Lois Lowenstein working with a student at MCNDHS in 2011
Many volunteers have come through CYD’s doors over the years, and we are grateful for them all. Volunteers have been instrumental in our students’ success, helping them in a multitude of ways – by tutoring in school subjects; working on English conversation practice; reviewing résumés, cover letters, and college essays; and helping with school events. Volunteers are at the very heart of CYD, whose founders were volunteers at Manhattan Comprehensive.
One of CYD’s longest-serving volunteers has given generously to CYD for the past 16 years. Lois Lowenstein, a neighborhood resident and retired social worker, was mourning the loss of her daughter when she walked by Manhattan Comprehensive and saw a sign seeking volunteer tutors. Working with students gave her a strong sense of purpose. When she saw how many of them struggled to afford life’s basic needs, Lois was moved to act. She started the Lissa Florman Eyeglass Fund—named in honor of her daughter—to provide emergency funds for the kinds of expenses that often went unmet: a pair of eyeglasses, a trip to the dentist, an interview suit, or a ticket home after the loss of a loved one. CYD’s Assistant Executive Director Margaret Aylward said, “The Fund is a godsend. For our students, a relatively small expense can create a huge obstacle to health, success, or even survival.” Lois continues to tutor students, and even now, in her nineties, climbs the 2 flights of stairs at Manhattan Comprehensive to meet with the newest New Yorkers and, with warmth and empathy, help them succeed in school.
Margaret McMahon with an MCNDHS student in 2011
CYD has also reflected this past year on the legacy of one of our longtime volunteer tutors, Margaret McMahon, who passed away on May 14, 2024. Margaret is fondly remembered and deeply appreciated by our alumni and staff for her dedication to the students she tutored.
Your dollars make a difference!
Without the support of each and every one of our individual donors, the stories you read about and the programs that make an impact in the lives of our young people would not be possible. Thank you!
