CDLH 2017 Spring Gala Journal

2017

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B r o n z e

Welcome to Tonight's Celebration of the 37 th Anniversary Spring Gala

Mr. Octavio Cardona FOUNDER C hardonas K ey L ock S ervice , I nc .

Ms. Lia Di Angelo EXECUTIVE FLORAL DESIGNER W estbury F loral D esigns

Mr. Luis Figueroa DEPUTY MAYOR V illage of H empstead

Mr. Mateo Flores DIRECTOR OF HEMPSTEAD N assau C ounty EOC

Ms. Vilma E. Matos, LCSW PRESIDENT L atino I mmigrant C onsultant

V ictor F. P oliti , MD, FACP, FACEP PRESIDENT/CEO N uhealth S ystem , NUMC

Growing Stronger Together

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Media Friend Booster Buddy Supporter Business

C í rculo de la H ispanidad P rograms F lashback 2016 S pring G ala students to deal with everyday hurdles to focus on their dreams and achieve their ultimate goals.

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May 19, 2017 / Content

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M emorandum

A ddresses

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2017 G ala P lanning C ommittee

In memory of our loved ones, may we never forget them.

Letters from elected officials recognizing Círculo de la Hispanidad's efforts supporting vulnerable children and families of Nassau, Long Island. Elected Officials’ Letters of Acknowledgment

H onorees S cholarship R ecipients of 2017 Mr. Gil Bernardino, Executive Director and Founder of Círculo, addresses our community. Learn the History of Círculo. Mr. Leo Fernández, President of the Board of Directors of Círculo, addresses our community. Círculo de la Hispanidad Mission Statement and the Gala purpose. Read about the 2017 Honorees. Learn about their vocations and their involvement with the surrounding communities. Review the attributes that make them unique and the accomplishments that have earned them the recognition as a 2017 Honoree. 13 10

I ndex

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List of Sponsors by category and Journal Composers and Authors.

A cknowledgement to our donors

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115 Círculo de la Hispanidad

Honoring Our Past &Present...

S ponsor H ighlights

Learn about what’s new and exciting in Círculo. Take the Journey with Círculo and experience the accomplishments with the Evergreen Charter School. Evergreen Charter School 140 Founded in 2008, Evergreen is an elementary school housed within the Center and authorized by the New York State Department of Education. Learn about Evergreen’s mission and their newest accomplishments. See how it has inspired our

Bronze Executive Corporate

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C írculo B oard of T rustees C írculo S taff

Continuing our course for the Future!

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without them we would not have been able to achieve this dream. This is true especially for former Senator Dean G. Skelos whose support was vital to our project. Also, Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano and former Supervisor Kate Murray supported the project with special generosity. Former Mayor Wayne J. Hall helped to create recreational space outside. All of them will always have our gratitude for all they have done. There are also others who helped in many different ways. Welquis López opened the door to me with Senator Skelos and we are very grateful to him. Senator Skelos provided the seed funds of $1,500,000 to purchase the property and begin the architectural plans. David Boone gave many hours of support and financial advice to the project and he did not charge Círculo during all this time. Pat McCormack from the beginning of our history and throughout the process of the business plan to build the Center continued to support us with generosity and kindness. They will be in our hearts always and Círculo de la Hispanidad is forever grateful. I could not realize this dream without the support of former and current Board Members. They believed in me and trusted me. We worked and suffered throughout the process and we also celebrated together this fantastic accomplishment. Círculo Center, even with all the support mentioned above, could not be possible without the essential work, infinite dedication, intelligence and passion of Sarah Brewster. Sarah is a blessing arriving from the skies at Círculo in 1999; the best gift Círculo has received in our history. As the Founder and Executive Director, I understand the importance of Círculo’s staff and their contributions through our history. They supported the organization with their daily work and ensured that programs and activities have been implemented in a financially sound manner. Having good evaluations and audits allowed me to keep the dream alive. Gracias. A thousand thanks for all participants and sponsors over the years. You have helped us achieve our mission. I also want to express my gratitude to our 2017 participants and sponsors. Thank you to all our Honorees for accepting our invitation to be part of our history and supporting the Gala. Gracias. Círculo and of course Círculo Center is the result of all people and businesses who have supported us throughout the years. I want to thank the Gala’s Planning Committee for supporting our honorees and our Gala. Their support has been essential in the always stressful work of implementing a successful event. Thank you Círculo’s Board members, staff, colleagues, volunteers and friends for supporting the journal, the raffle and selling tickets. I also want to give a special thanks to Evelyn Tavarez, Gala Coordinator, as well as Nancy Iglesias, our consultant for the Gala. As always, I want to thank my family for their encouragement. They have helped me to face the many difficulties that I have encountered this past year and over the years. Gracias Sarah Brewster , my partner in work and in life. Gracias por todo, thank you for everything. You continue to inspire me and I enjoy working with you every day. Gracias to my deceased parents, brother, niece and sister-in-law. I miss them. They have always inspired me in my difficult times. I want to thank my three children, Deborah, Daniel and Gil Miguel for their support. They share not only my happy moments but also my challenging ones and they continue to give me encouragement to persevere. I have continued to enjoy spending time with my grandchildren, my precious Rebecca, Sofía, Giuliana, Isak, Gabriella and Sebastián.

