Gina Centauro, a resident of Franklin Square and founder of Rescuing Families, Inc., a charity that renovates the homes of local families in need, was honored during a March 9 ceremony as a recipient of the 2022 Town of Hempstead Pathfinder Award.
The annual celebration was hosted during Women’s History Month by Town of Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin, who said Gina and the six other award-winning women recognized at the ceremony were chosen for “making a difference in their communities.”
Rescuing Families helps fix and rebuild houses for people suffering from disabilities and financial hardships
Gina said she was shocked upon learning she had been selected as an award winner.
“It was a great honor to be recognized,” she said, adding that being awarded with six other “incredible women” was a “special” experience for her.
Gina, who grew up very close to her three siblings, is motivated in her work at Rescuing Families by her sister Dina, who has long struggled with autism and deafness. From a very young age, Gina has been dedicated to caring for her sister and ensuring that she is comfortable.
This experience has led Gina to believe that transforming someone’s home transforms their life.
After founding the construction and renovation firm Truly Unique Designs, Gina and Vinny came to see that a number of families were unable to properly repair their homes.
Originally created in 2016 by Gina and her husband, Vinny, to renovate houses between New Jersey and Long Island for homeowners unable to make household repairs themselves due to physical disabilities or a lack of funds, Rescuing Families has repaired homes for residents of Wyandanch, Port Jefferson Station, Hempstead and – currently, with an estimated completion date of early April – Elmont.
The nonprofit’s most recent renovation wrapped up in August 2021, when Rescuing Families revealed to Claire Helfenbein and her family a home that the nonprofit began working on in January 2020. The renovation of the Hempstead House, delayed by the pandemic, cost the charity around $10,000.
Claire’s husband, Irving, fell ill and died of pancreatic and lung cancer in 2012 when the couple was in the process of renovating their home. Claire, who has a physical disability and uses a wheelchair, was charged with taking care of her son Jacob, who is autistic.
Rescuing Families funded the Helfenbein’s’ stay at a Garden City hotel for weeks during the renovation, and equipped the house with wheelchair accessible rooms, such as the bathroom, kitchen and laundry room, for Claire.
While Vinny said he, too, was shocked to learn of Gina’s nomination, he was not surprised that Gina herself was selected for the award.
“She puts in so much time for the community, often working almost 24-hour days… it’s well-deserved,” he said.
