Justin is a dedicated college student based in Long Island, NY. He strives to help as many people as he can in both his personal and professional life. From experience working with the elderly population and food delivery, Justin is always searching for new ways to lend a helping hand. Currently studying business at LIU Post, he would like to help smaller companies thrive in the best way possible. In his free time, Justin is always trying to be productive and creative. From creating music projects to helping neighbors and friends with tasks, he tries to give back to society in numerous ways.

Amil is an Afghan-American writer and educator born in the San Francisco Bay Area and based in Brooklyn, New York. She is a former AmeriCorps member, who served at Reading Partners Silicon Valley, contributing to the organization’s community engagement and development efforts. Recently, she was a PhD student at Princeton University studying post-colonialism and Renaissance literature before deciding to transition back into the nonprofit sector to use her writing and research expertise to tackle pressing social issues. She is especially passionate about educational equity and mental health and believes in helpNYC’s mission to inform and empower at-risk New Yorkers.

Philip is a Seattle native, but a New Yorker at heart. He comes to helpNYC with a philanthropic fire to help change the way our communities view and manage homelessness while working to address the underlying causes that lead to people experiencing homelessness in their lives.

He has worked with the Upper Manhattan Mutual Aid, The West Harlem Development Corporation and is a founding member of Uptown Wagons, a group of community members that does a weekly late-night food and PPE distribution to people experiencing homelessness in Harlem.

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Noam Brenner is a social justice advocate based in Montclair NJ, and recent graduate of the George Washington University. After graduating, he worked on voter registration and civic engagement as a Pressman Social Action Intern and as a project manager at Vot-ER. Wanting to help those in need suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic, he began volunteering as a researcher for Hunger Free America. From his experience at Hunger Free America and helpNYC, Noam has become passionate about social policy and food justice and will soon start a two year service fellowship in Brooklyn with Repair the World.

Furwa J. Hussain is a Program Director for Muslims Against Hunger and has over 10 years of community service within the many diverse communities of NYC. She is extremely passionate about creating sustainable solutions within various sectors including education, food sustainability, mental health and housing. Currently she serves as a Board Member for Habitat for Humanity Young Professionals. She is a published author and advocates against the stigma around South Asian Mental illness through her literary work. In her free time you can find her tending to her hydroponic gardens, with a good book and hot cup of tea.

Jill Levey is the Principal of Levey Consulting, founded in 2000, which provides top-notch grant-proposal writing and research services.

Jill has worked in the nonprofit sector since 1992. She has worked with clients in a variety of fields including education, youth development, health, human service, disability, arts, infant safety, and therapeutic horsemanship.

Charlotte Masters is a dedicated public health professional based in Brooklyn, New York. She is pursuing a Master of Social Work from Fordham University, following a BBA in International Business from The American Business School of Paris in France. Following experience in a client facing role with the homeless population, Charlotte hopes to direct her diverse educational and professional background to providing more robust options for those in need.

Tahreem is a sophomore at Boston University studying biology. She is passionate about helping people and organizing resources for those in need. She has volunteered for the Red Cross throughout her four years of high school, which has helped her realize the different ways she can connect with communities to make big differences. Tahreem hopes to work with the Communications Team in order to make New York a more welcoming city.

The Reverend Cassandra G. Perry is the Executive Director of the 163rd Street Improvement Council. She also serves as Associate Pastor of the Williams Institutional CME Church, and is an Adjunct Professor at New York Theological Seminary. After studying in Spain and at the University of Oxford in England, she graduated from Duke University as an Angier B. Duke Scholar. She earned an MBA in International Marketing from the Garvin School of International Management in Glendale, AZ; then worked in the private sector for companies such as Honeywell, Pfizer, and Goldman-Sachs.

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J. RueMel (formerly Josh Parkin) is a Community Leader, fierce Mental Health Advocate, and a Mental Health Peer Specialist. Josh retired in 2019 with more than twenty years in the entertainment industry spanning from Broadway to around the world touring as a union stage manager, stagehand, and audio engineer. They is an alumni of the New York City shelter system. Rue lives an active lifestyle in Recovery and brings the message of hope to his neighbors in need through his work at helpNYC. They has served as a Director on several national and international Boards of Directors, worked with LGBTQ Youth and has participated in some of the biggest events that have changed society. Rue was born in Maine and calls New York City home.

Click here to learn more about Rue.

Biography coming soon.