Sophie Gerson Healthy Youth has well earned the reputation as Labor’s Youth Charity of Choice, by delivering our services in a pro-Labor fashion, knowing that that provides the best service and outcomes for the children we serve. Specifically, you might be interested to note the following:
~ SGHY uniquely engages school faculty alongside expert program providers in every SGHY activity, including summer camp. We compensate school faculty at the collective bargaining per session rates.
~ SGHY closely collaborates with school administrators and teachers for program development.
~ SGHY engages the unionized workforce of Labor Press for our non-administrative functions.
~ At all of our annual galas, SGHY has honored Labor Leaders,including Randi Weingarten last year, and Shaun Francois I previously, among others, to underscore the importance of the labor movement to child well being.
~ SGHY engages only unionized bus companies for our student transportation.
~ SGHY shops at the unionized Morton Williams Store for our organization’s and students’ supermarket needs.
~ Several Union members have always served on SGHY’s Board, including our designated Vice-President, Dennis Gault and Neal Tepel, Rafael Tompkin, and the late Dr. Leonard Golubchick.
~ We consult with athletic and entertainment industry unions to enhance our sports and cultural programs.
All this comes natural to us because it reflects our namesake, Sophie Geron’s lifelong union activism. Sophie believed, as we do, that “teachers – and unions – want what children need.” Born as the daughter of an early organizer and member of the Cutters Union, Local 10 of the ILGWU, Emanuel Greenberg, Sophie served as UFT General Assembly Delegate, Unity Caucus member, Chapter Chair, and Retired Teachers Chapter representative at the UFT Delegate Assembly. When Sophie served as an elected Member and President of Manhattan’s Community School Board 2, following her retirement, she single-handedly successfully led efforts to prevent privatization of custodial services in the District (which would have set a Citywide precedent). When she ran for School Board, Sophie received staunch union support. Sophie was active with COPE and in her community and political activism consistently advocated for pro-union positions.