Tompkins Community Action

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On May 19, 2006 over 200 people attended
Tompkins Community Action's Gala Celebration
of our 40th anniversary of community service.

Martin Luster

Martin Luster, former NYS Assemblyman, past EOC/TCAction Board President and Board Member and current TCAction Advisory Team member, delivered an inspiring, “no holds barred” speech entitled “Tompkins Community Action, Now more than Ever!”, about the dire need for vigorous and sustained political action on behalf of the needs of the poor and disenfranchised.

40 Years Old and Going Strong


A group picture of TCAction's most important asset,the employees.
Photograph taken on the Employee Recognition Day, June 16, 2006.

Our gala 40th Anniversary Celebration was held at the new Hilton Garden Inn on Seneca St., in their main ballroom . All four of TCAction's departments; Early Childhood, Energy Services, Family Resources and Housing were highlighted with displays showing their programs' activities. A "40 Years of EOC/TCAction History" display was also of great interest to our guests.

This Year's Joe Cassaniti Community Service Award Winner is Chibo Shinagawa.

Ms. Shinagawa was nominated by Audrey Cooper, Director of the Multi-cultural Resource Center at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County.

This award is given annually to a high school senior in Tompkins County who has demonstrated his/her commitment to the community through volunteerism. Chibo Shinagawa, who will be attending Mills College in California next fall, truly embodies the involved community volunteer spirit of this award.

Mr. & Mrs. Shinagawa accepted the award for their daughter, Chibo, who could not attend because she was doing a special educational project at the Freedom School on the Akwesasne (Mohawk) Indian Reservation in northern NYS.

Community Action Award Winners

Tompkins Community Action presented two Community Action Awards and the Joe Cassaniti Community Service Award. As this was our 40th Anniversary, the nomination criteria for an individual, group or organization was: the initiation of, and/or engagement in, activities and/or related support services that have had a positive impact on building community efforts to end poverty in Tompkins County.

This year we selected both an individual and an organization to each receive the award. We feel that the two winners we selected this year, Jessica Houle and The Family Reading Partnership, truly reflect TCAction’s mission of “partnering with low-income households and individuals as they develop to their full potential.”


Lee Dillon and Barbara Lifton

 

Executive Director Lee Dillon also acknowledged and honored Joyce Walker, former Executive Director (1991-2000) and other Agency retirees; Linda Cox, Donna Jewett, Toni Shaw, Joy Smith whose total time of service to EOC/TCAction totals 82 years!

 


Joyce Walker


Linda Cox & Jackie Mouillesseaux-Grube