Darlene wasn’t sure what to expect, but she decided to take a chance on a new internship program at The New Jewish Home, which ended up opening the door to a fulfilling nursing career.

Fifteen years ago, a high school student named Darlene Corporan accepted an invitation to participate in what was then a new internship program at The New Jewish Home. That decision that led to a career she loves, in a workplace that truly feels like home.

CBS 2 News featured Francisca Fadairo, a remarkable high school senior in our Geriatrics Career Development Program (GCD). For the past 15 years, The New Jewish Home’s groundbreaking workforce development program has provided underserved high school students with allied health care certifications, college preparation and invaluable experience caring for older adults. Instead of closing GCD when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we actually hired our GCD participants so they could continue to receive hands-on training and gain firsthand experience working on the front lines as health care heroes.

When Kayla was a sophomore at Dewitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, her counselor stopped her in the hall. She said to her, “If you’re interested in nursing, you should join GCD.”  

And just like that, Kayla’s future became brighter.

She has wanted to be a nurse for as long as she can remember. Before she began Geriatric Career Development (GCD) at The New Jewish Home, that dream seemed out of reach. Now, thanks to GCD, it’s an attainable goal.