Giving Rye is a new occasional feature highlighting non-profits and community groups in and around the City of Rye. Today meet Sylvia Hamer of HOPE Community Services.
Your Name: Sylvia B. Hamer
Organization: HOPE Community Services
Your role: Executive Director
MyRye.com: Tell us your organization’s mission.
Hamer: HOPE (Help Our People Eat) Community Services is a not-for-profit, non-sectarian organization serving the people of New Rochelle and surrounding communities. HOPE Community Services is an organization with a mission to improve the quality of life for some of the most vulnerable residents in need in Southern Westchester. HOPE seeks to address the intersecting issues of hunger, homelessness, and poverty that exist in the area by providing essential services such as food and housing to this underserved population.
How long have you operated in Rye?
Hamer: HOPE has operated in New Rochelle, N.Y., and surrounding areas, for close to 40 years, since 1984.
What programming or work in Rye is the organization best known for?
Hamer:
- HOPE is most known for its emergency food service programs. The emergency food program grew significantly during the pandemic to meet the community’s needs, and unfortunately we have not seen the level of need decrease post pandemic. The organization also hosts housing programs, afterschool programming, a homeless day program, various summer camp programs, child hunger initiatives, and several community focused celebratory events. It is also the home to innovative one-of-a-kind programs like Westchester County’s first and only Kosher Pantry, HOPE-full Kids (a pantry program that provides food to families with school aged children during school breaks and over the summer), and Showers of HOPE (a mobile shower program that provides a dignified way for individuals experiencing homeless to shower). The organization now services nearly 5,000 people, including 1,500 families. The community relies on the organization more than it ever has before.
Looking forward to 2024, what will be your top initiatives?
Hamer:
- Full Renovation Project: HOPE is in the process of raising funding to renovate our new facility. The renovation project includes a self-select pantry, community dining room, kitchen, community conference room, outdoor greenspace and a public lactation room to just to name a few of the exciting projects. The magnitude of this project is expected to cost close to $6 million dollars. HOPE is engaged in a capital campaign to raise funds for the building.
- Self-Select Community Food Pantry: HOPE is building a supersize, usable food pantry that can warehouse large amounts of food including a large walk-in freezer, storage areas, work areas for volunteers to fill bags, and places for clients to get the food. HOPE will convert to a self-select style pantry, which will provide users with the dignity of a supermarket style shopping experience, and offer residents more choices in foods and reduce food waste.
- Hands on HOPE: A series of workshops designed to expose children in grades 3rd to 8th with hands-on, real-world experiences outside of their typical range of experiences. These workshops are meant to spark interest in practices and professions that can plant seeds for future development. Workshops will be developed to catch a wide array of interests and practices. Workshops will also be conducted in collaboration with schools and organizations that serve children in our community.
Tell us about the population you serve and how they can get involved with your programming and services.
Hamer: HOPE helps the most vulnerable populations with:
- Helping Our People Eat (HOPE)
- Locating and maintaining safe and affordable housing
- Providing ongoing case management that offers these individuals the opportunity to be heard and supported
- A Self-Sufficiency Program that helps low-income individuals find jobs while teaching them how to solve problems and access critical services
- Essential give outs such as backpacks and school supplies and books before the school year begins, Thanksgiving pantry items and turkeys in November, holiday toys in December, winter coats and accessories, essential as well as pampering items for moms on Mothers Day to name a few:
- Citizenship Classes
- Immigration Services
- Referral Services for social service providers
- City of New Rochelle Tenant-Based Rental Assistance for the Homeless, in partnership with the City of New Rochelle.
Are you a 501(c)(3) non-profit with tax exempt status?
Hamer: Yes
Looking back across 2023, what were your organization’s top achievements?
Hamer:
- Secured a new location for the organization. Last year, the valued community-based organization learned it had to move from its longtime home in the basement of a church where it provides emergency food services, children’s programming, assist with housing, help with immigration, hold citizenship classes, and conducts an array of social services. Thanks to Pat Procopio and the Calabria Mutual Aid Society for saving HOPE by gifting the organization a building to call home, permanently.
