fullsizeoutput_25f0.jpegDavid Kolman is a chemical engineer working at GE- Schenectady. David heard about New York for Syrian Refugees (NY4SR) in early 2017. The timing was perfect. He was aware of the Syrian crisis and had been trying to figure out a way to help.

Dave initially assisted the young men with homework help, social event opportunities, and starting a yard work business. Often, he found his most important function was just listening.

He notes that the energy among the group is contagious, and soon after he became a volunteer, his daughter joined as well. When she left the area for work, Dave took over the tutoring duties of the family she had been assisting. He is now helping his third family.

The young men he first worked with have gone on to college or found employment, and Dave has turned his attention to other projects. He designed and built an e-commerce website for the refugee women-run catering company Syrian Delights. Recognizing the need for easily accessible and understandable history and math lessons for newcomers, he created the website and YouTube channel TeachCove.com.

Dave likes that he has been able to become involved in so many aspects of the organization. He finds that whenever there is a lull in his volunteer work, he feels like something is missing from his life. He notes that NY4SR is really the embodiment of the saying “Think Globally, Act Locally”. Dave also serves on the organization’s board, where one of his duties is to represent NY4SR at group events, helping to spread the organization’s mission. It is a blessing to have David on board.

By Mary Kopczynski

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