2007 Events

19th Annual Keys for the Homeless Conference

The 19th Annual Keys for the Homeless Conference was a huge success!  Held at Touro Law Center in Central Islip on October 19th, this year's Keys Conference was attended by nearly 300 advocates, business people, government representatives, consumers and students.  Workshops covered such topics as funding affordable housing, hunger and homelessness, avoiding foreclosures, HUD monitoring and Single Point of Access.  Attendees listened while presenter Patricia Stewart, a successful jewelry designer, shared her story about her childhood and her rise from poverty to succes. In the afternoon, Aurora Zepeda of Homes for the Homeless and the Institute for Children and Poverty spoke to Conference attendees about her work and the issue of homelessness. Gary Cucchi of Progressive Marketing Group and Tom Maligno of Touro Law Center were awarded Key of Excellence Awards, and Monique Brown and Louise Maccaroni received Helen Martin Scholarships. 

The Nassau-Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless would like to thank our sponsors for their support! 

 

Thank you to the Keys Conference Planning Committee, the NSCH Board of Directors, NSCH staff, Conference volunteers, our supporters and Conference attendees! 

NSCH Board of Directors.  Left to right:  Howard Duff; Joan Avolese March; Rosemary Dillon; Charles Russo, NSCH Board Chair; Aurora Zepeda, Conference presenter; Joan Noguera, NSCH Executive Director; Maria Dosso; Richard Timo; Jeff Saltzman; Ralph Fasano. 

(Not pictured:  Judy Pannullo, L. Von Kuhen, Richard Arkin, Leonard Saltzman, Eric Alexander, Peter Barnett, Connie Bruno, Mary Ellen Conrad, Georgia Kuhen, Tom Maligno)

 

NSCH Staff.  Left to right:  Joan Noguera, Executive Director; Greta Guarton, Associate Director; Julee King, Manager of Housing and Services; Rafael Torres, Accounting Manager

 

Gary Cucchi, Jeff Saltzman, Charles Russo, Jeff Hanlon Renee Adamowicz, Joan Noguera, Chuck Schwartz

 

Leonard Saltzman, Paul Fink Richard Timo, Valerie Brunner

 

Joan Noguera, Sharelle Hicks, Charles Russo John Lunde , Linda Longo, Christine Farrell, Charles Russo

 

Joan Avolese March, Louise Maccaroni (Helen Martin Scholarship Recipient), Charles Russo, Joan Noguera Joan Avolese March, Monique Brown (Helen Martin Scholarship Recipient), Charles Russo, Joan Noguera

 

Charles Russo, Jeff Saltzman, Gary Cucchi (Key of Excellence Award Recipient), Joan Noguera Maria Dosso, Tom Maligno (Key of Excellence Award Recipient), Charles Russo, Joan Noguera

 

Morning presenter Patricia Stewart Gary Cucchi and Aurora Zepeda, afternoon presenter

 

Conference attendees

 

Conference attendees

 

Conference attendees

 

Conference attendees

"Supply Our Students" Back to School Drive

The Nassau-Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless, through a partnership with Backpack Pirates and Astoria Federal Savings "Tools for School" Drive, has distributed backpacks and school supplies for more than 1,000 children in need on Long Island.  This is the second year that NSCH has conducted its "Supply Our Students" Back to School Drive.  It was kicked off with a summer festival on August 23, 2007 for children in shelters organized by Backpack Pirates.  Students from Adelphi University's Freshman Community Action Program volunteered at NSCH on August 21, 2007 to fill over 400 backpacks with school supplies in preparation for the Backpack Pirates event.

Adelphi University students volunteer to fill backpacks.

 

Adelphi University students volunteer to fill backpacks.

 

Happy Adelphi University volunteers! Adelphi University's Freshman Community Action Program members

 

 

Ken Mangan, Backpack Pirates organizer and Charles Russo, NSCH Chair Professional wrestler Mankind (center) and Backpack Pirates performers

 

Mankind and Greta Guarton, NSCH Associate Director Ken Mangan, Backpack Pirates organizer

 

Pirates performing at Backpack Pirates summer festival

 

Backpack Pirates summer festival

 

Professional wrestler Mankind
Lots of backpacks full of supplies!

 

Still more backpacks! The Sayville Ferry donated services for this event

 

Backpack Pirates event attendees

 

Thanks to Astoria Federal Savings and Backpack Pirates, hundreds of kids have started the school year more prepared and more confident than they have before.  Many thanks also to Sister Joan Quinlan and St. Marks RC Church!

 

Great Tastes of Long Island

On August 19th 2007, from 4pm-7pm, the Nassau-Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless participated in Great Tastes of Long Island, an annual summer fundraising event at the Martha Clara Vineyards.  Great Tastes of Long Island is a food and wine festival bringing together the many fine restaurants and chefs, outstanding local farm produce, award winning wines and superior food from the area. This year, the tented event featured 25 to 30 restaurant stations and an excellent grouping of wineries. The North Shore Pops Concert Band provided entertainment.

