On Wednesday, the Barbara S. Kleiman Fund recognized Doe Fund trainee Laye Kaba and staff members Anthony White and Abeeku Mumin for their commitment to the cause of self-improvement, as well as their unflagging dedication to helping others. They were recognized alongside representatives from several other organizations, including BRC, Phoenix House, and the Barbara S. Kleiman Shelter.
Awardees with Harriet McDonald
Seth Diamond, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Homeless Services was in attendance, and gave brief remarks to acknowledge this year’s award winners. ”Congratulations for all that you have accomplished,” he said “please know that the city of New York is behind you in all that you have done and all that you will continue to do.” Ms. Kleiman’s family members were also on hand to support the awardees and pay tribute to her legacy.
Barbara S. Kleiman was a former Assistant Commissioner at the Department of Homeless Services, and a passionate life-long advocate for services to those in need. These awards have been given out in her honor for 14 years, and while last night was the last formal awards ceremony that the Barbara S. Kleiman Fund will host, we know that Ms. Kleiman’s memory will continue to live on through the good works of those she inspired and assisted throughout her lifetime.
Congratulations to the awardees for all of their achievements!
Doe Fund Founder & President George McDonald with former NYC Comptroller Bill Thompson at the awards dinner.
Each year, Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement (HCCI) honors those leaders who assist residents of Northern Manhattan to secure housing, employment, and healthcare. This year, the august community group tapped George McDonald, The Doe Fund’s Founder and President, to receive the 2012 humanitarian award at their tenth annual “Let us Break Bread Together” awards ceremony.
Accepting the award at the Prince George Ballroom at Common Ground last night, Mr. McDonald was in good company. Fellow honorees included Adolfo Carrion Jr., the former Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Regional Administrator who received the Community Service Award of the evening; BillThompson, the former New York City Comptroller who received a Neighborhood Partner Award; George Hulse, the Vice President of External Affairs at Healthfirst, Inc. who also received a Neighborhood Partner award; and TheHonorable Inez Dickens, the first African American woman elected to the City Council, who received the Visionary Award. Several members of Doe Fund staff were also on hand to celebrate this great achievement.
Congratulations to all of this year’s HCCI awardees!
One of our terrific Site Supervisors at the East Midtown Partnership event.
Just in time for Earth Day, the East Midtown Partnership “Clean Patrol”, staffed by Doe Fund trainees, cleared its one-millionth litter basket on Wednesday morning. The event coincided with the tenth anniversary of cooperation between The Doe Fund, the East Midtown Partnership, and the New York City Department of Sanitation to keep the streets of the bustling East Midtown neighborhood clean and safe.
Several local and city-wide representatives joined members of the East Midtown Partnership cleaning crew to celebrate the momentous occasion, including Commissioner John Doherty, of the NYC Department of Sanitation; Deputy Commissioner Elizabeth DeLeon of the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS); Rob Byrnes, President of the East Midtown Partnership; and of course George McDonald, Founder and President of The Doe Fund.
“During the past decade, The East Midtown Partnership has been an instrumental partner in providing our clients a chance to provide for themselves and to rediscover the joy in an honest day’s work,” said Mr. McDonald. “Together, we have helped make New York not only a cleaner, but a kinder and more compassionate city.”
“We are honored to be reaching such a milestone in our district and must acknowledge the hard work put in by the trainees from The Doe Fund,” said East Midtown Partnership president Rob Byrnes. “Reaching our millionth trash bag is a testament to the East Midtown Partnership’s mission to make our community a better place to live and work. Onto the next million!”
The East Midtown Partnership has collaborated with The Doe Fund for sanitation services since April 1, 2002. In that time, Doe Fund trainees have assisted in removing more than 13 million pounds of litter from the neighborhood’s sidewalks. 800 instances of graffiti and thousands of illegal posters have been removed, and crosswalks have been made passable through several blizzards.
Everyone at The Doe Fund is extremely grateful for East Midtown Partnership’s ongoing support of the Men in Blue, and we look forward to many more successful years.
Last week’s Ready, Willing & Able graduation ceremony was the highlight of the year for The Doe Fund. And now we’re excited to share our video recap with you so you can see what made it such a special night for hundreds of our graduates, their families, Doe Fund staff, and supporters!
Celebrating hope and success at last night's Ready, Willing & Able graduation ceremony. Photo by Shahar Azran.
A sea of bright blue caps and gowns flowed down the center of St. Ignatius Loyola’s Wallace Hall last Thursday evening as hundreds of family members, friends, and supporters of The Doe Fund’s “men in blue” gathered to celebrate Ready, Willing & Able’s class of 2012.
Dressed in a different blue uniform than the one he grew accustomed to wearing last year, Duane Fagan addressed his fellow graduates: “If we all stay focused, we’ll keep being presented with opportunities. The opportunity to be a member of this great Doe Fund family… the opportunity to be a contributing member to society… the opportunity to be not just a good dad, but a great father.”
