Celebrating Community Service During Volunteer Recognition Week
This Volunteer Recognition Week (April 20–26), we celebrate the dedicated volunteers who help advance our mission every day — from supporting our offices to driving our food insecurity campaign. Join us in thanking these incredible changemakers for the impact they make across our community and beyond.
Meet a few of them here:
Eileen Williams
Eileen Williams, who resides at Saxon Avenue in Bay Shore, spends her Thursday mornings at Wheatley Farms & Art Center in Brookville at the reception desk, helping people check in for activities involving animal care, crafting, and education.
When people arrive, Eileen points to where they write down their name and what Day Habilitation site they are visiting from, as well as what time they’re visiting.
While at Wheatley Farms & Art Center, Eileen enjoys visiting the animals, including the fishes and bunnies.
Beyond volunteering as a receptionist, Eileen works with Jerri Walker, Volunteer Coordinator, once a week to help organize donations for the community. One time, Eileen created treat mats that would help slow down fast-eating adoptable pets at the animal shelters.
In 2024, Eileen was highlighted for her community service at the Annual Volunteer Recognition Dinner. Eileen was very proud, as were
April Kloepfer
For about five years, April Kloepfer, a Camp Loyaltown camper, has assisted Jerri Walker, Volunteer Coordinator, on initiatives like collecting and sharing food with the community and wrapping holiday presents for families who need extra support during the holiday.
April said she enjoys volunteering because she wants to give back to her community.
“I like helping people,” April said. “It’s fun and I get a lot out of it.”
As a camper, April has also devoted her time to improving the experience for herself and fellow campers by participating in monthly meetings to share ideas for new activities, t-shirt colors, and products that can be sold at the camp store. As part of these meetings, April wrote a speech about why people should consider Camp Loyaltown for their first sleepaway camp through a video shared on Citizens Options Unlimited social media pages.
“I’ve been a part of camp since 2019,” April said, adding that she made new friends, including a counselor named Yesenia from Mexico.
April has become a familiar face around Citizens’, uplifting both the people we support and the wider community with her smile and generosity.
Thank you, April!
The Giving Tree Family
Every year, The Giving Tree Family visits Camp Loyaltown in Hunter, New York, to help prepare for the campers’ arrival in June.
“Their work planted hope, and we’ll keep watering it every day,” said Christina D. Moncayo, Training Coordinator.
The volunteer group of middle and high school students from Long Island typically works on projects outside; however, the cold weather during the weekend of April 12 brought everyone inside, so they worked in buildings like the cabins and health center instead.
All the students and accompanying adults spent their weekend dusting, mopping, sweeping, and polishing to make the buildings shine.
After a long day of cleaning, the students enjoyed the calming and serene atmosphere of Camp Loyaltown. They spent their evenings playing cards and basketball.
“They work hard and play hard, and they get to bond with each other,” said Ting Dai of The Giving Tree Family.
Thank you to The Giving Tree Family for all that you do.
Paul Mazzotta
Paul Mazzotta, a self-advocate in the Citizens Options Unlimited community, keeps a very busy schedule, but ensures he has time for volunteer work, including at Wheatley Farms & Art Center and at the Long Island Cares Harry Chapin Regional Food Bank.
Paul has been volunteering at Wheatley Farms & Arts Center every other week since the summer of 2024.
“I like being there,” said Paul. “The people are very nice, number one, and number two, I like being around animals.”
At Wheatley Farms, Paul helps with the gardening, animal care, and clerical work.
“I like doing everything, but I really like taking care of the animals,” Paul said of his volunteer work at the farm. “I like caring for them because it’s therapeutic and it’s calming and it’s a nice thing to do.”
At the Long Island Cares Harry Chapin Regional Food Bank, Paul takes pride in helping his neighbors in need of food assistance one day a week. In the warehouse, Paul assists with sorting and packaging the food that will go to local families.
“I like it because I know I’m helping other people,” Paul said. “It makes me feel good knowing that I’m giving the people the help that they need.”
Paul’s mother, Elaine, described Paul as caring.
“He’s kind,” Elaine said. “He has a lot of empathy for what’s going on and how people are feeling.”
This Volunteer Recognition Week, Paul wants to remind everyone that volunteer work can make a huge difference in the community.
“It’s a job to do without being paid,” Paul said. “And for people who volunteer, it shows that they care and that they’re reaching out to people who need help.”
Sarah Chardavoyne
Twice a week, Sarah Chardavoyne, who resides at Pickwick Drive in Syosset, assists the administrative office at the Helen Kaplan Center Intermediate Care Facility (ICF) to shred documents.
With over 13 years of assisting in the office, Sarah has become an integral member of the team. This volunteer work is something Sarah looks forward to throughout the week, and once she’s in the office, she devotes herself to shredding the documents and cleaning up the shredded paper.
In addition to volunteering, Sarah has also built strong relationships with team members in the office, including Renee D’avanzo and Valerie Himberger.
“We wouldn’t be able to do it without her,” Renee said. “She’s so helpful. It’s busy around here and we need this position.”
Last year, the office threw Sarah a 40th birthday party, complete with a birthday cake, balloons and decorations.
With a shirt that says, “Shredding Queen,” Sarah is truly proud of her work — and we are proud to cheer her on! Thank you Sarah!
Blankets for the ICF
We Care Blankets, a local nonprofit that provides handmade blankets to children undergoing cancer treatment and adults receiving care, recently donated 20 blankets to Helen Kaplan Center.
Men and women who reside at Helen Kaplan Center surely appreciated the gifts, as the large blankets keep them warm and comfortable.
We Care Blankets collect handmade, knitted and crocheted blankets from groups at schools, churches, synagogues and other communities across the country. Often the blankets are small, as they are meant for children. But they do occasionally receive larger blankets.
“We never waste a blanket, as someone has put their love and affection into it,” said Tamara Baker, a founding member of We Care Blankets.
Members of We Care Blankets meet once every two to three months at libraries to wrap the blankets and deliver them.
“Everybody who gets one of our blankets, whether it’s a child or a grownup, that’s their blanket forever,” Tamara said.
Thank you, We Care Blankets, for providing these thoughtful gifts to the people we support.
Interested in volunteering? Sign up at citizens-inc.org/volunteer