WellCare of New York Honors NYPD Officers for Their Exceptional Community Service
NEW YORK and TAMPA, Fla., June 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- WellCare of New York, a subsidiary of WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG), honored 34 officers of the New York Police Department (NYPD) who regularly find ways to support the communities they serve. Each day officers from the NYPD perform the duties one would expect such as public safety, law enforcement and traffic management. However, in addition to preserving the peace, police officers are working in partnership with organizations in the community to enhance the quality of life in New York City through smaller, more personal ways.
Examples abound of the generosity of the men and women of the NYPD including the detectives who collected nearly 400 gowns and accessories for Prom Impact, giving girls in Queens and the Bronx the chance to dress up for their special prom night for free. Officers also helped with the collection and distribution of school supplies through the Citywide Back Packs for Kids program and reached out to seniors living in public housing through Housing Authority Senior Breakfasts.
The honorees were:
- Officer Hector Espada, Bronx
- Officer Clarivel Socola, Bronx
- Lt. Lorraine Perez Gonzalez, Bronx
- Detective Angel Irizarry , Bronx
- Lt. Acu Rhodes, Brooklyn
- Detective Walter Brant, Brooklyn
- Detective Felicia Richards, Brooklyn
- Detective John McDonnell, Manhattan
- Officer Stephen Jones, Manhattan
- Officer Darryl Lucas, Manhattan
- Officer Aaron Rivera, Manhattan
- Detective Jason Harper, Manhattan
- Officer Johanna Urena, Manhattan
- Officer Carmen Gomez, Manhattan
- Officer Danny Guzman, Manhattan
- Officer Victor Matos, Manhattan
- Detective Haydee Pabey, Manhattan
- Detective Cordell Cheatham, Manhattan
- Lt. Mark Albarano, Manhattan
- Officer Lynn Blanchette, Queens
- Officer Kevin Campbell, Queens
- Detective Richard Lowe, Queens (retired)
- Detective Jovoda Cooper, Queens
- Detective Tanya Duhaney, Queens
- Detective Dorrin Ferguson, Queens
- Officer Maurice Roper, Queens
- Sgt. James Clarke, Queens
- Officer James M. Thorsten, Queens
- Detective Darryl Johnson, Queens
- Detective Latoya McLeod, Queens
- Capt. Terrell Anderson, Brooklyn
- Officer David Collado
- Patrol Borough Queens North award, accepted by Juanita Holmes, assistant chief
In addition, Lt. Donzel Cleare, commanding officer for the Housing Bureau Community Affairs Unit, received the "Ambassador with Distinction" honor for his dedication and support of the annual back-to-school giveaway providing supplies for hundreds of children in need.
"We are grateful that WellCare has taken the time to recognize the impact our officers have on the lives of people in the community," said Chief James A. Secreto, of NYPD Housing Bureau. "Many police departments around the country are waiting for this kind of sign of appreciation. WellCare gets it. Thank you, WellCare."
"WellCare of New York is dedicated to providing our members with access to the care and services they need to reach their optimal health, in the physician's office and in the communities where they live. This cannot be achieved without outstanding support of our partners like the New York Police Department," said John J. Burke, WellCare's state president in New York. "At youth basketball games, summer street festivals, and more they never hesitate to reach out to ensure the members of our communities know that just as they can turn to WellCare for support, they can turn to the men and women of the NYPD."
The event concluded with the presentation of a $2000 donation to the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation in support of EMT Yadira Arroyo's family. The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers program supports families of military and first responders. Arroyo, the mother of five boys, was recently killed in the line of duty.
The need for relationships on a local, block-by-block level was also shared by Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City, a supporting event partner for the ceremony. BBBS of NYC currently serves more than 5,200 young people across the five boroughs each year, through a variety of specialized mentoring programs. This year the WellCare Community Foundation committed up to $250,000 annually to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and its "Bigs in Blue" program, which recruits local law enforcement officers in cities across the country to serve as mentors to youth in their communities.
As of March 31, 2017, WellCare of New York serves approximately 242,000 members in New York, including 135,000 Medicaid members, 44,000 Medicare Advantage plan members and 58,000 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan members.
About WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) focuses exclusively on providing government-sponsored managed care services, primarily through Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, to families, children, seniors and individuals with complex medical needs. WellCare serves approximately 4.1 million members nationwide as of March 31, 2017. For more information about WellCare, please visit the company's website at www.wellcare.com or view the company's videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/WellCareHealthPlan.
SOURCE WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
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