The Floating Hospital

A trip to Panama early in her optometry doctorate program gave Farhana Jui a concrete understanding of how many individuals in the world lack access to critical medical care and how she could help. ? “It was a privilege to care for patients and earn their trust with something as vital as their vision,” she recalled. The “experience affirmed my decision to become an optometrist and taught me how to use my clinical skills effectively to support individuals who lack access to optometric care. It also deepened my understanding of compassion and the importance of providing support to those who need it.” ? She brings that same commitment to The Floating Hospital as our first optometrist and director of the new Optometry Clinic. She has been in the role since October and has been working diligently ever since with a staff that includes Ashley Gomez, an optometric technician, and Jaqueline Gamez, a medical assistant who is training to conduct patient work-ups under Dr. Jui’s guidance.? ? Read more about the new department and Dr. Jui?here. https://lnkd.in/es3M8aT5

We are grateful for the amazing coverage from NY1’s Roger Clark highlighting our Souls4Souls event! In addition to speaking with some our young patients, Roger interviewed Cynthia Davis, Director of Community Outreach, and Meghan Miller, Director of Health Education who highlighted many of the vital services we offer to the community. A special thank you to Soles4Souls for their generous donation of 500 pairs of shoes and 550 pairs of Bombas socks. Check out the link below to see Roger’s coverage and learn more about our mission at The Floating Hospital! https://lnkd.in/e7gUkzA9

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us today for our Soules4Souls event! We are incredibly grateful to Soules4Souls for their generous donation of 500 pairs of shoes and 550 socks. Your support means the world, and we know these wonderful shoes will find loving homes.

Join us next Friday, March 14, for an exciting opportunity to make a difference! We need help sorting and organizing our latest shoe donation, featuring 500 pairs of sneakers and 550 pairs of Bombas socks from Soles4Souls. We're looking for ten volunteers to lend a hand at the Floating Hospital clinic located at 21-01 41st Ave in Long Island City from 10AM to 1PM. If you are interested in participating, please reach out to Svetlana Stanarevic at [email protected] or click the link below. https://lnkd.in/ePVGjd35

“Ever since the Covid pandemic, youth have reported higher rates of depression, anxiety and loneliness,” according to Dr. Meghan Miller, director of Health Education at The Floating Hospital. “Our work as health educators can help to bring youth back into healthier bodies and minds through health interventions and youth-centered programming to build resilience and foster social-emotional skills for future success.” ? Miller was a keynote speaker and session leader at the Adolescent Health Symposium at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, La Crosse on February 13 and 14. The theme was “Navigating from Loneliness to Thriving.” She discussed TFH’s Camp Rise Up program and how it promotes social-emotional learning in teens living in temporary housing to help them develop resilience, self-control, and social and leadership skills, as well as self-esteem and healthy responses to peer pressure.? ? With a Master of Public Health from Emory University and a Doctorate in Education from Teacher’s College, Columbia University, Miller created youth-development camps for the Peace Corps in Uganda, which were the inspiration for Camp Rise Up, our weeklong overnight camp in the foothills of the Catskills. ? “Health educators have a critical role in fostering resilience, building social connection and amplifying life skills in youth. Developing skills such as empathy, emotional regulation and effective communication can play a crucial role in mitigating loneliness and improving overall health. Creating open and safe spaces where young people can discuss their feelings and experiences without stigma fosters a culture of understanding and support.” ? Miller is also thinking about the national loneliness epidemic and how it affects teens at a time when they are experiencing all kinds of physical, intellectual and emotional upheaval. Loneliness and disconnection to peers can have detrimental health effects similar to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, according to the U.S. Surgeon General. “Loneliness peaks in adolescence and then in old age.” ?? At the root of it all is giving teens tools critical to navigating their world and all the challenges that may arise: the social-emotional skills that need to be learned and practiced to lead a successful life.?This is the crux of Camp Rise Up and what we aim to do every summer there, as well as in our Health Education department every day.