Message from the Founder/Executive Director Círculo de la Hispanidad Gil Bernardino

We continue to work hard to maintain programs during this tumultuous time for nonprofit organizations. As you all know, needs have increased for many of our most vulnerable populations while resources have dwindled. This has made my job this year especially difficult. We worked hard to obtain new funding to support immigrants, youth, victims of domestic violence, individuals living with HIV and others with new programs but we were unsuccessful. Our current programs are stable so far. I am grateful for the continued support of these current funding sources that have enabled us to offer many important services to the Nassau County Community. We are working hard to find new sources of funding to support needed services. While it has been a difficult year for Círculo, we celebrate the news of Evergreen Charter School, a free public nontraditional school serving kindergarten to sixth grade I founded together with Dr. Sarah Brewster, and the support from Círculo de la Hispanidad and others. Both of us serve as volunteer members of the Board of Trustees. Last year we successfully expanded the school to serve children in sixth grade. This year, we are happy to report we renewed our charter for an additional five years thanks to the efforts of students, parents, administrators, members of the Board of Trustees and all staff, including instructional staff as well as support staff from maintenance, lunch aides, administrative assistance and our chef. This is exciting news for Evergreen. Finally, we also received approval from the New York State Education Department to expand our school to offer a seventh and eighth grade. The school will now serve children from k-8 grade with a capacity for 675 students. At the same time, we have about 400 students on the waiting list this year. You may ask why I report the news of Evergreen Charter School in my letter about Círculo. Círculo founded Evergreen; Evergreen would not have existed without Círculo. While we maintain separate boards and funding sources, we celebrate Evergreen’s success as our success. In conclusion, Evergreen’s vision of providing hope and a future for children’s right to an excellent education is the result of the same vision and mission of Círculo de la Hispanidad. To all of you supporters, in different ways, of Círculo de la Hispanidad, current and past, you have impacted the establishment of Evergreen Charter School by supporting our organization and I thank you for that reason in the name of the many students who are and will benefit throughout the years. I am grateful to our many supporters including Bank of America who supported us with a very special grant in 2015 of $200,000. Our organization received these funds over two years. We plan to use this grant to engage in succession planning, and building a strong foundation for our future under new leadership. This is a very difficult process and the right decisions must be made if we want to sustain what we have and move forward at the same time. We are very grateful to the Bank of America for this incredible financial support. I give thanks for the support of those who helped the development of our Green Gold Center. We celebrated the completion of construction on October 24, 2015. The celebration included the recognition of individuals whose support was so important to the development of the Center that

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M essage F rom T he P resident of T he B oard

CÍRCULO DE LA HISPANIDAD 1980 – 2017

37 Years “A Remarkable Journey” 37 Años “Una Historia Admirable”

Thanks to you and to all who have supported us throughout our thirty-seven years. Gracias a todos ustedes y a todos los que nos han apoyado a través de estos treinta y siete años. Each year I reflect back about our recent accomplishments that have come to fruition through support from dedicated staff, the Board and from you our friends and supporters in the community. We have much to celebrate as we reflect on 37 years of commitment, dedication and a deep sense of service to the most vulnerable people in Nassau County (Hispanics and Non-Hispanics alike). Círculo received its articles of incorporation in 1980. However, the history of Círculo began some years earlier. Círculo’s founder, Gil Bernardino, came to the United States in 1974 to discover the many needs of the Long Beach Hispanic community. Concerned about the oppression of immigrant populations and underserved groups, Gil formed the vision of Círculo. Barbara DuBow, through her ideas, advice and support provided the essential tools for Gil to make the dream of Círculo a reality. Another key and trusted advisor who assisted Gil in developing the organization, was Pat McCormack. In 1980, New York State awarded Círculo its first grant of $25,000 to operate independently as a youth oriented organization. It was difficult to open doors in the beginning. Círculo started with three employees and a typewriter which had some missing keys. Now, the organization has a team of over forty full and part-time staff and a sophisticated computer system including a technology center, as well as many other amenities thanks to the commitment and vision of Círculo’s dedicated staff, volunteers and Board members. Many individuals have supported Círculo along this “Remarkable Journey”. Former Senator Dean G. Skelos, provided the seed funding for Círculo’s Center about twenty years ago. His vision and support enabled us to think large and dream of a Center that would serve thousands and thousands of individuals and families for many generations to come. We are especially grateful to Eileen Mullin and Lance Roth of Non Profit Preferred Funding. They were instrumental in securing the loan for this project. Non Profit Preferred Funding purchased the bonds made available through the Town of Hempstead Industrial Development Agency. Welquis R. López, a longtime friend of Círculo, has also been very supportive of our organization for many years and assisted Círculo achieve its dream to build a Center. We want to recognize County Executive Ed Mangano for his financial support to the Center. Through his support Círculo has been able to enhance the Center. Thank you. In addition, former Supervisor Kate Murray, of the Town of Hempstead, also has helped to support activities and programming at the Center and provided Círculo with funding in the past. Gracias Supervisor Murray for your support. We also want to extend our thanks to former Mayor Wayne Hall, Sr. who supported our Center including our Nature Explorer Classroom Project. We are grateful to all of them. As we continue on our mission to improve the lives of individuals and their families through a comprehensive continuum of social service, recreation, education, cultural, economic development and social justice programs, we are grateful for the special efforts of dedicated employees, supportive volunteers, Board members, corporate partners and friends who have helped us live our mission. Together we can make a difference. Thank you.

LEO FERNÁNDEZ

As President of the Board of Directors, and on behalf of Círculo de la Hispanidad, I would extend my appreciation to all our 2017 honorees for their support and dedication to Círculo’s mission to improve the lives of individuals and families. Tonight we pay homage to our honorees and thank them for their commitment to strengthening our community and supporting vulnerable populations. We admire them for their professional achievements and for their examples of leadership and service.

