Mobilizing the Community

Staten Island Mental Health Society extends the reach of its professional staff by mobilizing broad support from over 500 community volunteers.  “It is one of the reasons I took this job,” says Kenneth Popler, SIMHS President and CEO.

Begun more than 50 years ago by Staten Island philanthropist Elizabeth Pouch, the Staten Island School Reading Volunteer Program has over 250 trained volunteers who donate 17,000 hours of tutoring time annually to more than 450 children at 33 public elementary schools. 
“We hire a professional reading teacher to train the reading volunteers, who  give us a commitment to provide two hours of tutoring a week,” says Joan Gerstel,  the program’s co-coordinator.   “The kids who need extra help  are chosen by their teachers. The program has been very, very successful.”

SIMHS volunteers also run the Staten Island Children’s Theatre Association which offers talented youngsters ages 5 to 18 an opportunity to take part in fall, spring and summer musical and dramatic workshops at North Shore and South Shore sites.

And, volunteers operate two SIMHS Thrift Shops six days each week that both generate additional funding for the agency and provide opportunities for low-income families to find high quality donated clothing at bargain prices.  Volunteers also comprise the SIMHS Board of Directors, the Society’s Women’s Guild and the Pouch Center Women’s Auxiliary.

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