Friday, October 2, 2026
For Wendy Neal, 57, and Lynn Singleton, 60, Simply Sistah’s Inc. began with a simple idea: to bring women together for a brunch where they could laugh, dance and socialize. What started as a gathering for women in their late 40s and 50s has grown into a community movement helping families, women, children, veterans and students.
The two Lakeview residents had been neighbors for decades before becoming close friends. In 1991 they started working together in the Nassau County Police Department’s Communications Bureau, in Mineola. They were colleagues for more than 30 years, and Singleton eventually becoming Neal’s supervisor, when she was promoted in 2004 — the first African American supervisor of the bureau.
In 2018, they began discussing the lack of social events geared toward women their age. They envisioned an event centered on fun, laughter, dancing and fellowship rather than speeches and formalities.
That idea became Simply Sistah’s.
They hosted the first brunch at Havana Central, in Garden City, the first Saturday of May 2020, and roughly 75 women attended. The annual brunches became popular, moved to increasingly larger venues and became successful fundraisers.
“It was an idea that turned into a movement,” Singleton said. “It wasn’t about us just making money for our pocket. If these women are going to come and we make money from the brunch, let’s do good.”
More than 500 women attended the most recent Simply Sistah’s brunch at Crest Hollow Country Club, in Woodbury this May. As attendance has increased over the years, so has the organization’s commitment to the community.
The money the brunches have raised has given Singleton and Neal the opportunity to respond to needs throughout the year. The group has supported women at Bethany House Women’s Shelter, in Baldwin and the Glory House Rehabilitation Center, in Hempstead. Women from the shelters are invited to the annual brunch as guests, and when they can’t attend, Simply Sistah’s sends catered meals. The organization also supports women veterans and people experiencing hardship.
“It just gives me so much joy,” Singleton said. “It gives us so much joy.”
During the holidays, the organization creates food baskets for families in need, identified by local schools and community members, Singleton and Neal keep in touch with social workers who alert them when families need assistance.
Simply Sistah’s also partners with the Nassau County Guardians Association on an annual toy-shopping experience for children from the Roosevelt school district. Twenty to 30 children are brought to Matty’s Toy Shop, in Rockville Centre, where they are given $125 vouchers to select toys for themselves or their siblings.
Simply Sistah’s responds to unexpected needs as well. Recently, Singleton and Neal learned about a family with four children whose home had been destroyed in a fire. They offered financial assistance for clothing, toiletries and other necessities before the children returned to school.
Education has also become part of the organization’s mission. This year in May, it awarded its first three scholarships, of $500 each. The program is expected to grow to four scholarships in the coming year.
Fundraising extends beyond the annual brunch. Singleton and Neal organize a casino bus trip to the Catskills; a Turkey Bowl, at Garden City Bowl, during Thanksgiving season; and a free Mingle and Jingle community event, at Harold Walker Jr. Memorial Park, each holiday season. They also take part in the annual Making Strides of Long Island, Jones Beach breast cancer walk, to help raise money for the cause.
“We just bring everybody together,” Singleton said. “It’s like a family reunion.”
Despite its growing popularity, Singleton and Neal manage the organization themselves, relying on families, donors, volunteers and community members for support.
“It doesn’t take a lot to do a lot, and it’s just the two of us,” Neal said. “None of us ever know what position we might be in, and we might be on the receiving end of needing a helping hand.”
At the annual brunch, women reconnect with old friends, make new acquaintances and rediscover connections from childhood, school, church and their neighborhoods. Many attendees echo Singleton in describing it as a family reunion.
That sense of connection is what Singleton and Neal hope Simply Sistah’s continues to create: a group in which people feel welcomed and supported, while knowing that it’s there to help when someone needs it. What began as a simple idea shared by two friends has grown into an annual celebration of more than 500 women and a year-round mission of service.
“If you’re able to do something for someone,” Neal said, “you should.”
For more on Simply Sistah’s, visit SimplySistahs.com.
