UJA-Federation volunteer Sarah Mohr chats with Kittay House resident Belle Rotner at the bagel brunch.

On Sunday, May 4, 2008, a group of young UJA-Federation of New York volunteers spent the morning with residents of the Kittay House of the Jewish Home and Hospital Lifecare System, a UJA-Federation beneficiary agency. The Kittay House is a retirement home in the Bronx offering safe, comfortable, and affordable independent living for people 62 years old and older.

Kittay House residents Betsey Levine (left) and Martha Kanter (right) plant flowers with UJA-Federation volunteer Dean Matus.

UJA-Federation volunteers went to the Kittay House as part of our Paint the City Green Volunteer Day. After sharing a bagel brunch with Kittay House seniors, UJA-Federation volunteers helped them plant their garden with lively flowers.

Kittay House resident Adele Gold says that the new plants helped her feel young again. "The earth smells so good," she explains, "and I feel at home."

UJA-Federation volunteers Sarah Mohr (left) and Lindsay Sobel (right) with plant flowers with Kittay House resident Leonard Schogol.

Tenants and volunteers agreed that the planting was a delightful experience. Volunteer Dean Matus said, "It's wonderful to come share time with Kittay tenants and see a beautiful UJA-Federation beneficiary agency facility. The tenants I spoke with helped me understand where UJA-Federation's money goes — toward building a community here at Kittay."

UJA-Federation Volunteer Blake Kohn (center) plants flowers with Kittay House residents (from left) Harriet Fields, Adele Gold, and Isabel Suarez.

For tenant Gert Ulrich, planting a garden was a new experience. "I've always lived in an apartment, so this is new for me," she remarked. She added, "Mingling with the young folks from UJA-Federation is delightful."

All summer, Kittay tenants will be able to take a moment to smell the flowers and enjoy the result of this labor of love.