Where are you working now and in what capacity? I'm currently working as a social worker at Samaritan Village's Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program in midtown, Manhattan. It's a homeless prevention program for service members and their families who are either currently homeless or at imminent risk of becoming so. 

Why did you get involved in the GSSW alumni association? Several faculty members reached out to me to tell me about the amazing opportunity of being a part of the inaugural Social Work Alumni Leadership Council. I jumped at the chance to stay connected with Touro, and help plan for its future.

How did you decide to do a coat drive for the association? Why do you think this is an important endeavor for social workers to undertake? Growing up in New York in the 80s and 90s, homelessness was always at the forefront of my consciousness.  While my dad was working as a lawyer, he represented many homeless individuals and helped me see how important it was that we advocate for better supportive and concrete services for those without access to food and shelter. As the weather gets colder, many don't have clothing that's warm enough to stand up to our bitter New York winters. The New York Cares coat drive can help us redirect the coats at home we no longer need, and bring the Touro faculty, alumni and current students together while we do it.  

How many coats do you hope to collect through the drive? Our goal is to gather one coat per student/alumni/faculty member.

Who will you reach out to for participation in the drive? We encourage faculty, alumni, student, and their friends and families to donate.

Do you participate in other community service activities? In October 2013, I helped paint the Clara Barton elementary school in the Bronx as part of the Women's Veterans Initiative at Hope for the Warriors. During high school, college, and now, whenever I have some free time, I volunteer at St. Michael's Soup Kitchen on the Upper West Side.

How can Touro staff, students and faculty get involved? A coat collection box is located in the GSSW Student Lounge at 27 West 23rd street, Room 534 and will remain there until December 31. A collection box will also be available at the Brooklyn campus on Quentin Road.

We would love for people to participate even if you can't get to our Touro site. Snap a photo of yourself and your coat in front of one of the New York Cares donation boxes around the city, tag it with  #TOUROGSSW and post it on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram.