Show your passion. SHINE ON.” - A. Celeste

 

 

 

Presented by Volunteer New York!'s Board of Directors, it is Volunteer New York!'s privilege to honor the Gallin Family (Ally, Tom and Jake) with the distinctive 2020 Legacy Award.

 

The Gallins are being recognized for their incredible shared passion for giving back to our community through Stars for Cars and Volunteer New York!, among countless other local organizations. The Gallin Family is a staple in the New Rochelle community and truly a part of the Volunteer New York! family.

 

It all started with a young Jake who, at the age of eight, was moved by the statistic that 1% of our nation is serving and protecting the other 99%. That immediately became more than a number as Jake witnessed a Gold Star mother share the pride and pain of the loss of her son who died in Iraq at age 20 while fighting for our country. He quickly looked for a way to help bring attention to support and honor service members and their families.

 

In partnership with the USO of Metropolitan New York, Jake founded Stars for Cars to raise awareness of the sacrifices that heroic military families make when a loved one is called into service. Jake conceived the design of star-shaped magnetic car decals that state, "We Support Blue Star & Gold Star Military Families" and began to sell them both in person and online. Jake also inspired more students his age and adults across the country to pause three times a year for the 3 Holidays Announcement in schools on or before 9/11, Veterans Day, and Memorial Day to acknowledge the sacrifices made by military families.

 

Since 2011, Stars for Cars has grown to all 50 states, and Jake, with the support of his family, has devoted thousands of volunteer hours and raised thousands of dollars for the USO. 

 

It is no surprise that Jake saw a need and immediately sought a way to help. His mother, Ally, and father, Tom, had already been leading by example through their involvement in the community, schools and parish. Ally is an active member of Volunteer New York!'s Board of Directors and she recently served on the New Rochelle Public Library Foundation's 25th Anniversary Gala Committee. Tom is frequently seen biking miles alongside his son, to West Point and back, to raise money and awareness for the USO. You will regularly find the entire family volunteering together at Volunteer New York's 9/11 and MLK Community-Wide Days of Service and marching with Stars for Cars in New Rochelle's annual Thanksgiving Parade. 

 

For the Gallins, it is the volunteer hours that matter most. Because as Ally recently shared, "those hours are the centerpiece of our family. It's what we do."

2020 Benefit Committee