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Hood Foundation, one of the city's leading poverty-fighting
organizations, honored five New Yorkers at the 16th
annual Robin Hood Heroes Award breakfast held at the
Mandarin Oriental New York.
Georgiette Morgan-Thomas, a staff member from the West
Side’s Goddard Riverside Community Center, was
named a hero for her work in transforming the lives
of homeless, mentally ill New Yorkers. George Sanders,
who lives at The Corner House, a residence run by Georgiette
Morgan-Thomas, was also named a hero for turning around
his own life. He lived homeless on the streets of New
York City for 30 years. Presenting the award to Goddard
Riverside was Robin Hood board member Tom Brokaw.
George Sanders fled his aunt’s home at age 13
to escape constant beatings and was homeless for the
next 3 decades. Mentally challenged, he got by living
on the streets until Goddard Riverside’s Project
Reachout finally found him in Central Park. George had
participated in other homeless programs before, but
only Goddard Riverside’s was successful. Today,
for the first time in 30 years, George is mentally stable,
has been sober for more than two and a half years, is
working, and lives in his own apartment in one of Goddard
Riverside’s five residences.
Georgiette Morgan-Thomas has run The Corner House, Goddard
Riverside’s permanent housing facility for the
mentally ill and elderly, since 1997. Georgiette is
passionate about caring for the mentally ill and destitute
and integrating them into society. She has made The
Corner House a central part of its Harlem neighborhood
and her efforts have helped revitalize a once dangerous
community.
“These remarkable New York
City Heroes are an inspiration to all of us who believe
that anything is possible in this city and that each
person can truly make a difference in bettering the
lives of our neighbors and our communities,” said
Glenn Dubin, chair of Robin Hood’s board of directors
and host of the Heroes Award breakfast. |
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