for his dedication and commitment to the agency. Thank you, Tom!

Without our volunteers, LSA wouldn’t be able to do the good work that the community needs.  As Tom also notes, many of our Food Pantry volunteers also give time in other areas – such as the afterschool program, as well.  If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact Trish Gough at tgough@lsafhs.org.

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Thank you for your many years of service, Jean.   We will miss you greatly.

– Your family at LSA

Jean Finlayson, my dear friend, died July 13.

First, I want to apologize to Jean. I am absolutely certain she would hate it if she knew I or anyone was writing a tribute to her. It was precisely this kind of attention to herself that she disliked. That was quintessentially the Jean who I knew for over 30 years. Although she was by no means reserved and certainly not quiet, she was uncomfortable in the spotlight. So, sorry, Jean, but I have to do this. And I want to do this because more people should know about you, and have at least some idea what your life meant — to which Jean might have said with that mocking smile she had: “‘Meant’? What is meant supposed to mean?” I’ll tell you.

Jean was kind, decent, humble, smart, funny, curious and courageous. She was unfailingly cheerful and positive, but could be sarcastic too and even a bit of a smart aleck. She could zing you with a quip — but never nastily. And she felt strongly but quietly about helping people. She is how I became an LSA homework help volunteer. One day, a few years ago, I ran into her on the street and asked where she was going. She told me about homework help and I eventually joined too as a volunteer. I would come Thursdays when I could. Jean came both days — Tuesday and Thursday with rare exceptions. To her, it wasn’t just volunteering. It was a commitment. For Jean, if she was in, she was all the way in.

Jean loved children.  I sometimes watched them at LSA when she was with them. They gravitated to her, I think drawn by her warmth and goofy humor and gentleness.  Kids know. They also liked that she would bring stickers which she bought herself and would distribute after homework help. And so that is how I choose to see her now: seated at the round table, the children mobbed around her to get stickers. She patiently handed them out, with words for each eager recipient. This is what she chose to do in her retirement, even as she must have known she was living on borrowed time. Her health had been precarious for many years — though she rarely spoke of it — and she probably knew her time was limited. Helping children was one of the ways she wanted to use that time.

When her sister told me Jean had died, I was shaken, sad but something more unsettling.  I felt dispirited. I felt like the world has been robbed of a special person. I missed her immediately and deeply. All day I played images of her in my mind. 33 years ago, chatting in her office at ABC. Her telling me one day how she left her air conditioner on all day when she wasn’t there, so her cat would be comfortable. Running with her to catch the 116th Street crosstown bus. I remembered her stories about her travels around the world, about her family, an article she read, or something happening in the news — especially things that outraged her. I recalled again and again the fervor of her absolute belief in what’s right and what’s wrong. Lying, cheating, stealing, dishonesty, rudeness, arrogance, hypocrisy, racism,  hatred were wrong. Jean’s moral code had no tolerance for transgressors.

And I thought a lot about her smile  — open, genuine, inviting. I especially liked the bashful one she would flash then duck her head, look away and then look up again to make sure you were sharing the fun she was having. Yes, Jean, we were.

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April 3, 2019—Volunteers gathered for a brief talk about the state of our after school and summer enrichment program, how it has evolved and plans for the future. Laurie Dien, Vice President of Programs, Pinkerton Foundation, joined us as a featured speaker. Guests also heard from Martha Andrade-Dousdebes, founder and long-time director of the program and Wendy Mirón, current director of the Parenting and Child Development department, of which the after school program is a part.

The event kicked off a campaign to raise funds for the program, which serves children in grades K-3. The goal of the campaign is to raise $50,000 to keep the program running for the 2019-2020 school year.

Laurie Dien spoke about the long relationship that LSA has had with the Pinkerton Foundation, and how much she has learned from the way we help families build on their assets and strengths. She stated: “We’ve had a long and a happy affiliation with LSA. I’ve watched the progression of LSA over time and I see it progressing. I see it on a high.”

Stephanie Cooper-Clarke, a tutor and member of the LSA’s Board of Directors, shared a story that illustrated the way the one-on-one interactions with a tutor and the family supports offered at LSA can help a child in a way that schools often can’t. “We go a step further,” she stated.

Martha Andrade-Dousdebes agreed: “The beauty of ‘family health service’ is that it’s not only the teachers or the director but the whole staff of Little Sisters that works together.”

The comprehensive After School and Summer Enrichment Program at LSA Family Health Service offers high quality educational services to children in East Harlem. Our program inspires children in grades K-3 to improve reading and math skills, with socio-emotional learning goals and parent involvement integrated throughout the program.

Donate today to sponsor a child in our program! 

Your gift will help us meet a challenge grant to fully fund our after school and summer enrichment program.

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Photo above: Laurie Dien, Vice President, Programs, Pinkerton Foundation

More photos from the event:

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High school students volunteer with our programs in various ways, earning community service credit and giving back to the NYC community in meaningful ways.