At this time we also to pay tribute to all those individuals that have made our Spring Gala 2017 possible.

Thank you to all of you attendees tonight for supporting us with our mission and vision. Thank you sponsors as well for contributing in large and small ways to the success of our journal and Gala.

Thank you Planning Committee members for your dedication and support. Your hard work has helped us to have a special evening tonight.

The Board would also like to recognize the staff of Círculo and thank them for their efforts and dedication to our organization.

I hope you enjoy our 37 th Anniversary Spring Gala Celebration. Again, thank you to all.

Leo Fernández President of the Board of Directors

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CÍRCULO DE LA HISPANIDAD 2017 SCHOLARSHIP AWARDEES SPRING GALA 2017 Thanks to all our sponsors and supporters who made this possible! Círculo de la Hispanidad’s Scholarship Fund has distributed close to $300,000 in scholarships to youth over the past thirty years thanks to your support.

Growing StrongerTogether!

Standing left to right: Gil Bernardino, Founder & Executive Director, Maggie Martínez- Malito, Christian Jovel-Arias, Eskarleth González-Amador, Kevin Aguilar, Luis GÓmez, Matías Donazar, Ana Manzanilla, Kevin García, Veryeni Cuevas, Vicky Jurado, Natalie Manzanilla, Jahiron Nune, Robin González, Max Rodríguez, Flor West, Dr. Sarah Brewster. Seated left to right: Marina Hernández, Tatiana Ramos, Angela Maure, Alejandra Loza Flores, Jacqueline Escobar, Darling Bonilla. Scholarship Awardees Not in Picture: Néstor Benavides, William Benítez, Kriselda Castro, Katherine Escobar, Edis Iscoa, Natalia Lake, Esly Rodríguez. Scholarship Committee Members Not in the Picture: Brianna Camavale, Mariela Giammarino, Héctor Martínez, Evelyn Hernández and Elizabeth Sherlock.

CDLH Mission To improve the lives of individuals and families through a comprehensive continuum of education, social services, recreation, cultural, economic development and social justice programs.

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Círculo de la Hispanidad’s Annual Spring Gala Serving Two Purposes

Congratulations to the 2017 Honorees

• Funds raised not only support agency programs, they support college scholarships for high school graduates from Long Beach and Hempstead who are matriculating in college or vocational training institutions. • Círculo de la Hispanidad holds its Annual Spring Gala every May. Individuals and companies are recognized for their contributions to the community.

Scholarship funds raised from the event are bestowed to youth at Círculo’s Annual Awards Night held in June.

Growing Stronger Together

Growing Stronger Toge t her

Growing Stronger Toge t her

Octavio Cardona

Lia Di Angelo-Allan

Founder Chardonas Key Lock Service, Inc.

Executive Floral Designer Westbury Floral Designs

Lia was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on December 18th, 1971. Daughter of Eric Di Angelo and Patricia del Valle Baralo, she grew up in a house of artists. Her parents Eric and Patricia created the dance duet, “Duo Acuario”, and traveled all over Europe performing tango shows in the 80’s. Lia’s love for tango and Argentinean culture started at a young age with her parent’s background and increased when she moved to USA in 1987. Being away from her Patria, gave her a sense of missing home and her Argentinean traditions. In the last 28 years, even though she has been away from her “home” she has cultivated her culture in her daily life and in the life of her children. From drinking mate, eating empanadas and asado, listening to tango and folklore and of course, teaching them Spanish! Lia has four children, Luigi (25), Antonella (23), Cameron (6) and Kate (5). She also has a grandson, Liam (1) who lives in Hawaii with Luigi and Megan, his parents. Lia is married to Gordon Allan, a gringo with Scottish background who speaks Spanish pretty well and loves her Argentinean accent! Lia carries a crown for Argentina since May of 2016, with the title of ‘Señora Bonita International y Belleza Latina 2016”. As the Queen of Argentina in New York, she is happy to have been giving the homage by Gil Bernardino to be honored at this important gala. One of her dreams is to help everyone, especially around the Holiday Season. This is why in December of 2016 she created a “Zumbathon”, at the YMCA in Glen Cove. Over 250 toys were collected and donated to The Toys for Tots organization and the “Yes We Can Center” in Westbury. She received a citation from NY State Assemblyman Chuck Levine and a special Thank You from Nassau County Legislator Siela Bynoe. Lia is the co-owners of “Westbury Floral Designs”, a flower shop in Westbury with her business partner Tracy Rhee. Together they create beauty daily and bring smiles to many people and events. Lia has been honored and recognized with a Citation of Nassau County, by the Nassau County Executive, as an American Latina Business woman who has contributed to the economic, social and cultural enrichment of Nassau County. Her business has been named the “Business of the Year-Negocio del Año” en los Premios Hispanos Al Talento Latino en Febrero del 2017. She has also been chosen to be part of the DRI Grant Committee with Mayor Cavallaro of Westbury. This committee will be important in the process of determining how best to utilize the $10 million grant for downtown Westbury. Lia loves giving back to the community, helping the less fortunate, helping the church and missionaries and re-inventing herself daily to be a better person, woman, wife, mother, friend, partner, daughter and sister. Her new ideas in giving back to the community include a “Back to School Program” in Westbury and Glen Cove, a “Keep Moving Program” to help people understand the importance of healthy living, detox and exercising.

In 1972, Octavio Cardona traveled to New York from Colombia to start a new life. With little money, he worked odd jobs until he found himself a job at a factory making fabric in Brooklyn, NY. In 1979, he found employment as a superintendent in a six-apartment building complex in Long Beach, New York, making $119 dollars a week. With his wife, Rosa Cardona and young son in tow they began their new venture. Years later, now a father of two, he was promoted to a much larger apartment building called The Beach House in Long Beach. Here is where his good friend gave him his first key cutting machine. He found his niche, there is where he started teaching himself about the craft of locksmithing which he now masters today. Octavio and Rosa worked hard every day showing their young children the value of hard work. While Octavio was going to night school in New York City to obtain his locksmith license, he would leave at 4:00 am to catch the train and not come back until late at night. Rosa attended to the responsibilities of the building and to the needs of their two young kids so he could get his training. Making sure the garbage was picked up on every floor, the hallways were cleaned and the lobby was mopped were no ordinary chores for children. For that reason Octavio’s kids have learned the value of hard work and have excelled in their own professional lives. The determination and focus to become a better man and to build a better life for his family was the driving force to his business success. His first investment was a small work van that the family now calls “Ol’ Faithful” and there is where he ventured off doing local service calls. When he was finally able to support his family full time and purchase his first home, like a true entrepreneur, he took a risk and opened up a shop in Oceanside which he named Chardonas Key Lock Service, Inc. The vision never stopped, even with English being his second language he was able to overcome any obstacles and barriers that came his way. With his son by his side his business began to flourish. The business expanded from one work truck to a fleet of work vans and employees, providing residential service calls to local customers and landing large commercial accounts. There was no limit to where his drive was going to lead him. After many years his son José would go off to run his own successful business called No Limit Auto Body, leaving his second child, Vanneza the opportunity to help run the business. With the guidance and mentorship of her father and brother, Vanneza was able to find her niche in this business. Together they have continued to build Chardonas by relocating and purchasing their building now situated in Island Park. With growing success Chardonas Key Lock Service, Inc. has now become one of the tri-states’ largest locksmith companies. Now certified as Minority and Women Owned Enterprise by New York, the sky is the limit. Octavio Cardona hard work and ambition is the foundation of the business he built.

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Growing Stronger Toge t her

Growing Stronger Toge t her

Luis Figueroa

Mateo Flores

Deputy Mayor Village of Hempstead

Director of Hempstead Nassau County EOC

A Village of Hempstead resident for the last 32 years, Luis Figueroa was appointed Deputy Mayor on April 6, 2015. Previously, Deputy Mayor was elected as a Village Trustee in the March 2013 elections. He is married to his childhood sweetheart Evelyn for 41 years and raised their son and daughter in the village. Today they are the proud grandparents of two young boys. Deputy Mayor Figueroa has been long dedicated to the improvement of the quality of life for all residents in the Village of Hempstead. His involvement as a grass roots leader include serving as Vice Chairman of the Hempstead Hispanic Civic Association for the past 22 years. Through his leadership in the community association, he has worked diligently to improve opportunities for Hempstead residents seeking education, housing, employment and a honest way of life. Luis was instrumental in securing the funding for the construction of a multiple affordable housing complex within the Village of Hempstead and he is presently the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the newly established Community Development Corporation at the Hempstead Hispanic Civic Association. Luis was appointed by Mayor Hall as the Vice Chairman of the Community Benefit Agreement Committee. As such, he and other like-minded community activists have pioneered the way to ensure that the Village residents get maximum benefits from the Downtown Revitalization Plan. Deputy Mayor Figueroa received acceptance to attend the University of New York, College of Staten Island, in June of 1983. He received a degree in Industrial Management and took employment with Con Edison of New York in 1973 where he recently retired after 39 years of service. An entrepreneurial business man at heart, he continues to own and operate a travel agency in the Village of Hempstead. As a man of faith, he has served on his church council where he lead men and youth ministries along with a wide range of community driven missions locally and around the world. By volunteering abroad, Deputy Mayor Figueroa has contributed towards the preservation of some extraordinary ways of life and continues to work with local residents to achieve common goals. Deputy Mayor Figueroa maintains active membership in the New Hempstead Democratic Club, the Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and is a Lifetime Member of The NAACP. In summary, he has dedicated his life to making leadership work for people, especially within the Village of Hempstead. Deputy Mayor Figueroa encourages all fellow community members to get involved and express their Village vision. It is his firm belief that with the participation of the people in partnership with Village Administration, Hempstead will "move forward" together.

