Greetings –
After a fulfilling Thanksgiving weekend with family and an amazingly impactful #GivingTuesday COPE fundraising drive, I find myself reflecting on the year that is winding down. My first as Co-President of COPE’s board. The organization’s first year with Co-Presidents. And the path that COPE has taken to weather the pandemic and come out stronger on the other side.
I think of the critical services that COPE offers to our communities. And I think ahead to next year with excitement, when COPE will be expanding its footprint and services in new ways. And the strongest feeling I have is pride. I’m proud of what this organization does on a daily basis to support parents, siblings, kids and teens living with loss.
I’m reminded that it takes a literal village of people – especially for a nimble, fiscally-responsible nonprofit foundation like COPE to be successful around the year.
So, I’d like to end the final president’s message of the year by expressing my deep gratitude and appreciation to the village that makes COPE work.
I am thankful for having an Executive Director and a Clinical & Program Director with tremendous vision, conviction, compassion, and energy. Thank you, Adam and Claire!
Special thanks go to my Co-President Jen Schwartz, the rest of the board of directors (especially to our departing board member, past President, and my mentor Sandy Wolkoff) and to the following important members of the team:
Support groups facilitator team:
- Janet Zimmerman, LCSW-R
- Lauren Jukofsky, LCSW
- Marilyn Kohn, LMSW
- Mary Ann Stein, LMSW
- Michelle Graff, LCSW
- Natalia Echeverri, LMSW, C-ASWCM
- Rashida Sanchez, MA, LMSW, FT
- Rhonda Ryan, LMSW
Camp COPE team:
- Ann Fuchs – Camp COPE NYC Director
- Jamie Greene, PhD – Camp COPE NYC Psychologist
Management team:
- Adam Rabinovitch, Executive Director
- Claire Sharkey, LCSW – Clinical & Program Director
- Marianne Bujacich – Financial Officer
- Patricia Cocchiarelli – Financial Administrator
- Michaela McBride – Community Outreach & Marketing Manager
- Isabella Floro – COPE Intern
Fundraising consultants:
- Laura Hull – Grants Consultant
- Erika Carley – Individual Donors Consultant
Wishing you peace, health, and happiness in the new year.
– Larry Mergentime