On Sept. 23, the LSA Parent Committee, a group of parents who volunteer to promote service opportunities at LSA, hosted a volunteer Open House for teens.  Teens from a number of schools attended to learn more.

In addition, we introduced the LSA Youth Board as a fun new way to get involved. The Youth Board, which was founded by a Spence volunteer and is just getting started this fall, offers an opportunity for high school students to support LSA through fundraising activities and unique volunteer efforts.

The Open House gave participants a taste of what it might be like to volunteer with the after school program.  Volunteers and children from the program made book marks together and enjoyed a tasty pizza dinner. Our thanks to the Parent Committee and to the volunteers who made it such a fun afternoon!

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Five high school students from the Dalton School have been introducing children in our after school program to the globe in a weekly geography class.  Developed by geography enthusiast Ryan McCormack, the workshop has helped the young participants to expand their view of the world and their place in it.

Ryan describes the experience of leading the after school workshop, below.

My name is Ryan McCormack, and I go to the Dalton School on the Upper East Side. For my entire life, Geography has been a passion of mine. For that reason I began a Geography Club at my school. Finding success in this, I realized that my pursuit of spreading my joy of Geography should not be limited to my community.

I reached out to LSA last year with the idea of beginning a workshop for the students, and when I found out that we had the green light, I was incredibly excited. Along with a few other students, including Tyler Azzam, Max Radomisli, Oliver Fisher, and Noah Delgado de Torres, we have begun to host a workshop each Thursday after we finish school.

“The entire experience has been incredibly fulfilling for all of us.”

Working last year with kids from Kindergarten to 3rd grade, we decided it would be best to begin with something that is incredibly important when it comes to world geography: understanding the continents. The continents can be used as a starting point to understand countless other areas of geography, such as countries, oceans, rivers, and mountains.

After the students learned the continents, they became much more receptive and excited about other aspects of geography, which opened the door to successful and engaging lessons. Before we knew it, the students began to know different countries, native animals, and indigenous plants all around the world.

This year, we began working with around 15 kids from 3rd grade, and now we have been working with kids in Kindergarten. The entire experience has been incredibly fulfilling for all of us, and there are specific moments which remind me of this. For example, one time, as we were examining different countries, I mentioned Mexico, which visibly brought excitement to much of the class, whose parents hailed from Mexico. It’s moments like this one that definitely have a great impact on me, as it shows that my work is actually bringing joy and interest to the children.

Geography has been important to me for my entire life, and I hope that I can get the younger generation of kids interested in the subject that is so important for understanding the entire world. I definitely have a new understanding of myself as a result of volunteering, and my work with the children at LSA has made me want to turn to more volunteering in the future, and I have realized how important it is to educate the new generation. Even if what I do does not specifically impact the understanding students may have with geography, I want my work to be able to spark their interest in the same way that it sparked mine when I first looked at an atlas in third grade.

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This is what Marina Hunt, a graduate of the Spence School, took away from her high school volunteer experience.  Marina joined a panel of student volunteers at #PayItForward, a forum on youth community service hosted by LSA Family Health Service and Convent of the Sacred Heart School.

Learn about volunteer opportunities at LSA!

Additional speakers included Adam Garner of DoSomething.org; Dr. Sanam Hafeez, a neuropsychologist and certified school psychologist; Dr. Cappy Collins, a pediatrician who engages youth in community health programs; Naomi Varnis, an admissions director at Columbia University; and India LaRoda, Miss India America 2017 and a former Special Olympics volunteer with extensive service experience.

Audience members included a mix of students, parents and educators.  Their main questions were: what kind of service experience is most valuable for middle and high school students?  How can they get started? And how does it help them in the long term?

Naomi Varnis said, when she’s considering college applications “there is no one right type of service.  It’s about the quality of engagement that you have.”

For example, she said, volunteering with an organization over a long period shows that a student is really committed to its mission. “That kind of work can help students understand their role in the community.”

“When you are volunteering you are figuring out who you are as a person, how you interact with the world, and how you engage with other people,” said Dr. Sanam Hafeez.   She pointed out that the teen years are essential years for self discovery, and volunteering can play a positive role in helping teens understand and define themselves.

“Being a professional, doesn’t mean wearing a suit and tie.  It can be giving someone a box of cereal so their children can have food in the morning, or a bag of rice so they can have food at night.”

– Cristo Rey student Nathanael Hinds, on what he learned as a volunteer

The student panelist shared how volunteering changed their view of the world and of themselves.  “Through service, I have become more of an activist,” said Grace Wilson, student body president of Convent of the Sacred Heart who taught young children at the school’s student-run HEART summer camp.

Nathanael Hinds, a student of Cristo Rey New York High School who volunteered at the LSA food pantry throughout his sophomore year in high school, said volunteering opened his eyes to careers that can make a difference in the world.  “Being a professional,” he said, “doesn’t mean wearing a suit and tie.  It can be giving someone a box of cereal so their children can have food in the morning, or a bag of rice so they can have food at night.”

