February 28, 2018
Dear Friends,
The winter, a dormant season, has been anything but quiet at The Sylvia Center!
I couldn’t be more excited to announce that Jennifer John has joined The Sylvia Center as our new Executive Director. Most recently, as the Deputy Executive Director at Literacy, Inc., Jennifer oversaw a period of tremendous advancement for the organization. She developed collaborative partnerships, strengthened programs, and secured sustainable revenue that supported the growth of mission-driven impact.
As we welcome Jennifer, I want to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to Anna Hammond, our pioneering leader of the past eight years. Anna has prepared us for the journey ahead with her tireless work with the staff, Board and supporters. We are grateful for all that she has contributed to The Sylvia Center.
We enter our second decade with a deepened commitment to our mission, and we want to build upon our success and what our students have achieved. We want to help more young people in the five boroughs of NYC and upstate in Columbia County to discover what is possible. We’ve taught thousands of young New Yorkers about food, and more importantly given them hands-on cooking skills. This work not only instills confidence, positive habits, and knowledge, but opens doors to life-changing opportunities for youth, teens and their families.
These are not ordinary times. We believe that our work with our Sylvia Center students will help prepare them for the journey ahead — to be strong, healthy and vibrant contributors to our greater community.
Thank you for your continued support and involvement.
With gratitude,
Liz Neumark
Founder, The Sylvia Center
CEO, Great Performances
