Lilian Gomez has faced challenges before. As a young woman, she emigrated to New York from the Dominican Republic and built a new life for herself. And she experienced one of the most challenging years of her life, she says, when she studied to become a licensed practical nurse (LPN). “My daughter was little at the time,” Lilian says, “and it was very hard going to school full-time and working full-time. I had classes from Monday through Friday, then I worked double shifts Saturday and Sunday.” 

COVID-19 is not Rosalie Gordon’s first epidemic. She was just 5 ½ years old when she got polio, six months before the vaccine arrived. Paralyzed from the chest down, she endured four surgeries between the ages of 10 and 12, happily regaining the use of her legs. These days, Rosalie uses a wheelchair to get around. 

At The New Jewish Home, keeping a steady supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) in stock is always important. Long before most of us had given much thought to masks, gowns, and gloves, Michael Jurist — vice president of facilities and material management — and his team made sure we had enough PPE on hand to keep our staff, residents and patients safe.