2024 Annual Letter – Phil Zwickler Charitable & Memorial Foundation Trust

Trustees:
Allen Zwickler
Caren Levine
Jeff Silver
Randi Zwickler

We continue to honor the long-term grantees that have made us proud and search for new candidates to fund. Now in its 22nd year, we have given nearly 100 fellowships through Cornell University’s Division of Rare Manuscripts / human sexuality collection. Scholars utilize/ visit Cornell’s collection as part of their advanced work on a project they are involved with. On one occasion, we gave a grant to a visual artist… please visit our 2018 letter for a description of that artist. You will also find a list of all the grantees by going to the menu tab on our front web page and choosing PZ grant winners and Cornell division of rare manuscripts. In several cases, we have given repeat fellowships and have recently had award winners refer their students for the fellowship. I now want to introduce Emily Levine, Caren’s daughter, Seymour’s granddaughter, and my niece to tell you about how she has supplemented our giving through her work at two of our grantees, The Elm Project/Camp AmeriKids and the Alliance for Positive Change. Emily is a high honors bachelor’s graduate of Ohio State University and a master’s degree at NYU with a focus on mental health/ psychology.

Camp Amerikids:

For the last three summers, I had the privilege of experiencing the magical beauty that is Camp AmeriKids. Camp AmeriKids is a one-week residential summer camp for children ages 8-16 who are affected by HIV/AIDS, sickle cell disease, and other chronic illnesses. Campers are divided into eight different groups (four girl groups and four boy groups). Each summer, I was assigned to be a counselor for the oldest group of girls, called the “Frogs.” The Frogs range from ages 14-16, with an average of 20 campers in the group, supported by about five counselors, one group leader, one wellness staff member who is a trained social worker, and two nurses who are solely responsible for taking care of the Frog campers.

The best way to explain Camp AmeriKids is through the quote: “From the outside looking in, you can’t understand it. From the inside looking out, you can’t explain it.” To me, the most special part of it all is that everyone comes with their own story and their own reason for wanting to escape the real world. Every camper, volunteer, nurse, wellness staff, and administrative staff has their own lives outside of camp that go on the other 51 weeks of the year. For just one week out of the 52, we can come together, pause, unplug, and embrace all the love and joy that is Camp AmeriKids—a place where nothing matters except who’s going to win the lip sync battle and which activity our group is going to choose for cabin night. Despite the exhausting days, the freezing summer nights, and any chaos in between, I wouldn’t change a thing about my experiences spending the last three summers at Camp AmeriKids. Even though I graduated from New York University with my Master’s in Mental Health Counseling, I can safely say that I learned more about culture and human differences at camp than any textbook could teach me. It was the tough conversations we had throughout the weeks, solving conflicts between campers, and being exposed to and confided in about such deep and personal real-life issues that have come in handy in my career as a therapist. At Camp AmeriKids, I was welcomed and embraced into my campers’ respective cultures as they shared personal stories and traditions with me, such as hair braiding and their favorite types of music. I honestly did not expect to learn so much from a bunch of 15-year-old girls or realize how much of an impact these campers would have on my life, opening my eyes, my head, and my heart. Spending time with my campers, indulging in their favorite activities, is what led to us forging a true camper-counselor relationship and having the best weeks possible, filled with endless laughter and dancing. Developing these relationships and learning about cultures different from my own is what keeps me eager to return each summer and create these experiences with new campers.

The Alliance for Positive Change:

I have been a part of The Alliance for Positive Change’s family since my first internship in the summer of 2019. After graduating with a degree in Psychology from The Ohio State University, I worked part-time at The Alliance as a receptionist. As a receptionist, I was responsible for greeting every client who walked into the main site in Midtown. Since the clients are the heart of The Alliance family, I saw firsthand how much low-income New Yorkers rely on the services and resources provided by The Alliance. Whether it was a MetroCard, a hygiene kit, a safer sex kit, a lunch, or some clothing from the clothing room, I assisted them in meeting their needs. It was my responsibility to relay all clients’ concerns to their caseworkers and ensure that everyone who walked through our doors received what they were looking for. While attending NYU, I was given multiple additional assignments where I truly got my hands dirty at The Alliance. After re-opening our doors post-COVID-19 pandemic, I trained clients to become “COVID Vaccine Ambassadors.” These ambassadors went out into the community to advocate for the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine and provided resources such as masks, COVID-19 test kits, and vaccine locations. At the same time, I facilitated a “Coping with COVID” group that provided a space for clients to meet and discuss how the pandemic impacted their mental health.

Fast forward two long years, I graduated from New York University with my Master’s in Mental Health Counseling and was contemplating where I wanted to work. I thought long and hard about whether it was time to spread my wings and work at a new agency. I asked myself, why go to a new agency in New York City when I already have my feet in the door here and am passionate about how special The Alliance is? I knew there was no better place for me to further my professional career and receive my licensure hours than at The Alliance for Positive Change.

As of Fall 2023, I was offered a full-time position as an OASAS Substance Abuse Counselor at The Alliance’s recovery center called “CASA Washington Heights.” As a recovery counselor, I run the daily 10-11 AM recovery group where individuals with a history of illicit substance abuse come together to learn recovery coping skills while also expressing vulnerability, and sharing their hardships, traumas, challenges, and life goals. Despite not having my own experience with substance abuse, I have built trust and a therapeutic rapport with these strong individuals. Yes, I may be the group facilitator who decides the group topic and lays down the group rules; however, the clients themselves are the experts. They are the ones teaching me. At The Alliance, we value the phrase, “each one, teach one, reach one.” Every single day, I have the privilege of working with clients who teach me about the trials and tribulations of life and reach my heart more than one could imagine. I also have the responsibility of meeting with clients one-on-one for individual sessions. As their recovery counselor, we work together to build a treatment plan that lays out their goals for becoming sober from drugs and alcohol. Beyond their addiction, I ensure clients are referred to proper medical care and case management, and assist them with any concerns they might be facing.

The best part about working at The Alliance for Positive Change is that I can be myself every day I come to work. I do not need to pretend to be somebody I am not. It is a place where everyone helps each other grow. It is a place where positive change is prioritized, and the staff and peers work long and hard to ensure their clients receive the best possible care and can leave our doors to navigate their lives through New York City. The Alliance for Positive Change is my second family. Few things warm my heart more than a client coming to me to share how excited they are about an accomplishment and thanking me for assisting them along the way. Whether it’s getting out of the shelter system and finally obtaining permanent housing of their own, reaching a milestone of sobriety, or obtaining their GED, no matter how big or small the accomplishment, it is these victories and the smiles on the clients’ faces that remind me how lucky I am to work at such a special place—a place that truly embodies positive change.

Thank you, Emily, for being so involved. Until next time.

Allen

To view Annual Reports from preceeding years, please click on the links below. For financial information, please contact Allen Zwickler by clicking here.