Thursday, October 1, 2026
A trip to a Brooklyn homeless shelter on Sept. 1 gave volunteers from an Elmont nonprofit a chance to do something they believe can go a long way: remind families that someone cares.
Giving Back to Community Corp. brought toys, toiletries and other supplies to the shelter, where about 33 families were staying. The volunteers prepared enough items for about 40 families, making sure no one would be left out.
As families arrived to pick up the donations, parents came downstairs with their children. Volunteers handed out the supplies, talked with the families and spent time getting to know some of the children.
For founder Emilian Emeagwali, seeing the families come through the door made the trip worthwhile.
“They really feel like we care for them,” Emeagwali said.
The Sept. 1 visit was the third time Giving Back to Community Corp. has helped families at the shelter. About four years ago, volunteers brought winter clothing and accessories. They later returned with clothing and shoes.
This time, they wanted to make sure the children had something to look forward to as well.
That idea came from longtime supporter Jackie Grabin. Emeagwali said the original plan was to purchase toiletries, but Grabin asked about the children and offered to help pay for toys.
Her donation helped volunteers put together a collection of toys for the younger residents.
One 14-year-old girl left a particular impression on Emeagwali. When he asked her age, she told him she would turn 15 in two days. Volunteers had planned to give toys to children 16 and younger and toiletries to older residents.
The girl chose the toiletries.
The volunteers then told her she could pick out a toy, too.
She did.
For Sandra Fernandez, a Queens resident who has volunteered with Giving Back to Community Corp. for about four years, those moments were the best part of the visit.
“It’s always a reward when you can see a smile on somebody else’s face,” Fernandez said.
But the experience was also difficult.
Fernandez said seeing children living in a shelter made her think about how much they are dealing with at such a young age. She hopes families experiencing homelessness can have more opportunities to find permanent housing rather than moving from one shelter to another.
“It was bittersweet,” she said.
Fernandez first became involved with Giving Back to Community Corp. through her physical therapist and has continued volunteering because she believes even small acts of kindness can make a difference.
Sometimes, that means handing someone a much-needed item. Other times, it can simply mean offering a hug, an encouraging word or a few minutes of conversation.
“You can see a smile on somebody else’s face, even if it’s the minimal thing that you can do,” Fernandez said.
The volunteers did not ask families about their personal circumstances. Instead, they focused on making the visit positive, talking with the children and helping families take what they needed.
For Emeagwali, that is what the work is about.
Giving Back to Community Corp., which Emeagwali founded in 2009, has worked to help people facing hunger, poverty and educational challenges in local communities and abroad. The group has also visited veterans’ facilities and other places where residents need assistance.
Emeagwali said the next visit will depend on donations and where volunteers can make the greatest difference.
Wherever they go, he said, the message will remain the same: people who are struggling should know that they have not been forgotten.
“We want those people to feel that they are valued,” Emeagwali said. “They matter.
