Pictured above (L-R) Atlantis’ Carlyle Miller, Leslie Lewis, COPE’s Administrative Officer Alma Riley, COPE’s Director Gerald Maitre, and Kingsborough’s Dean of Student Services Brian Mitra.
It’s the holidays once again and ‘tis the season for giving, so Atlantis stepped up and delivered scores of toys to the COPE program at Kingsborough Community College of the City University of New York.
As Atlantis celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, the club members and several supporters chipped in to make this year’s toy collection and donation a very special one on the beautiful 72 acre campus of the only community college in the Borough of Brooklyn. On hand to make the presentation of the toys to COPE were past Atlantis President Carlyle Miller and the club’s Liaison Officer Leslie “Tulu” Lewis.
Accepting the toys on behalf of the many children in need, and on behalf of the COPE program were COPE Director Gerald Maitre and Alma Riley COPE Administrative Officer. Witnessing the presentation was Brian Mitra, Dean of Student Services at Kingsborough Community College.
This is Atlantis’ eleventh year collecting toys for distribution to needy children in the community during the holiday season. Atlantis’ President Courtney LeGall remarked, “It is something Atlantis has been doing for a while now, and it brings the club members and supporters a tremendous amount of joy, so it’s a holiday win-win situation. Thanks to all the Atlantis members and friends who played secret Santa or Santa’s Elf.”
About the COPE Program
COPE is an acronym for College Opportunity to Prepare for Employment and was established in 1993 to provide a high level of support and employment services to current or former CUNY students or applicants who receive public assistance benefits (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, Safety Net, or Food Stamps) by the Human Resources Administration of New York City (HRA) as they transition into self-reliance and financial independence.
COPE’s mission is to foster a student-centered atmosphere conducive to self-empowerment, which embraces diversity and ensures that every student is treated with respect, courtesy and professionalism. Congruent with the mission of Student Affairs, COPE offers a wide array of services and resources designed to support students both inside and outside of the classroom.
COPE support services also include: academic and personal counseling, assistance with registration and scheduling, academic tutoring, childcare referrals, and preparation for social service appointments to help participants meet college and HRA workfare requirements in order to graduate. The COPE program also offers career development services such as job readiness, job preparation, referrals to interviews, apparel support, and part-time or full-time employment, commuting assistance, as well as post-employment counseling and incentives to promote retention. A key goal is to obtain meaningful employment that will lead to long-term economic self-sufficiency.