DOROT Caring Calls (NYC & Virtual) — They have been so overwhelmed with volunteers that they now have a waitlist. You can still sign up to make phone calls to isolated seniors, but you may have to wait for the gratification of a conversation. In the meantime, people of all ages can make
Caring Cards and send them to DOROT. Thank you to Sam Rubin ‘95 who has been instrumental in bringing Yale Community Connect volunteers together with DOROT.
MS54 6th Grade Academy Online (“6GAO”) (NYC) — We are proud to report that the 6GAO after-school program has taken off and has been functioning for the past several weeks. This unique program offers high quality one-on-one curriculum-driven, teacher-supervised online tutoring sessions to 20 academically struggling middle-school NYC students twice per week. YC Connect worked closely with the incredibly dedicated teacher, Elisabeth Cohen, who designed and runs the program, to obtain supplies, troubleshoot obstacles, identify volunteers, and strategize through apparent dead-ends until we hit the open road. Despite devastating budget cuts, this program is persisting with the approval of the NYC Department of Education.
God's Love We Deliver (“GLWD”) (NYC) — Volunteer preparation and delivery of medically-informed, nutritious meals are two of the activities that help GLWD reach thousands of homebound people with personal touches. While many volunteer slots have filled,
some are still available. We are proud of GLWD Director of Policy and Planning Alissa Wassung, who is also a YANA member. For further information,
please contact YANA member Victoria Ordin ‘95, who volunteers with GLWD and is happy to answer any questions.
Harlem Children’s Zone (“HCZ”) Writing/Tutoring program (NYC) — YANA member Tom Doremus ARCH ‘73 originally connected with HCZ through a Yale Community Connect introduction. After a conversation we had with HCZ leadership, Tom decided to fund through the foundation he manages, the Casement Fund, a writing program, co-created with HCZ, for high school students. Tom recently learned that one of HCZ's high school seniors recently won the gold key award from the
2020 Scholastic Art and Writing Competition. There were 12,000 submissions for 29 categories of art and writing; the HCZ winner had three pieces selected – one for the gold key and two for the silver key.
Click here to read the winning poem. HCZ has expressed an interest in creating panels of Yale alumni for the HCZ community. Until the Covid-19 shut-down, Yale Community Connect volunteer Darian Marcel Parker PhD ‘13 had tutored HCZ high school students in the college application process.
Mandi Schwartz (Virtual) Marrow Donor Registration Drive (New Haven) — Thank you, Sam Rubin ‘95, for sharing
this opportunity, which is a partnership between Yale Athletics and Be The Match. Sam is a board member of the Mandi Schwartz Foundation and a YANA member. We hope this virtual drive -- an easy swabbing and mailing procedure -- attracts many potential donors for patients in need of a match!
Self-Care Department (a new feature of Yale Community Connect!) — Last but not least for now, here is a
heartwarming video clip (under 7 minutes
— worth watching all of it) from Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence Director Marc Brackett and Thurgood Marshall Academy Lower School Principal Dawn Brooks-DeCosta that offers simple, powerful ideas to help individuals and families get their uncertain days off to a better start. (I've had the pleasure of partnering professionally with both Marc and Dawn, and they are doing magnificent work.)