We've been named one of Bank of America's 2024 #NeighborhoodBuilders, and we couldn't be more grateful! This award and all its benefits will help us continue supporting #NewYorkCity #families in the most need with medical, dental, and behavioral healthcare plus so much more. ? Read more about Neighborhood Builders here: bit.ly/4fbACRt

Former New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, a board member and longtime friend of The Floating Hospital, unveiled her official congressional portrait in Washington, D.C. on December 18. Maloney, whose district included our main clinic in Queens as well as parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn, invited Cynthia Davis, our director of community outreach, to the ceremony. ? The portrait, by Sharon Sprung, is notable for the former congresswoman’s attire. She is wearing a fireman’s jacket, something she donned in 2019 to lobby for an extension through 2090 of the victims compensation fund for those whose health was compromised by the toxic conditions at the World Trade Center after September 11. ? Davis said it was an honor to represent the hospital and great to reconnect with Maloney’s staff and those she knew from the Long Island City community who were also there to commemorate her service.

On December 16, Floating Hospital President Sean Granahan was honored along with 99 other “best and brightest Irish-American and Irish-born leaders” as part of Irish America Magazine’s Business 100 list. The annual designation recognizes “some of the most innovative and influential companies and corporations in the world.” ? An awards dinner was held at the Metropolitan Club in New York, with two keynote speakers, Helen Doody, the managing director and head of Abbey Capital Limited (US), and Brian A. Ruane, senior executive vice president at BNY. Granahan was the keynote speaker in 2023 and was featured in an article on The Floating Hospital in the magazine’s Spring 2023 issue https://lnkd.in/eX-3zQrk Irish Business Organization of New York, Inc., Consulate General of Ireland, New York.

“Throughout my career, I’ve learned that the best way to solve problems is by building a diverse team with varied life experiences–especially those who have navigated challenges in life. My company stands out because of how we hire, work, and solve problems. I embrace having a team of ‘misfits’ because we think differently and approach problem-solving in ways that prove highly effective for our customers.”—Regina Jaslow ? In an interview with Cynthia Corsetti?in?Authority Magazine, Regina Jaslow, a Floating Hospital board member and co-founder and CEO of Innocuous AI, discusses the “Traits That Separate Good Leaders from Exceptional Ones” and other foundations of remarkable leadership. ? “The best leaders… are quick studies of rapidly changing situations and can make fast decisions on how best to adapt and proceed. They collaborate with their team so multiple options are brainstormed. This helps everyone feel confident that, given available information, they are choosing the best course of action forward. In turn, this serves to gain buy-in, reduce stress, and help everyone feel calmer about the course change.” ? She advises: ?? Be decisive and avoid analysis paralysis. ?? Adapt quickly and calmly. ?? Be humble and remain humble. ?? Be genuinely interested in each team member’s personal and professional growth. ?? Let go of what doesn’t work. ? Jaslow, who comes from a family of entrepreneurs, has co-founded two companies and has more than 20 years of marketing, sales and customer success experience. Previously, she was the chief revenue officer for a health-tech startup, where she tripled their market share in 2 years. Read more of the article, including the three character traits she credits for her success, here:?https://bit.ly/4gikVJc

We were happy to return to Bank of America’s annual roundtable discussion on the needs and trends among New York City communities, held in Manhattan on December 5. As our representative, community outreach director Cynthia Davis contributed to this effort “to help advance economic and social progress in order to build thriving communities” as part of the frontline meeting these needs. ? Cynthia discussed our programs, and shared her observations and experiences, as well as the challenges and opportunities for our organization and those we serve. The participants’ feedback will help guide the bank’s decisions about philanthropy, volunteerism, and even products and services. ? According to Bank of America, which has been a consistent and generous supporter of our programs, “We are proud to support organizations like The Floating Hospital that are meeting New Yorkers at their point of need and helping them onto a path to long-term success.” ? Other panelists included representatives from organizations such as Hot Bread Kitchen, God's Love We Deliver, Hunter College and the Food Bank For New York City.