We would like to express our gratitude for everyone who supported NSCH through Great Tastes of Long Island. We look forward to many more exciting events in the future! 

 

 

 

 

Mattress Donation

The Inn at Fox Hollow recently underwent renovations and donated mattresses and box-springs to the Nassau-Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless.  On May 31, 2007, NSCH distributed the first of over 175 king-size and double-size beds to various non-profit agencies and less fortunate individuals and families throughout Long Island.  The remainder of the beds were distributed on June 7, 2007.  NSCH would like to thank the Inn at Fox Hollow for its generous donation of 175 beds and countless sheets.  We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the volunteers who loaded the beds onto trucks and cars.   

 

Moving the beds from the Inn at Fox Hollow

 

Moving the beds from the Inn at Fox Hollow A reporter from TV 55 reports on the donation

 

                          May 31, 2007:  Day One of the bed distribution

Ray Noguera helps to load a mattress Sean Leisen takes a quick break on top of some mattresses

 

Back row, from left:  Brendan Leisen; Jeff Saltzman, NSCH Board Member; Oscar Flores; Jr. Gonzalez; Sean Leisen; Chris Curcio; Chris Cotignola.  Front row, from left:  Ray Noguera; Julee King, NSCH Manager of Housing and Services. (Not pictured:  Greta Guarton, NSCH Associate Director) 

 

                          June 7, 2007:  Day Two of the bed distribution

Loading the mattresses into a van. Keith Edley carries a box spring.

 

Ray Noguera carries a box spring. NSCH Board Member Jeff Saltzman loads a box spring onto a truck.

 

Brandon Leisen carries a box spring. Loading the beds onto a truck.

 

Greta Guarton, NSCH Associate Director, carries a box spring. There are lots of beds in this truck!

 

From left:  Sean Leisen; Keith Edley; Ron DeSilva; Greta Guarton, NSCH Associate Director.

 

Center stage:  Dakota!

 

SuperNOFA Press Conference

The Nassau-Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless held a press conference on Friday, March 2nd at Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy's office in Hauppauge, New York to announce HUD's $10 million award to Long Island agencies.  Representatives from many agency awardees attended, as did representatives from governmental agencies and the media.  Teresa Bainton,  Director of Community Planning and Development at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development presented NSCH with a check for $10.1 million.  The majority of the monies secured will be used by housing and services providers to develop, operate and maintain permanent and transitional housing to homeless persons.  Additional monies will fund services including job training, healthcare, mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment and childcare.

Joan Noguera addresses press conference attendees.

Left to right:  Peter Barnett, NSCH Board Member; Charles Russo, NSCH Board Chair; Joan Noguera, NSCH Executive Director; Steve Levy, County Executive, Suffolk County; Teresa Bainton, Director of Community Planning and Development, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

 

Joan Noguera and Steve Levy.

 

2007 Candlelight Vigil

The Nassau-Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless held its annual Have a Heart for the Homeless Candlelight Vigil on Tuesday, February 13, 2007 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the United Way of Long Island in Deer Park, New York.  The Vigil brought business people, advocates and families alike, all with the same vision:  to bring an end to homelessness on Long Island.  Over $1,000 worth of non-perishable foods and baby items, such as diapers and formula, were donated the night of the event.  NSCH estimates that over 100 families and 100 individuals will receive the many coats, clothing, baby items and non-perishable foods that were donated at the Vigil.   Thanks to all who participated in this important event, and to those who donated items!

Left to right:  Members of Girl Scout Troop 3475:  Rachel Wasserman; Margaret Edelman; Alex Tringali; Anastasia Plavnicky; Paige Gilbert. 
 
Students from St. Anthony's High School enjoying hot chocolate at the Vigil

 

Charles Russo, NSCH Board Chair Brother Vincent

 

Iris Fann, Guest Speaker and former Helen Martin Scholarship recipient
Tent at the Vigil filled with non-perishable foods, baby items, clothing and more

 

Vigil attendees lighting their candles.

 

2007 Homeless Count

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires that all regions receiving funding through the Homeless Assistance Program conduct bi-annual counts of sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons in their regions.  The Nassau-Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless organized such counts in Nassau and Suffolk Counties on January 24th and 25th this year.  While conducting the unsheltered count in Suffolk County, we found a number of encampments that were clearly called home by homeless families in warmer weather.   At one encampment we discovered a swing, while between other encampments we found Lego® pieces.  A couch adorned another makeshift home.  One of the encampments was apparently more recently occupied, as evidenced by a tree decorated with tinsel and red bulbs for the Christmas holiday. 

Given the geography of Long Island, conducting the unsheltered count is an extremely daunting task.  We would like to take this opportunity to thank the volunteer enumerators who spent a great deal of time canvassing various areas of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, and conducting interviews with homeless persons.   We appreciate your time and effort!