Where would we be without volunteers? Volunteers assemble food packages, deliver meals to people who are homebound, assist at after-school programs, and the list of projects goes on. You name a need for help, and it’s likely that a volunteer has stepped in to act.

When volunteers give outstanding service, it’s important to recognize their extraordinary dedication.

So on May 23rd, UJA-Federation of New York’s Celebrating Our Community Changemakers event honored 38 remarkable volunteers who have made a profound impact at UJA and our network of agencies.

“Our communities are made better by these volunteers who give their time to the people and organizations in neighborhoods across the five boroughs, Westchester, and Long Island,” said Eric S. Goldstein, CEO of UJA.

He also shared the goal of Live With Purpose, a new initiative, to inspire thousands of New Yorkers to volunteer and make an ongoing commitment to address our region’s greatest concerns.

You can see for yourself how three Live With Purpose awardees have made a powerful difference.

And here are the 2016 outstanding volunteers:

LIVE WITH PURPOSE AWARDEES

John Fiorelli  The Educational Alliance
Michael Lustig  UJA-Federation of New York
Dominga Marquez  The New Jewish Home

COMMUNITY CHANGEMAKERS

Marjorie Anderson  Bronx House Jewish Community Center
Milena Berkowitz  Jewish Community Center of  Mid-Westchester
Mina Bobek  Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center
Mona Yuter Brokaw  DOROT
Dave Coughlin  Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services
Denise Disla  Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation
Barbara Dodell  Samuel Field Y
Joseph Elowsky  Mid-Island Y Jewish Community Center
John Finucane  YM & YWHA of Washington Heights & Inwood
Morris Friedberg  Riverdale YM-YWHA
Emma Golod  Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty
Ethan Halpern  J-Teen Leadership
Vitaly Harlow  Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst
Gabriel Himmelfarb  Jewish Community Council of Canarsie
Dr. Joshua Kanner  Jewish Community Center of Staten Island
Rosemarie Klipper  Henry Kaufmann Campgrounds
Rachel Levine  New York Legal Assistance Group
Karen Newman  Rosenthal JCC of Northern Westchester
Alison M. Pryor  Selfhelp Community Services
Linda Rich  UJA-Federation of New York
Sandra Rocks  Hazon/Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center
Sam Seifman  Barry and Florence Friedberg Jewish Community Center
Sheila Shapiro  Central Queens YM & YWHA
Zachary Sheinman  UJA-Federation of New York
Lisa Silverstein  UJA-Federation of New York
Pamela Singleton JASA (Jewish Association Serving the Aging
Mara Steiner Westchester Jewish Community Services
Zoya Syrota Shorefront YM-YWHA of Brighton-Manhattan Beach
Susan Sysler  The Jewish Community Center in Manhattan
Elliott Topp  Jewish Community Center on the Hudson
Marc Utay  UJA-Federation of New York
Leonid Vayner  Kings Bay YM-YWHA
Susan Wagner UJA-Federation of New York
Mimi Weinerman The Marion & Aaron Gural JCC
Barbara Weiss Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center