Last Thursday, Duane joined hundreds of his fellow graduates who were all recognized for achieving full-time jobs, housing, sobriety, and brighter futures for themselves and their families. Our graduates were surrounded by their parents, children, and spouses. But they were also joined by another family that stood by them during the past year: The Doe Fund’s graduates, trainees, staff, and supporters. NBC joined us as well, and featured our ceremony on the 11 0′clock news.
On Sunday March 18th at the NYC Half 2012, five runners took on 13.1 miles for Ready, Willing & Able’s “men in blue.” As we got to know these individuals, we came to the realization that their stories were just as inspiring as their performances. This week, we started a new blog series in order to share these stories with you. We hope you enjoy them. Thank you to all of our runners for their support!
I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to work for an organization I care so deeply about. While my friends and family may hear about the “men in blue” ad nauseam, I can’t seem to stop sharing the amazing stories of hardship, overcome obstacles, and life-changing transformations I witness everyday. Even my co-workers, who are equally inspired by the mission of The Doe Fund as I am, think I’m a little obsessed– and maybe they’re right.
So when the opportunity arose to combine two of my favorite things–The Doe Fund and running– I just couldn’t pass it up. “Dibs a spot,” was the first thing I said to my colleague, Shannon, when I heard that NYRR offered us five charity spots for the 2012 NYC Half Marathon. It was a no-brainer for me. Running and raising money are part of my life anyway, so what’s a few more miles and a little bit of a harder push for money from friends and family to support the cause they know I love so much? Well, more than I realized.
On that first training run 12 weeks ago, it snowed. As icy flecks whipped against my face, my fingers and toes went numb, my legs started to ache, and 3 months of training ahead of me, I seriously second guessed my decision to sign up for this. Then I thought, as painful and tiring as this training will get, it’s nothing compared to the incredible hardship the “men in blue” have gone through and overcome in their lifetimes. Whether they came from prison, lived on the streets, or suffered the horrors of war, each trainee in Ready, Willing & Able has made the difficult decision to change their lives, reach out for help, and choose to live drug-free, in a structured educational and occupational training environment. Beyond the incredible obstacles they’ve overcome, lives they’ve lived, and decision they’ve made to work towards self-sufficiency and independence, the “men in blue” are also out on the New York City streets everyday, rain, snow, sleet, 30 degrees below freezing or 110 above. An hour and a half of running outside is nothing compared to the work they do everyday.
The harder and longer the runs got, the more I felt connected to the guys. They really inspired me to believe I could run this race— for them. But when it came to race day, I was a little daunted by the 20,000 runners at the starting line in Central Park. There’s something intimidating about that many fit, intense-looking athletes laced up in their Nike’s and strapped with their energy gels. Then I remembered my advantage– the guys– their names, their stories, their smiles, and the hopes and dreams they’ve shared with me. Re-inspired, I started the race, and 13.1 miles later, I finished it in [personal] record time. Thank you to everyone who supported me and gave me the opportunity to run for the “men in blue.” It was an experience I will never forget.
On Sunday March 18th at the NYC Half 2012, five runners took on 13.1 miles for Ready, Willing & Able’s “men in blue.” As we got to know these individuals, we came to the realization that their stories were just as inspiring as their performances. This week, we started a new blog series in order to share these stories with you. We hope you enjoy them. Thank you to all of our runners for their support!
I’m often reminded of the saying “Behind every runner is a story” and this weekend was just another of those moments. My running story is very simple: my husband died of cancer in 2007. Once we decided to honor him with a 5k race in support of a local upstate cancer charity, I thought it best that his wife attempt the fine art of crossing a 5k finish line. In my wildest dreams, I did not expect this to take me on a few marathon journeys prior to running through Central Park and the streets of Manhattan on Sunday.
Running for a cause defies the right words. To represent The Doe Fund’s wonderful programs along with the Michael J. Fox Foundation, Team In Training and other organizatoins was a surreal moment in my running experiences. It makes running alone alongside an upstate country road pale in comparison to being a small contributor to something big. My husband was a rather cause-oriented individual who donated bone marrow long before cancer came into our lives, so I like to think I was retracing his footsteps just a little in support of important things.
My husband ran the NYC marathon in 1988 and 1990, so it’s rather cool that 20+ years later I ran almost on the same ground as he twice did. As I often said, “someone pinch me that this is my life.” But it is my life and it ain’t too shabby. While I wish he were here with me sharing in my exploits, he’s always in my head and heart, and my wonderful boyfriend was there to support me at the start of this race, on 42nd Street and at the finish.
Thank you to The Doe Fund for the privilege of running for ‘The Men in Blue’ and creating a moment in my life that I will never forget!