Mateo Flores was born in El Salvador, Central America. He came to the United State in 1981. Married and a proud father of three beautiful children, his dream and desire when coming to the United States was to improve life conditions for himself and his family back in El Salvador. He worked several jobs upon his arrival here including maintenance, dishwasher, and later as a cook. He attended Westbury High School in New York and graduated in 1987. He continues his education at SUNY, Old Westbury College New York, in Child Psychology. He later attained a family development credential from Cornell University and was certified as an American Red Cross Emergency Disaster Team Member. He has participated in extensive professional trainings in the human services field, and is an immigration advocate. Mateo Flores became part of the Economic Opportunity Commission of Nassau County, Inc., in New York, as a Community Organizer working in the communities of Westbury, Carle Place, New Cassel and Hempstead, New York. He was soon promoted from Community Organizer to become Community Supervisor, and was quickly promoted again to Acting Director. Today he holds the position of Hempstead Community Action, EOC of Nassau, Inc., Executive Program Director for Hempstead and Westbury. As the Community Action Executive Program Director, Mateo Flores works with low-income and disenfranchised youth and families, providing direct services and advocacy including, but not limited to: immigration, human rights, employment family development, emergency food and shelter, summer youth programs, youth council programs, parenting skills classes, links to ESL and GED, after school homework assistance programs, voter education, and oversees the Hempstead EOC Soccer Club/ JLK Soccer Youth Program development, which is a championship winning program with twelve traveling teams. His strong belief in higher education has transcended into his commitment of helping over eighty low-income youth graduate from college through the Hempstead EOC Soccer Youth Program. Many individuals and organizations have recognized Mateo Flores for his leadership and dedication to youth and families, including the following: Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi,(Nassau County Heritage Night Award for Upstanding Leadership within the Latino Community); Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray; Hempstead Town Clerk Mark Bonilla (Youth Development); New York State Senator Craig Johnson (Community Service Award); Economic Opportunity Commission of Nassau County, Inc. (Employee of the Year Award);Chief Executive Officer EOC of Nassau County, Inc. (CEO Above and Beyond Annual Award and Employee of the Year), recognition by New York State Assemblyman Charles Levine; Nassau County Girls Scouts of America (Community Service Award); 5 Employees of the year as Hempstead Community Action Program Director, among others. Mateo Flores is President of the Westbury Hispanic United Association of LI NY, Co-Founder of Westbury Youth Soccer Club, Vice-Chair of the Nassau County EOC-CAP Director’s Association, and an active member in the following institutions: Long Island Family Development Association, New York State Family Development Association, President of the Long Island Hispanic Soccer Association, Inc., Member of the Long Island Junior Soccer League, Etc. Mateo Flores’ dedication in helping others and advocating for them has characterized and distinguished him as a community leader and a human rights advocate for all. He understands that all people have strengths and that with the right assistance and advocacy they could change their lives, even from humble beginnings. He resides in Westbury, New York, with his wife and three children.

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Growing Stronger Toge t her

Growing Stronger Toge t her

Vilma E. Matos, LCSW-R

Victor F. Politi, MD, FACP, FACEP

President Latino Immigrant Consultant

President/CEO Nuhealth System, NUMC

Ms. Matos is a graduate of the State University at Stony Brook School of Social Welfare where she received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s in Social Work. In 2001, she received her New York State Bilingual School Social Worker certification and went on to complete an additional sixty graduate credits beyond her Master’s in the areas of youth development and interventions. She began her social work career in 1983 at Pilgrim Psychiatric Center where she advocated for and spearheaded the first licensed outpatient and inpatient bilingual bicultural programs for the Hispanic mentally ill. La Casita Hispanic Day Treatment Program was the first of its kind in the New York State Office of Mental Health and it continues to provide services thirty years after its inception. She received numerous awards and commendations for this accomplishment. While working as a bilingual school social worker at the Huntington School District from 1997 to 2015, she initiated programs for Latino students. She developed a Newcomer Support Group, Latina Girls Group and workshops to address the social and emotional needs of Latino immigrant students and their families. She developed a curriculum with unique group activities and to help her in this endeavor, she designed a unique board game to be played with immigrant youth. The students find “My Journey to the United States – Mis Pasos a los Estados Unidos Board Game©” a fun way to open up and discuss sensitive topics. After retiring from the Huntington School District in 2015, Ms. Matos began a new career as a professional presenter and Latino immigrant consultant to schools, mental health clinics, community agencies and conferences. In June 2016, she presented as a panelist at the National Association of Social Workers, (NASW), annual conference at Washington, D.C. on conducting Newcomer Support Groups. She is also an entrepreneur promoting and selling her game on www. ELLGames.com. She works part-time as a clinical therapist at South Shore Guidance Clinic and at the Syosset School District where she was specifically hired to help address the needs of recently arrived Latino immigrant students and their families. Ms. Matos serves as the second Vice President and Chair of the scholarship and membership committees of the National Association of Puerto Rican and Hispanic Social Workers (NAPRHSW). She is also a committee member of the Suffolk County Association of Mental Health and Wellness and Adelphi University Task Force on addressing the needs of Latino parents and their children in the Brentwood School District. She has been the recipient of numerous awards over her career to include most recently, “Social Worker of the Year” from NYS Chapter of NASW Suffolk Division (April 2015) and the “The Elizabeth Guanill Memorial Award” from Suffolk County Human Rights Commission (May 2015). Ms. Matos was born in Barranquitas, Puerto Rico, and raised on Long Island. She is the proud parent of two sons, Orlando and William Matos.

