Project Hospitality hosted its Spring Luncheon Wednesday afternoon in the Hilton Garden Inn in Bloomfield. The event served to recognize those in the community whose dedication has made a difference in lives of Staten Islanders in need.
Over 250 people attended and heard the agency’s executive director Terry Troia note that while the community has been generous in continuing to help the agency serve the borough’s needy, there’s always more to do.
“We are spending way over $1,000 a week just in Midland Beach and the (Sandy) disaster areas alone,” she said. “And in our soup kitchens and food pantries more than 2.2 million meals were distributed on Staten Island last year. We have a lot more work to do.”
This year’s honorees were: Jane Milza, the Rabbi Marcus Kramer Humanitarian Award; Rev. Janet Jones, pastor of Rossville AME Zion Church, the Reverend Roland Ratmeyer Founders Award; New York City Church of Christ and HOPE Worldwide, the Sophie Matthews Memorial Award; Edward Burke, Staten Island deputy borough president, the Project Hospitality Award for Outstanding Civic Leadership, and Paul Blanford, the Bishop Patrick Ahern Achievement Award.
“We have an extraordinary group of honorees this year that reflect the breadth and depth of service to the community ,” said Ms. Troia.
Honoree Rev. Jones, said receiving the award was, “a humbling experience because I really don’t know what I’ve done to deserve it. I accepted it because I like to keep the name of the church and name of the Staten Island Council of Churches in the forefront. I truly support all the work of Project Hospitality because serving the poor is part of the initiative of the church and we have tried to do that.”
“I am particularly honored because Project Hospitality does so much for the needy and the homeless and anyone who does that I am a fan of,” said Ms. Milza.
Several longtime volunteers were recognized and inducted into the Faithful Servant Society. They are: Gloria Arrindell, Oran Brown, Mary Bryant, Julia Draper, Mary Haas, Mac O’Callaghan and Luz Captain O’Day.
The honorary chairperson of the event was Staten Island Advance Editor Brian J. Laline.
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