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Call Us Today 1-718-472-2246 |
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Marcella Ross – Founder/Executive Director Marcella provides overall administration of the Agency, program design and Planning. She has an MA in Economics from NYU, and a MA in Finance and Accounting from The Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania.
Marcella Ross emigrated to the United States in 1981. She has an MA in Economics from New York University, and a MA in Finance and Accounting from The Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania. Her community involvement centered around the Romanian Orthodox Church. By 1994, Ms. Ross had a vision of creating an organization that would greatly extend her work and engage in outreach efforts to identify different populations who are “vulnerable and at risk” in order to provide them with a “safety net”. Ms. Ross appealed to the New York Foundation for assistance. Madeline Lee , then the Executive Director of the New York Foundation responded affirmatively, providing the pivotal grant that enabled her to establish the Romanian Information and Referral Center, Inc. The City Department of Youth and Community Development has been a primary sponsor of RIRC from the very beginning.
Today, as RIRC continue to evolve in response to changing needs, “RIRC” can be interpreted as Resettlement Independence Resolution Connection. This concept can be applied to many of RIRC’s different populations- people who are unable to succeed due to lack of English proficiency and need support, people who present severe depression, particularly among individuals without family ties to persons living in the community; single mothers with no extended family for support; recently arrived women whose husbands abandon them within a short period of time after arrival; families in crisis and unable to cope with the loss of work and income, who need to develop new skills for positive use of their skills and leisure time; and adults and youth at risk of AIDS who need to develop appropriate decision making skills with respect to safer sex. While Marcella has managed to create, maintain and expand RIRC, she also secured the Agency’s reputation as an organization that can mobilize and attract volunteers and artists, as well as public funds for the day-to-day operations. She created imaginative linkages with diverse funding streams from city in the area of education , health and housing services. What’s more, RIRC has an impeccable fiscal and program record with a high degree of visibility for accountability of services provided.
Marcella has always had an interest in art from she was a child. When she’s not working, she loves to collect art. Not only does collect art, but she loves and appreciates the great artists. Whenever she gets a chance, Marcella hosts cultural events, exhibitions, antique fairs, etc. Attending cultural events boost one’s self-esteem, producing the beneficial effect of wellness and an enhanced immune system. Art is a form of human communication which conveys a sense of order, perspective, commentary, insights, relief from boredom. If one can achieve a sense of hope and inspiration, a renewed will to live, from enjoying the arts anywhere, even at home, so be it. However, rigorous enjoyment of the arts - planning to go out, anticipating the events, getting out and socializing- is perhaps the most beneficial to one’s health.
Marcella has also set a clear mandate for RIRC’s continued growth and innovation to creatively harness the healing potential of the arts in response to social and health challenges. From the perspective of the organization I founded, Romanian Information and Referral Center, which provides access to services and to the arts for people of all cultures, art also is used as a funding-raising tool for the foundation.
Alina Codruta Mariuc – Intake Specialist/Program Coordinator Alina provides program supervision as well as helps clients with client intake, application process, and information referral.
Julian Dumitrescu – Outreach coordinator Julian is in charge of outreach, material dissemination, and linkage with community resources. |
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RIRC, Inc. 47-01 Queens
Blvd, Suite 203 Long Island City, NY 11104 |