Victor F. Politi, M.D., FACP, FACEP, is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the NuHealth System (also called the Nassau Health Care Corporation), a teaching facility and public safety net provider which operates the Nassau University Medical Center, the A. Holly Patterson Extended Care Facility, five LI Federally Qualified Family Health Centers and a school based clinic. In his capacity as NuHealth’s leader, Dr. Politi will oversee a healthcare delivery system with 3500 employees and a budget of $567M. The NuHealth System has a mission of providing quality care to Nassau’s most vulnerable populations. Prior to becoming NuHealth’s President/CEO, Dr. Politi was the Acting Nassau County Police Commissioner and Deputy County Executive of Public Safety under County Executive Hon. Edward P. Mangano. In that capacity, Dr. Politi oversaw the Nassau County Police Department, Office of Emergency Management, Probation Department, Sheriff ’s Office, Department of Corrections, Fire Marshal’s Office, Traffic Parking Violations Bureau, Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Nassau County Department of Health. These departments had a combined budget of almost $1 billion and a workforce of 5000 employees. As Deputy County Executive for Public Safety, Dr. Politi had overall direct report of those various commissioners and department heads and was involved in negotiations with the unions for current and future contracts. He reported directly to the County Executive and worked closely with the Legislature and NIFA. Dr. Politi’s expertise in clinical, budgetary and labor relations is a unique combination of corporate management and public sector leadership which have prepared him well for the challenges and opportunities ahead in this new era of health care delivery. Dr. Politi is a physician who trained at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and the Medical Center at Princeton New Jersey. He received his undergraduate degree from St. Johns University in Healthcare and Urban Health. Dr Politi has served as an emergency department attending physician, director and chairman, as well as President of the medical staff at St. Johns Queens Hospital in Elmhurst, N.Y. and chairman of the divisional executive committee and central executive board of the Caritas Hospital System. Afterward, he served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Cornerstone Treatment Facilities Network, a privately owned OASAS Certified hospital system, specializing in addiction medicine. Dr. Politi completed an additional residency in Occupational and Environmental Medicine at UMDNJ-RWJ Medical School and is also board eligible in Addiction Medicine by the American Board of Addiction Medicine. Dr. Politi recently served as a Police Surgeon for the Nassau County Police Department. In addition, Dr. Politi is an active “Class A” interior firefighter in his local community volunteer fire department. He serves as medical director for various fire departments and volunteer ambulance corps. Dr. Politi is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, the American College of Emergency Medicine, and a member of the American Board of Addiction Medicine and the American Board of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Dr. Politi also serves on the Regional Emergency Medical Service Council for New York City as well as Nassau County. Dr. Politi completed medical school while working as a police officer for the New York City Police Department, rising to the rank of Lieutenant in the Emergency Service Unit.

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Círculo de la Hispanidad Board of Directors

Círculo de la Hispanidad Staff Members

GIL BERNARDINO E xecutive D irector and F ounder

SARAH BREWSTER C heif D irector of S ervices and O perations

LEO FERNÁNDEZ P resident

SILVIA GALLEGOS D omestic V iolence A dvocate

MARTHA AIZAGA SALVA D omestic V iloence L iason

ZULY CARSON F iscal - A ccounts R eceivable

JAIME MOYA S ecretary

HECTOR MARTÍNEZ T reasurer

FREDERICA JOSEPH, MPA HIV MSA TPSSP P rogram D irector

EMMA MARTÍNEZ A dult E d . C oordinator HIV P rogram A ssistant

ELIZABETH GARCÍA Y outh S ervices D irector , H empstaed

MARIO FIGUEROA M ember

JULIÁN HERRERO M ember

SYLVANA LOYOLA M ember

SANDRA MILENA HUERTAS E arly P revention S pecialist

CYNTHIA MEJÍA Y outh S ervices D irector . L ong B each

NORA MARTÍNEZ F iscal D irector

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Círculo de la Hispanidad Staff Members

2017 Gala Planning Committee

GIL BERNARDINO

EVELYN TAVÁREZ G ala C oordinator

SARAH BREWSTER

KATHERINE MORA F iscal -A ccounts P ayable

CÉSAR NUESÍ B ehavior I ntervention S pecialist

BLANCA NÚÑEZ RWT and EIS P rogram A ssistant

JOSHUA POVEDA C hef /D irector of C ulinary and H ospitality S ervices

LYANNE SOLANO HIV P rogram A ssistant

JAQUELINE SLEEFE H uman R esources

JUAN BECERRA SONIA BERRIOS VILLANUEVA JOSEPH BOUQUET

ROSA CARDONA

EVELYN TAVÁREZ Office Administrator and Program Assistant

ARIEL SOTELO H ousing D irector

ELIZABETH TORRES RWT D irector

CAMILA CARUSONE

SERVANDO CID

VANNEZA CARDONA

SUSANA CID

Thank you...

C î rculo Employees!

SARI VAYDA P artners A fter S chool L ong B each P rogram D irector

MARVIN WILLIAMS HIV/AIDS L inkage C oordinator

ELIZABETH CUSTODIO

LEO FERNÁNDEZ

DHAMARY DAVIDSON-SMITH

MARIA ELISA CUADRA-FERNÁNDEZ

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2017 Gala Planning Committee

2017 Gala Planning Committee

EVELYN FIGUEROA

AMY FLORES

HERBERT FLORES

MELISSA FIGUEROA

FRANK MENIER

GABRIELA ORELLANA

EVER PADILLA

MARTINE MICHEL-TOURE

CARMEN J. PIÑEYRO PEDRO QUINTANILLA

NORMA GILER

STEVEN GILLEN

LUIS F. RAS

ALFONSO J. GARCIA-OSUNA

CHARLES RENFROE

ENRIQUE GOMEZ

MAX RODRÍGUEZ

GEORGE SIBERÓN

BLANCA LEONOR GONZÁLEZ

EVELYN HERNÁNDEZ NANCY IGLESIAS-GILLEN

LISETT M. KNOX

Thank You Gala Committee!

SILVANA LOYOLA

HÉCTOR MARTÍNEZ

MAGGIE MALITO-MARTÍNEZ

LINDA KELLY MEJIAS

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2017 Gala Planning Committee

Our supportive Elected Officials whom have helped us achieve our goals...

We Thank You!

