The Levittown Chamber of Commerce would like to introduce Diane Serenita from New Ground, Inc who joined the Chamber in 2019. New Ground Inc is a Levittown based non-profit that breaks the vicious cycle of homelessness for Veterans and families on ALL of Long Island. Serenita has been with New Ground for 14 years and is married with two small children.
Serenita’s passion is helping people … making her mark in the world, even if it’s in a small way because people deserve safety, security love, and happiness and has she has found that outlet with New Ground.
Serenita has this to say about New Ground, who helps fulfill her passion, … “We maintain that the key to breaking the cycle of homelessness is not only to provide short-term assistance to homeless families and Veterans, but also to work at eliminating its root causes so these individuals can become, and remain, self-supporting. We identify, and then respond to, those at risk with programs that provide educational, technical, and emotional support. This empowers our families and Veterans, enabling them to function independently. Working in collaboration with the public and private sector, NEW GROUND works with existing agencies to better respond to the growing needs and challenges of Long Island’s homeless population.”
Serenita says that New Ground, utilizing a multi-faceted approach, help their clients break the cycle of poverty, addressing all of the barriers that prevent them from leading successful lives.in addition to finding housing for Homeless Veterans and families, New Ground offers long-term solutions including the completion of higher education programs by adults and youth, financial literacy skill building, and career development opportunities. All critical life skills are a focus, with clients defining their needs to reach self-sufficiency in the future. Every client has a dedicated Social Worker, meeting weekly to accomplish the steps needed to achieve their program goals. They also help the children and youth in their families, ensuring they are on a successful path academically, mentally and physically to guarantee their future independence.
Serenita says that their goal is to help more Veterans and families in need on Long Island. Also New Ground firmly believes that supporting their clients also means investing in their local community. They make a concerted effort to establish working relationships with local small businesses, vendors, and venues for a variety of their services and events. By supporting locally run businesses, they are invigorating their community and contributing to positive economic growth on Long Island.
Serenita, in her spare time, spends it with her family. They love exploring Long Island and taking advantage of all that their local community has to offer. Each season there seems to be something new to check out thanks to our chambers of commerce and local schools, and community groups.
Serenita says, currently in its 25th year, New Ground’s premier fundraising event, the Groundbreakers Gala will take place on Thursday, November 2, 2023 at the Garden City Hotel and celebrates the accomplishments of New Ground’s Veterans and families while raising vital funds needed to continue innovative programming and services to “Break the Cycle of Homelessness” on Long Island. The event features an evening of elegance, entertainment, and inspiration, all in support of New Ground’s mission to provide stable housing and comprehensive support services, to those in need. Serenita is asking all those interested to help in any way they can. No donation is too small if you can’t attend.
To find out more information about New Ground and the Gala, you can reach Serenita at [email protected] 516.564.4764 x125, and you can find New Ground by searching @NewGroundInc on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.