Community Corner

Purdys' Friends of Karen Appoints New Member to Board of Directors

The non-profit organization provides services and programs to enable families caring for a child with a life-threatening illness to cope better.

Patricia (Trish) Lobenfeld – author, blogger and culinary class teacher – has been elected to the Board of Directors at Friends of Karen, a non-profit organization that provides services and programs to enable families caring for a child with a life-threatening illness to cope better during an unimaginably difficult time.

"We’ve been blessed with two children who have never been critically ill and never been in danger of losing their lives," Lobenfeld said. "I could not imagine the suffering that parents endure when their child has a life-threatening illness. I left that evening thinking that Friends of Karen was the kind of charity I’d like to get to know better."

Lobenfeld first learned about the organization in 2004.

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The woman is a blogger for www.cookinginconnecticut.com, and teaches culinary classes. She was an instructor in the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health at New York University as well as its programs and curriculum coordinator.

She has authored books on food science and systems for both college level courses and elementary school students. She spent 15 years as a volunteer for The Legal Aid Society’s civil support division, including two years as its chairperson.

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"Friends of Karen has gone from being a small grassroots organization to a well-known regional presence,” said Pamela Hervey, president of Friends of Karen’s Board of Directors. “Trish has been actively volunteering with us for years, and has been an effective advocate for Friends of Karen’s mission. I know Trish will bring her passion and know-how to our board and play a meaningful role in Friends of Karen’s growth.”

Lobenfeld said she was honored to join the board and looks forward to making "this wonderful organization better known."

"Friends of Karen is a resource like no other, providing vital and comprehensive services that help the daily stresses and give parents more time to love," she said.

Lobenfeld is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals and the American Institute of Wine and Food. She holds a Blue Ribbon Professional Diploma from the Institute of Culinary Education and a Master’s Degree in Food Studies from New York University. She and her family live in New Canaan, CT. 

Friends of Karen, a charity organization, was founded in 1978 after helping one child, Karen, and her family. It is headquartered in Purdys with other offices in Port Jefferson and Manhattan. Friends of Karen has touched the lives of 12,400 children.

For more information about Friends of Karen, visit www.FriendsOfKaren.org or call 914-617-4040


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