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Letters from Elected Officials

Letters from Elected Officials

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Letters from Elected Officials

Letters from Elected Officials

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Letters from Elected Officials

Letters from Elected Officials

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Letters from Elected Officials

Bronze

We Thank You!

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Executive

We Thank You!

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MEADOW DRUGS 353 Newbridge Road East Meadow, NY 11554 P (516) 785-0120 F (516) 785-0715

MEADOW DRUGS 72 Bayville Avenue Bayville, NY 11709 P (516) 628-2323 F (516) 628-2382

SHIRLEY PHARMACY 464 William Floyd Pkwy. Shirley, NY 11967 P (631) 281-8101 F (631) 281-8103

TWIN PARKS PHARMACY & SURGICALS

2226 Jericho Turnpike Garden City Park, N.Y. 11040 P (516) 873-8600

Full Service Pharmacy & Surgical Supply Free Prescription Delivery

Completo Servicio de Farmacia y Suministro Quirúrgico Entrega de Recetas Gratis

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Open 7 Days for Lunch & Dinner

R estaurant & C atering S panish C ontinental & A merican C uisine

At Marbella, our team of Chef and Cooks are proud to present the most flavorful dishes from various regions of Spain as well as a number of French and Italian masterpieces.

♦ EXCLUSIVE LISTINGS ♦ OPEN HOUSES ♦ COMPLETE MLS ACCESSIBILITY ♦ HOME VALUE ACCESSED

♦ FREE BROCHURES ♦ MORTGAGE CALCULATIONS ♦ CONSUMER VIDEO TIPS AVAILABLE ♦ RESEARCH NEIGHBORHOOD & SCHOOLS

Congratulations to all Honorees & Círculo de la Hispanidad on its 37 th Anniversary!

We cater private parties and banquets for up to 350 people in our Ball Room, East Room, Dining Room & Adria Hotel’s Conference Center. Whatever your plans require, we can help make it memorable.

Congratulations to Círculo de la Hispanidad & the 2017 Honorees

Susana Cid Licensed Real Estate Broker

MR. OCTAVIO CARDONAS MS. LIA DI ANGELO MR. LUIS FIGUEROA

MR. MATEO FLORES MS. VILMA E. MATOS VICTOR F. POLITI, MD

P: 718-224-0300 F: 718-224-0552

251-21 Northern Blvd. Little Neck, N.Y. 11363

SERVANDO CID Marbella Restaurant 220-33 Northern Blvd Bayside, NY 11361

Email Us! littleneckrealty@aol.com

We have plenty of information and resources available to you. We would love to hear from you and tell you how we can serve all your real estate needs.

Tel: 718-423-0100 Fax: 718-423-0102

www.marbella-restaurant.com contact@marbella-restaurant.com

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Corporate

We Thank You!

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Congratulations to our Founder, Octavio Cardona

for this well deserved tribute by Círculo de la Hispanidad A cknowledgements F rom Y our F amily T hat L oves Y ou D early ! & C ongratulations to all other F ellow H onorees !

• Sales

• Service

• Installation

Residential

Commercial

Industrial

Auto

MWBE Certified – Empire, NYC, Port Authority, Nassau County and Suffolk County

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It is with great pleasure that we have the opportunity to celebrate the wonderful work and effort of Círculo de la Hispanidad for their work and effort to make the community a better place.

Thank you from the staff of Diverse Technology Solutions.

2017

Congratulations.

Cloud Hosted Voice and Data Solutions

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Business

We Thank You!

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Empowering Individuals & Strengthening Communities

New Horizon Counseling Center provides individual group counseling and psychotherapy in a warm and serene setting. Members are provided a range of services to assist them in life skills in a supportive environment. Our clients benefit from an outstanding team of professionals who are empathetic and caring. We accept most insurances, Medicare, Medicaid, private pay and sliding scale as needed.

Chemical Dependence Program - treatment and support for individuals and families dealing with alcoholism and substance abuse. Special groups for adolescents and young adults. Certified dWi program - Six month program with certificate upon successful completion of program. Spanish and english programming. 516-872-9698 “The Club” - Social day program for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, other dementias and physical frailties. 516-374-9253

“The Meeting Place” - A social and pre-vocational day program for adults with mental illness. members are provided a range of services to assist them in life skills in a supportive environment. 516-569-4524 Care Coordination - Helps individuals who are eligible for medicaid who have medical or behavioral health issues receive the most comprehensive benefits to meet their needs. 718-945-2273

Developmental Disabilities - Social and vocational services and programs for adults and children with developmental disabilities 718-327-7202 “Out and About” - Socialization group for adults with physical disabilities Joan Baum Friends Program - teen mentors for younger children with special needs in the Hewlett-Woodmere and lynbrook school districts. 516-204-1330

Support Groups Include: Art therapy for Adults • Feeling good groups for girls and Women Helping Kids understand emotions group Ages 8 - 12 • parenting Skills group • Stress management groups • bereavement group • boys Social Skills group Ages 5 & 6

HeAltH Home/CAre mANAgemeNt

dAY treAtmeNt progrAm

CHemiCAl depeNdeNCY progrAmS

outpAtieNt CliNiCS

outreACH

AlzHeimer dAY progrAm deVelopmeNtAl diSAbilitieS SerViCeS NEW HORIZON COUNSELING CENTER

829171

50 W. Hawthorne Avenue | Valley Stream, New York 11580 Phone 516-569-6600 | Fax 516-374-2261 | VISIT US! www.NHCC.us

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Congratulations to Círculo de la Hispanidad on its 37th Anniversary Spring Gala and the 2017 Honorees for a well merited acknowledgment

ROBIN NEWMAN (516) 739-0200 ext: 142 • robin@nybs.com

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Best Wishes to All the Honorees And Círculo de la Hispanidad

Thank You for Your Many Years of Support

An accounting firm presently serving over 275 not-for-profit organizations.

