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Serving Our Community

4th-grade teacher Tiffany Potashnick

Our members step up — as always

As the pandemic brings economic devastation to our communities, UFT members are helping to bring hope. The union is working with community partners to deliver food and address the other needs of our children and their families

UFT Nurses in Philippines

Jan. 20, 2014: UFT nurses help typhoon victims

Seven years ago, two Federation of Nurses/UFT members who responded to the union’s appeal for medical volunteers, helped in the relief effort in the Philippines after a devastating typhoon. 

The fruit pies baked during Johanna Josaphat’s cooking

Cooking in quarantine is a tasty subject

What’s cooking in quarantine? Social studies teacher and UFT Chapter Leader Johanna Josaphat streams live lessons for educators and students at the Urban Assembly Unison School in Brooklyn from her kitchen every Friday on Google Hangouts.

 Art teacher Bethany Allard (left) and supervising school aide Josie Difo gather items for packages.

Feeding Corona, during Corona

The PS 19 school community was hit hard by illness, layoffs and food insecurity. Luckily, the Corona elementary school is part of the UFT’s United Community Schools initiative. “Everybody came together in a time of need,” said teacher Christina Tholl.

Zulnorain Ahmed from the HS of Computers and Technology in the Bronx, with his parents, Hina (left) and Basit. He’ll study computer science and neuroscience at Colgate.

Winners ready to make ‘world a better place’

More than 180 city public high school seniors and graduate students were honored this year with Shanker Scholarship Awards. The union-funded awards provide almost $1 million to high-achieving students from low-income families annually.

UFT hospital nurses on front lines

UFT hospital nurses on front lines

UFT hospital nurses find strength in each other and in their union on the front lines of the coronavirus battle.

Youth drawing chalk art on ground in front of the White House

Activism for educational growth

We teach — and our students live and learn — in a world of rapid change, with new technological tools for navigating that world at our fingertips. For academic high school educators, it’s an exciting and challenging time. Do we have a role in creating innovative teaching environments for our students and professional learning settings for ourselves? I say yes.

Paras show off their T-shirts

Fit to a T

UFT members met at the Staten Island borough office on Feb. 6 to design T-shirts celebrating the 100th day of the school year on Feb. 14.

Three women walking out of UFT headquarters

A good read

Members collect free books for their classrooms and their homes at a First Book event on Feb. 1 at the UFT’s Staten Island borough office.

Aamir Griffin

Remembering Aamir

Aamir Griffin, a 14-year-old freshman, was doing what he loved most — practicing on a court near his home in Jamaica — when he was killed by a stray bullet in October.