On Sunday March 18th at the NYC Half 2012, five runners took on 13.1 miles for Ready, Willing & Able’s “men in blue.” As we got to know these individuals, we came to the realization that their stories were just as inspiring as their performances. This week, we started a new blog series in order to share these stories with you. We hope you enjoy them. Thank you to all of our runners for their support!
Coincidentally, I first learned of The Doe Fund when I saw an old friend, Molly, running and she stopped to say hi. We quickly caught up, and she excitedly told me she works at The Doe Fund, noting that the men wearing blue uniforms that I’ve seen cleaning the streets throughout the city are participants in the Doe Fund’s Ready, Willing & Able program. After our brief chat, I looked up The Doe Fund and learned more about the amazing work the organization does for many of the city’s homeless individuals. I discovered the vast array of services and programs that The Doe Fund offers beyond work assignments—such as shelter, relapse prevention, job training, and computer classes—to help these individuals transition into mainstream society.
So when Molly told me about an opportunity to contribute to the program, I was very happy and eager to do so. On Sunday, March 18, I, along with Molly and several others, ran the NYC Half Marathon to raise money for the Ready, Willing & Able program. During my training for the half marathon, I usually ran along the West Side Highway, where I saw several Men in Blue on a daily basis. Seeing these men during my runs was a constant reminder of what I was running for—a brighter future for homeless individuals in NYC and for NYC itself—and provided added motivation for me to hit the streets and run every day.
Running the NYC Half Marathon is special on its own—doing a loop around Central Park, proceeding through the heart of Times Square, and finishing at the South Street Seaport—but running for the Men in Blue made it much more special. As I ran, the Men in Blue were with me, stride for stride.
Ready, Willing & Able Graduate Craig Hall with NY State Senator Kevin Parker.
Last week, Ready, Willing & Able graduate Craig Hall traveled to Albany to receive the 2012 Outstanding Adult Student Award from the New York Association for Continuing/Community Education. As part of the ceremonies, Craig received a personalized tour from NY State Senator Kevin Parker of the legislative chambers.
Craig earned his GED while he was at Ready, Willing & Able, never once missing a class or an assignment. After graduating our program, he obtained a job at Mt. Sinai Hospital’s Emergency Room where he was named “Employee of the Month” after only five months on the job. Craig has been invited to begin the application process for a two-year Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) program at CUNY and he also plans to apply to one of Mt. Sinai’s intensive on-site educational programs to become certified as an ER Technician or a Patient Care Assistant. But he’s looking not only to improve his own educational standing. Craig has volunteered to come back to Ready, Willing & Able one night a week to tutor the next generation of trainees who are committed to earning their GEDs.
The Doe Fund is so proud of Craig and all of our graduates and trainees who prove it’s never too late to learn!
Yesterday Director of Veterans Program Roberto Moran sat down with Silver Lining Villages for an audio interview to address some of the misconceptions of our country’s Veterans population, inform the public about our work with homeless Veterans, and describe other Doe Fund programs. The Doe Fund Veterans Program serves 138 former servicemen each day at our Peter Jay Sharp Center for Opportunity through advocacy, counseling, and a variety of direct services. The interview was posted on Blog Talk Radio.
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I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to work for an organization I care so deeply about. While my friends and family may hear about the “men in blue” ad nauseam, I can’t seem to stop sharing the amazing stories of hardship, overcome obstacles, and life-changing transformations I witness everyday. Even my co-workers, who are equally inspired by the mission of The Doe Fund as I am, think I’m a little obsessed– and maybe they’re right. 
I’m often reminded of the saying “Behind every runner is a story” and this weekend was just another of those moments. My running story is very simple: my husband died of cancer in 2007. Once we decided to honor him with a 5k race in support of a local upstate cancer charity, I thought it best that his wife attempt the fine art of crossing a 5k finish line. In my wildest dreams, I did not expect this to take me on a few marathon journeys prior to running through Central Park and the streets of Manhattan on Sunday.
Coincidentally, I first learned of The Doe Fund when I saw an old friend, Molly, running and she stopped to say hi. We quickly caught up, and she excitedly told me she works at The Doe Fund, noting that the men wearing blue uniforms that I’ve seen cleaning the streets throughout the city are participants in the Doe Fund’s Ready, Willing & Able program. After our brief chat, I looked up The Doe Fund and learned more about the amazing work the organization does for many of the city’s homeless individuals. I discovered the vast array of services and programs that The Doe Fund offers beyond work assignments—such as shelter, relapse prevention, job training, and computer classes—to help these individuals transition into mainstream society.
Yesterday Director of Veterans Program Roberto Moran sat down with Silver Lining Villages for an audio interview to address some of the misconceptions of our country’s Veterans population, inform the public about our work with homeless Veterans, and describe other Doe Fund programs. The Doe Fund Veterans Program serves 138 former servicemen each day at our Peter Jay Sharp Center for Opportunity through advocacy, counseling, and a variety of direct services. The interview was posted on Blog Talk Radio.
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