City’s Public Hospitals Honor Brooklyn Volunteers and Encourage Others to Answer the Call to Service
Interesting and Rewarding Volunteer Opportunities Available at HHC Hospitals and Clinics Across the Borough
Apr 29, 2009
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The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) recognized National Volunteer Week by honoring four outstanding volunteers who work in the public hospitals and nursing home in the borough. These individuals represent more than 8,000 men and women who together have dedicated nearly one million hours of service to the city’s public hospitals system over the last year. HHC is also encouraging more New Yorkers to consider the interesting and rewarding volunteer opportunities available to help patients served by HHC. For information on volunteer openings at HHC visit NYCService.org.
HHC’s volunteers serve important supportive roles such as interpreters, patient librarians, patient advocates, chaplains, community and auxiliary board members.
“HHC volunteers have answered the call to service and exemplify the new era of volunteerism promoted by President Obama and Mayor Bloomberg. Our volunteers are a diverse group of New Yorkers who give back to their communities by donating their time and talent. They are a vital part of our mission to deliver quality, safe, compassionate healthcare to all,” said HHC President Alan D. Aviles. “We invite more New Yorkers to lend a hand in our hospitals, nursing homes and health centers and help us serve the 1.3 million patients who rely on our care every year.”
Brooklyn Volunteers Honored
Rose Moe — a volunteer at Coney Island Hospital since 2001, with dedication, a caring attitude and a genuine passion for helping others. She works in the cardiac, chest, medical and urology clinics assisting staff with patients’ charts, appointment scheduling and overall assistance to keep the clinics running smoothly.
Felix Martinez-Craft — a student at the Brooklyn School for Career Development, has been helping patients at the Dr. Susan Smith McKinney Nursing & Rehabilitation Center for three years. He often assists with the feeding of residents. When other volunteers leave he remains after his shift to feed one particular resident. When asked why he would do that he responded simply, “He hasn’t finished yet.”
Irell Gordon — volunteers in the Medical/Surgical Department’s Patient Care Services at Kings County Hospital Center. She feeds and reads to patients, makes their beds and assists nurses to ensure patients are clean and comfortable. She helps coordinate hospital-wide projects such as health fairs and blood drives and is also a parent volunteer at her daughter’s Head Start program.
Josefina Paradiso — assists in food preparation, feeding and supervising children and helps to maintain safety in the classroom and outdoor areas at Woodhull Hospital and Mental Health Center’s day care center. She comforts the children and eases their anxieties with her gentle manner, smiling face and generosity of heart.
About HHC
The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) is a $6.7 billion integrated healthcare delivery system with its own 420,000 member health plan, MetroPlusHealth, and is the largest municipal healthcare organization in the country. HHC serves 1.4 million New Yorkers every year and more than 475,000 are uninsured. HHC provides medical, mental health and substance abuse services through its 11 acute care hospitals, five skilled nursing facilities, six large diagnostic and treatment centers and more than 70 community based clinics. HHC Health and Home Care also provides in-home services for New Yorkers. HHC was the 2008 recipient of the National Quality Forum and The Joint Commission’s John M. Eisenberg Award for Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality. For more information, visit www.nychhc.org/hhc or find us on
facebook.com/NYCHealthSystem or twitter.com/NYCHealthSystem.