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Di Angelo

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Congratulations to Círculo de la Hispanidad on their 37th Anniversary Spring Gala & A Well Desrved Homage to Lia DiAngelo and Fellow Honorees!

Offering Accounting, Tax and Financial Services. Our mission is to serve you by providing the highest level of expertise and professionalism.

Nestor Chopin, CPA 404 Glen Cove Ave #7 Sea Cliff, NY 11579 (516) 759-3400 www.chopincpa.com

Our mission is to help parents create a world where their babies are free to live, grow, and thrive in a safe and healthy environment. Everything we do is designed to make that incredible journey healthier and happier, so babies can splash in the bath, crawl on the floors, play in the sun, explore their world, and grow boldly.

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building a better Hempstead for Hispanic families since 1978

Executive Committee

building a better Hempstead for Hispanic families since 1978

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND STAFF OF THE HEMPSTEAD HISPANIC CIVIC ASSOCIATION CONGRATULATES CIRCULO DE LA HISPANIDAD ON THE OCASSION OF ITS 37 TH ANNIVERSARY SPRING GALA. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL HONOREES ESPECIALLY OUR DEAR FRIENDS LUIS FIGUEROA, MATEO FLORES AND VILMA MATOS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND STAFF OF THE HEMPSTEAD HISPANIC CIVIC ASSOCIATION CONGRATULATES CIRCULO DE LA HISPANIDAD ON THE OCASSION OF ITS 37 TH ANNIVERSARY SPRING GALA. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL HONOREES ESPECIALLY OUR DEAR FRIENDS LUIS FIGUEROA, MATEO FLORES AND VILMA MATOS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND STAFF OF THE HEMPSTEAD HISPANIC CIVIC ASSOCIATION CONGRATULATES CIRCULO DE LA HISPANIDAD ON THE OCASSION OF ITS 37 TH ANNIVERSARY SPRING GALA. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL HONOREES ESPECIALLY OUR DEAR FRIENDS LUIS FIGUEROA, MATEO FLORES AND VILMA MATOS Í Hempstead Hispanic Civic Association Is a Neighborhood Preservation Company Funded by the NY State Division of Housing and Community Renewal and by the Nassau County Youth Board and Provides Low and Moderate Cost Housing After School Tutorial Programming Summer Camp Program, Educational and Guidance and Adult Education - English as a Second Language. Hempstead Hispanic Civic Association Is a Neighborhood Preservation Company Funded by the NY State Division of Housing and Community Renewal and by the Nassau County Youth Board and Provides Low and Moderate Cost Housing After School Tutorial Programming Summer Camp Program, Educational and Guidance and Adult Education - English as a Second Language.

Dr. Roy Aranda Chairperson

Luis Figueroa Vice Chairperson Executive Committee

Irma I. Nieves, RN Treasurer Dr. Roy Aranda Chairperson Luis Figueroa Vice Chairperson Rosa J. Quiles Secretary

Executive Director Irma I. Nieves, RN Treasurer George Siberón, MPA, MSW Rosa J. Quiles Secretary Hempstead Hispanic Civic Association 236 Main Street Hempstead, New York 11550 TEL 516.292.0007 FAX 516.292.0026 hemspteadhispaniccivic.com Executive Director George Siberón, MPA, MSW Hempstead Hispanic Civic Associati n 236 Main Street Hempstead, New York 11550 TEL 516.292.0007 FAX 516.292.0026 hemspteadhispaniccivic.com Executive Committee Dr. Roy Aranda Chairperson Luis Figueroa Vice Chairperso Irma I. Nieves, RN Treasurer Rosa J. Quiles Secretary HEMPSTEADHISPANICcivic.com HEMPSTEADHISPANICcivic.com Executive Director

building a better Hempstead for Hispanic families since 1978

George Siberón, MPA, MSW

Hempstead Hispanic Civic Association 236 Main Street Hempstead, New York 11550 TEL 516.292.0007 FAX 516.292.0026 hemspteadhispaniccivic.com

HEMPSTEADHISPANICcivic.com

Hempstead Hispanic Civic Association Is a Neighborhood Preservation Company Funded by the NY State Division of Housing and Community Renewal and by the Nassau County Youth Board and Provides Low and Moderate Cost Housing After School Tutorial Programming Summer Camp Program, Educational and Guidance and Adult Education - English as a Second Language.

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Supporter

We Are Proud to be here at Círculo de la Hispanidad 2017 Gala Celebration

Installing & Servicing Gas Heating & Central Air Conditioning Natural Gas Standby Generators Since 1968 www.SystematicControl.com 516 482-1375 • 718 631-1375 536 NORTHERN BLVD. GREAT NECK, N.Y. 203-14 48 AVE. BAYSIDE, N.Y.

We Thank You!

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Lia Di Angelo Círculo 2017 Spring Gala Honoree And Executive Floral Designer Of Westbury Floral Designs Congratulates Fellow 2017 Honorees Octavio Cardona Luis Figueroa Mateo Flores Vilma E. Matos, LCSW Victor F. Politi, MD, FACP, FACEP

íFelicidades!

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