Past Events

During the June 2024 meeting, panel leader Tommy DiMisa of Philanthropy in Phocus led a discussion with nonprofit leaders Yolanda Robano-Gross of Options for Community Living., Jeff McQueen of the Mental Health Association of Nassau County, Jean Butler of the enCourage Kids Foundation, and Dr. Larry Grubler of Traditional Services for New York, Inc. HBA members learned about each of these panelists’ work and organizations and made valuable connections.

Key takeaways from this meeting include that:

• There are so many nonprofit services out there for both mental and physical health which bring value to us as individuals and businesses
• We can impact our community by learning and sharing the resources these nonprofits provide
• Connecting, getting involved, sharing with others, and of course donating money makes a huge difference in the lives or ourselves, our community and our businesses

Click here for more pictures from the meeting.

During the May 2024 meeting, Donna Bacon from the Nassau County Department of Health – Office of Health Equity spoke about some of the useful and necessary resources available to those in Nassau County. These resources include:

• The Food Security Center which:
  • Distributes food items monthly
  • Distributes a Senior Box for people who are 65+ and earning a monthly income of $1,500 or less
• Maternal health services which:
  • Includes Mommy and Me Classes, a breast feeding support group, and postpartum counseling
  • Distributes children’s clothing, diapers (sizes preemie to 6 months old), formula, and period supplies
  • Hosts a community baby shower where moms learn about car seat safety, how to properly put their baby to sleep, and participate in a breast feeding workshop
• A clothing pantry
• Mental health services, which includes:
  • Golden Circle, an informal group therapy for people who are 60+
  • Life After Loss, a counseling program for homicide/suicide survivors
  • Queens RISE, a place for women ages 18 to 26 to learn about sexual health, relationships, and empowerment
  • Individual therapy sessions
• The Cancer Resource Room, which provides financial services and counseling for people with cancer.
• The Food and Nutrition Resource Space, which provides valuable resources and guidance on making informed food choices

Thank you to all who joined!

During the April 2024 meeting, HBA board member Kimberly Gilgeours led a discussion with Kendro Benjamin on the financial struggles that business owners face. They went over some useful resources that business owners can use to assist in their endeavors. A few of these resources include:

Small Business Development Center at Stony Brook University
Farmingdale State College Small Business Development Center
SCORE
Baruch’s Small Business Development Center
Pace University Small Business Development Center

Kimberly introduced the group to the TWC Network app, which gives its users access to financial tools, courses, and events to help them on their journey. It also features a networking platform for like-minded individuals looking to succeed in their financial goals.

Our March 2024 meeting was a great opportunity to share ways the healthcare system could improve. We welcomed Dr. Bruce L. Feldman of FeldMed who explained how the healthcare system is broken because of limited and shortened access to providers, how many of the traditional tests providers administer are unnecessary, and how alternative treatment programs and the standard insurance model could improve the system. He also talked about the mind-body connection and how you can’t heal one without healing the other.