For students who don’t know where to start when it comes to volunteering, India LaRoda’s advice is for students to look to their own interests. “Think about what you’re passionate about,” she said.  “That will make you want to volunteer.”  Her own experience volunteering with the Special Olympics in middle school inspired her current work as a behavioral interventionist for children with special needs.

Adam Garner, campaigns manager at DoSomething.org, an online platform that motivates young people to make positive change, described the spirit of service as the desire to help others without the need for personal recognition.  He summed it up saying simply:  “If you can help, you help.”

#PayItForward was organized by the Parents Committee of LSA Family Health Service, a group committed to engaging youth in service at the East Harlem nonprofit.  The event was cohosted by the Covent of the Sacred Heart School and sponsored by Carnegie Hill Neighbors and Gourmet Garage.

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We have an amazing group of dedicated, passionate volunteers who support nearly every program at LSA.  From after school tutors, to homework helpers, early childhood classroom assistants and food pantry and thrift store helpers (to name just a few), our volunteers are truly invaluable to the services we provide to our East Harlem neighbors.

75 volunteers are currently supporting LSA. We know we really can’t do the good work we do without them!

We are celebrating all week on social media by highlighting some of the amazing volunteers who help us serve the community, like Fran, the volunteer tutor in the photo above.   Read about her and other volunteers below.

We’ll be celebrating again on June 9th, at our annual Volunteer Appreciation Evening.

From the bottom of all our hearts here at LSA, THANK YOU volunteers, for all you do!

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May 31, 2016 – LSA Family Health Service celebrated the contributions of our volunteers at our annual Volunteer Appreciation Evening.

Staff and volunteers alike gathered for an evening of camaraderie, sharing stories, and a delicious dinner.  Speakers included staff members: Traci Lester, CEO; Trish Gough, Director of Volunteer Services; Russell Nobles, Chief of Program Operations; Lucia Russett, Director of Advocacy, and Wendy Miron, Director of Education and Youth Services. We also heard from volunteers Paulette Etoty, Priosca Galicia, and Robert Mazziotti. Special thanks to Omniwines for donating the beverages.

Below are words of inspiration and photos from the party…

Joyce Richardson, volunteer tutor
“I thought, ‘the kids trust me so much.’  But it’s not that they trust me — they trust the place, its friendliness and kindness — you can’t buy that.  They’re in a place where people love them.”

Robert Mazziotti, math tutor
“Something that every tutor, I’m sure, has experienced and really appreciates and gets a tremendous amount of joy out of is that ‘aha’ moment when the student finally takes something away that you gave them that’s going to grow in their garden for the rest of their life.  You’ve seeded it.  They’ve accepted it and planted it. …  That’s what I say is the main value to me of tutoring — the opportunity to help somebody step up to a new level of their educational experience.”

Prioska Galicia, volunteer with the food pantry, reception, and Education and Youth Services
“Everybody here has been really welcoming.  If you can volunteer – do it!”

Paulette Etoty, volunteer with the food pantry and The Sharing Place thrift store.
“When I realized how good, how welcoming, accomodating – how friendly this family is, I said ‘I may not have a job right now, but I’m going to give back.  I’m going to volunteer and I’m going to help.’  The joy I see in people’s faces when you put all that food in their basket, that just makes my day.”

Traci Lester, CEO
“Volunteers fuel the engine of what we do.”

Wendy Miron, Director of Education and Youth Services
“The kids thrive because of all of you.”

Lucia Russett, Director of Advocacy
“Our food pantry serves 2,000 people each month.  There’s no way we can do that without the volunteers.”

Click the arrows on the left or right to scroll through photos from the evening’s festivities.

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Though he started volunteering this fall, he’s not new to LSA.  In fact, as a graduate of LSA’s nursing and early childhood programs, Jonathan has been a part of the LSA family since his birth!

Jonathan’s mother, Alva, first came to LSA for nursing care when she was pregnant with Jonathan.  Our nurses helped ensure that she remained healthy throughout her pregnancy and after Jonathan was born.  Alva enrolled Jonathan in our early childhood parenting program and was actively involved in LSA’s parent groups.  With the help of LSA, Alva took ESL and GED classes.  Eventually, she even started working with LSA to provide childcare for children while parents attended special workshops.

Although it was a long time ago, Jonathan still remembers coming to LSA with his mom. “I used to come hang out with my friends,” he says.  “I feel comfortable around here because everyone knows me, and I can just be myself.”

Today, Jonathan is a successful student.  He likes math and wants to pursue a career in technology.  We are proud to have a graduate of our programs giving back to the LSA community and wish Jonathan a world of success!

Join us in helping more families like Jonathan’s!
GIVE HOPE NOW

Photo by Micah Rubin.

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These donations are particularly timely, as we tend to see an increase in need for food pantry services during the holiday season.

During their visit, the students, ranging from grades 7-12, learned about our food pantry and the other programs we offer.  They asked great questions, and even helped to stock the shelves.

Our thanks to the students, teachers and families of P138 for their fantastic donation!

To learn about hosting a food drive and other volunteer opportunities, visit our Volunteer page.

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