Queens Tribune

United Adult Ministries, the parent company of Flushing House, will honor three outstanding individuals with The Rose Kryzak Senior Leadership Award, during their annual gala fundraising dinner on Thursday, Nov. 5.

The awards are named after the late Rose Kryzak, a dedicated senior activist and a long-time resident of Flushing House. She is perhaps best known for her successful campaign to pass New York State’s Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC) program, but fought for many other causes as well.

This year’s honorees are Marianne Altman, Suzanne Metaxas, and Jane Qiu. “They have all soldiered on in the tradition of Rose Kryzak, making major contributions of service and caring for older adults,” said Flushing House Director of Community Relations Robert Salant,.

Marianne Altman graduated from UMass/Amherst with a B.A. in Human Services, in 1983. She became a medical social worker at the Center for Rehabilitation in 1994, working at various locations throughout Long Island, Brooklyn and Queens. In 1999, she began working for the Catholic Charities Neighborhood Services Peter DellaMonica Senior Center in Astoria as a case manager. In 2006, she was promoted to program manager of the CCNS Southwest Queens Senior Services. There, she oversaw the operations of four satellite senior centers and their CCNS Meals-On-Wheels program.

In November 2008, Altman returned to manage the Peter DellaMonica Senior Center as their new program manager. She recently received a commendation from the New York City Department for the Aging, for major revitalization of the Peter DellaMonica center in such a short time. “Because of her outstanding work on behalf of older adults, Marianne Altman will receive the Rose Kryzak Award,” Salant said.

Suzanne Metaxas became director of the HANAC East-West Connection senior transportation program in 1989, and served until January 1996. When she took over, the program had only two buses with one slated for return to New York State due to under utilization. She increased bus utilization, kept both vehicles, and went on to secure more buses to serve two additional districts. When she started, the program served 700 clients in three districts. When she left it served a total of 1,366 clients in five districts.

In 1996, Metaxas became director of the HANAC Senior Center of College Point and served there until 2003. She substantially increased the numbers of hot center meals served, hot home meals delivered and frozen weekend meals. She advocated for center needs at public hearings, and also as a member of the Northern Queens Health Coalition, Council of Senior Centers and Services, Queens Geriatric Health Committee and Queens Interagency Council on Aging. She continues on the QICA board to this day. “For her years of service, we are proud to honor Suzanne Metaxas,” Salant said.

Jane Qiu, PhD, LMSW, is director of the Self-Help Prince Street Senior Center in Flushing, where recent Asian immigrants are concentrated. Qiu came to the United States in 1995. She earned an MSW in 1999 and a PhD in 2005 from the Wursweiler School of Social Work, Yeshiva University, specializing in gerontology. She started working as a social worker at Prince Street in 1999 and became director in 2004.

Qiu and her team have managed to provide a full array of quality social services to older Americans in the community, serving about 200 on a daily basis. These include congregate nutritious lunches, educational, fitness and recreational classes, field trips, help with translation, bill problem solving, entitlement applications, case management, plus counseling and referrals for a myriad of services. She also helps older immigrants to become citizens, and encourages members to advocate for senior rights for health care, drug coverage, housing, and transportation. “We are pleased to honor Jane Qiu for her years of outstanding service on behalf of our senior population,” Salant said.

The gala fundraising dinner will be held at 6 p.m. Nov. 5 at Westbury Manor, Westbury.

Those interested in attending should RSVP by Oct. 23 by sending their name and address, along with a $75 check payable to United Adult Ministries, to Robert F. Salant, Flushing House, 38-20 Bowne Street, Flushing, NY 11354. For more information, call (347) 532-3025 or email rsalant@uam.org.

All proceeds support a special endowment fund, which helps keep Flushing House affordable for many of the older adults who live there. To learn more go to flushinghouse.com.