Mineola, NY - Nassau County Executive Laura Curran announces that Mary Joesten is Nassau County’s 2018 Senior Citizen ‘Woman of the Year’. Mary was presented an award at the 44th Annual May Conference in Observance of Older Americans Month on May 18th at the Long Island Marriott in Uniondale. The Nassau County Office for the Aging hosted 300 residents at this special event.
“It is my distinct honor to congratulate Mary as Nassau County’s 2018 Senior Citizen ‘Woman of the Year’,” said County Executive Curran. “Mary is an inspiration to all of us. Her advice is: ‘Provide service in accordance with the corporal works of mercy; feed the hungry; give water to the thirsty; clothe the naked; shelter homeless; visit the sick; visit the imprisoned, or ransom the captive; bury the dead.”
Mary is a native New Yorker and has lived here her whole life. She has 5 children, 12 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. Mary has dedicated the last 49 years to serving her community. She has founded and served in executive positions for Faith Mission, Inc., a soup kitchen; Faith Missions Crisis and Alcohol Center; and the New York Veterans Advocacy Group, where she is currently working to develop a comprehensive crisis and outreach center for veterans and their families. In 1999 she published her book “God I’m Screaming, Can’t You Hear Me?” The book was distributed free of charge and Mary and her husband donated the money to various non-profit organizations, including United Veterans Beacon House. They also donated money towards the purchase of a house in Levittown to provide shelter to homeless veterans.