2012 Award Winners
The Good Neighbor Awards Committee is pleased to announce that Good Neighbor Awards will be presented to the following recipients at the twelfth annual Neighbor to Neighbor Dinner on Saturday, May 5, 2012. These awards are presented to them in recognition of their extraordinary work as volunteers in helping build a better community.
Sheldon Barasch has been committed to providing free tax services to individuals and families on the Upper West Side for the last 43 years. He provides personal and confidential assistance with federal and state forms for up to twenty clients on a weekly basis.
Jackie Gardner is an enthusiastic and passionate volunteer at Learning Leaders as a tutor, and at PS 166 as an assistant science teacher. Through her dedication to the school library at PS 166 she was able to spare it being closed during budget cuts.
Harold Jones works tirelessly as a tenant advocate and community activist. When his building fell into disrepair due to landlord neglect, Harold continued to serve his neighbors by collecting and distributing the mail daily to the displaced tenants, in addition to checking the building.
Ana Mercedes Lizardi has an unwavering dedication to serving the Upper West Side. At Trinity Lutheran Church Ana is the co-coordinator of the annual Thanksgiving Dinner, as well as a volunteer in the food pantry and the Shelter for LGBT youth. She also volunteers at St. Michael’s and Broadway Community Soup kitchen, and was a parent volunteer Goddard Riverside and PS 163.
Eric Rosenfeld is devoted to improving lives of others specifically through his work in neighborhood housing issues. Eric has been a board member of Goddard Riverside for 30 years. He also serves on the Personnel Committee as well as on the boards of all five of Goddard Riverside’s supportive housing residences. Eric is also very involved in other community issues, dedicating his time to Columbus Greens and Project Find. He was one of the founding members of the West 87th Street Block Association.
Maria Valdes is a dedicated member of Goddard Riverside’s Senior Center where she assists with bake sales, the flea market, Bingo, and the Public Issues Committee. As a member of the Outreach Committee for the Senior Center she spends her time visiting homebound and hospitalized seniors. She is a strong advocate working with Goddard Riverside’s Family Council, and the Joint Public Affairs Committee for Older Adults. Maria is a former member of the Leader House tenant association and the Mitchell Lama Residents Coalition.