Harrison Senior Honored With St. Vincent’s Youth Award

HARRISON, NY — A Harrison High School senior, with a reputation for giving back, took a moment recently to receive a top honor from her community.

Harrison Community Spotlight from the Town/Village of Harrison

For nearly three decades, St. Vincent’s has been honoring young people who embody its values and promote a lifelong commitment to volunteerism through the St. Vincent’s Youth Awards. Each year, these awards recognize and celebrate students from local high schools whose volunteer service best reflects these values.

This recognition is a testament to the importance of youth engagement in community service.

Harrison takes great pride in announcing that Faria Ahmed, a senior at Harrison High School, has been honored with the prestigious St. Vincent’s Youth Award. Ahmed's commitment to community service and volunteer work has left a profound impact. Her summer was dedicated to teaching English to young children in Lahore, Pakistan, and she has been actively involved in tutoring, volunteering, and food drives.

Manny Homem, a resident of Harrison, was the keynote speaker for the event held on March 7. Homem’s journey of volunteerism and community engagement began at the young age of 20, when he started coaching baseball. His work with children facing challenging situations led to strong bonds within the community. Despite facing a personal tragedy with the sudden loss of his wife, Homem and his family were embraced by their community. This experience inspired him to found the Hoops 4 Hope Basketball Tournament in memory of his late wife, raising over $100,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). Homem's resilience and community spirit are truly admirable.

The event was co-chaired by St Vincent’s Auxiliary members, and Harrison residents Liz Brown and Catherine Tammaro.