- To date, Nov 30, 2023, for which we have stats, HOPE has distributed 15,346 bags of food or 567,802 meals through its food pantry; distributed 1,529 bags of food via the Kosher Program, served 99,835 meals in its soup kitchen; provided 10,802 meals to kids through its HOPE-Ful Kids Program.
- HOPE made a substantial investment in the well-being of the youth in the New Rochelle community by building programming that supports them. More recently, HOPE developed HOPE4KIDS to offer a variety of programming designed around child wellness. These programs provide enrichment opportunities and services that kids, and their families would not otherwise have. The goal of HOPE4KIDS is to influence and improve mental health, academics, socialization, self-esteem, and nutrition through a variety of programs.
How can local residents support your organization?
Hamer: Residents can support HOPE with a financial donation to our capital campaign, general operating budget, or specific program budget. Residents can also volunteer at one or more of our weekly opportunities which can be found on our Volunteer Portal at hopecommunityservices.org/volunteer.
We also hope you will join us for HOPE’s annual gala on April 18th to learn more about our organization and celebrate the year’s accomplishment!
What local Rye residents and area businesses have been the longest, steadiest supporters of your organization?
Hamer: We have 3 dedicated Rye residents who serve on our Board of Directors [editor’s note: Natalie Auerbach, Brian Koh and Amanda Timchak].
There is a group of 10 Rye moms (the Moms Helping Moms Committee) who collect gently used strollers, car seats, cribs, highchairs, and clothing from Rye families who have outgrown such items and delivers them to HOPE for distribution to clients of the organization. These items are expensive and it’s a huge benefit for the new families to start off with these baby essentials free of charge.
A Rye family came up for the idea for HOPE’s now annual Mother’s Day event, which is fully funded and staffed by Rye volunteers. Close to 100 Rye families have supported this event which is now in its fourth year. Over 400 moms who are clients of HOPE come to this now annual event to feel pampered and appreciated.
For the first time this year, HOPE hosted two Thanksgiving themed breakfasts for their clients. Over 60 Rye families and groups worked together to make a homemade breakfast and baked goodies for these breakfasts and kids created celebratory placemats and hygiene care kits clients to distribute. Families of volunteers from Rye served these breakfasts to clients in HOPE’s Dining Room. HOPE is excited to make this a new annual tradition!
The Rye Library donates extra books not sold during its annual sidewalk sale to HOPE for distribution at our Back to School event.
RMS Middle School and Midland School have created programs that educate about food insecurity and collect donations for HOPE.
HOPE is thankful to the many Rye residents and families who volunteer at our give-out events, community kitchens and pantry distributions.
Elected Officials from Rye including Assemblyman Steve Otis, Westchester County Executive George Latimer and Westchester County Legislator Catherine Parker are all big supporters of HOPE.
Tell us about you:
How long have you been in your current role?
Hamer: Since May 2023, I’ve been the Executive Director. Prior to this new role, I was the Director of Programming and Community Engagement for over 2 years. Prior to working at HOPE, I volunteered with the organization for over 1.5 years.
Is the role full time or part time? Paid or volunteer?
Hamer: Full-time
How would your friends and family describe you in one word?
Hamer: Dedicated
Pick one:
Hamer:
| Select from:
MyRye.com |
Your Pick: |
| Coke or Pepsi? | Coke |
| Regular or diet? | Regular |
| Action movie or rom com? | Action movie |
| Cook, order in or eat out? | Order in |
| Dog, cat or no pet? | No pet |
| Balsamic vinaigrette or ranch? | Balsamic |
| Ruffles Original, Lay’s Barbeque or Funyuns? | Funyuns |
| Still, sparkling or tap? | Sparkling |
What is the kindest thing someone has ever done for you?
Hamer: Prayed sincere loving prayers for and over me.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why, and who would you take with you?
Hamer: India is one of several countries with extremely high child abandonment rates. I would travel there with my most trusted friends and colleagues on a mission to help children get placed with ethical adopted parents.
What is your favorite streaming / TV series?
Hamer: Yellowstone
What is your favorite movie?
Hamer: It’s A Wonderful Life
Where do you live in Rye and how many years have you lived in the City?
Hamer: I live in New Rochelle, NY
Thanks, Sylvia!
