POTS (Part of the Solution), the Bronx-based organization that has had the longtime support of Resurrection Church, recently welcomed a new executive director. Rye resident Darlene Jeris took over for Sr. Mary Alice Hannan, who retired. She is the first lay leader at POTS, which was founded in 1982 by Rev. Ned Murphy, Sr. Jane Iannucelli, and Tim Boon.
By Georgetta Morque
POTS (Part of the Solution), the Bronx-based organization that has had the longtime support of Resurrection Church, recently welcomed a new executive director. Rye resident Darlene Jeris took over for Sr. Mary Alice Hannan, who retired. She is the first lay leader at POTS, which was founded in 1982 by Rev. Ned Murphy, Sr. Jane Iannucelli, and Tim Boon.
Ms. Jeris says she brings a strong business background to the job and a real love for helping nonprofits provide the best services they can. Originally from Cleveland, she followed a career path in investment banking, finance, and real estate in Iowa and New York City before serving as director of IBM’s Louis V. Gerstner Jr. Foundation in Armonk. She later founded Grace Outreach, a nonprofit to educate low-income women. A parishioner of Resurrection Church, she volunteered at the POTS annual Thanksgiving dinner that the parish enthusiastically supports, and learned to love the organization.
She comes to POTS at an exciting time; a new and larger facility at 2759 Webster Avenue is now open and ready to serve even more people and needs than before. “Because of the economy, we are seeing an amazing demand,” says Ms. Jeris, who notes that pantry meals are up 30% from last year and ten to 15 new people show up every day for food.
In spite of its small size, the former POTS headquarters was able to feed hundreds of families each month. The new building has triple the space and its three floors provide offices for staff who help people in many areas, including legal and housing issues; three public showers; haircuts; a place for homeless to receive mail; a new clothing closet; and new self-select pantry which Ms. Jeris describes as a nutritionally-driven “grocery store.” While the old dining room served 22 people at a time, resulting in lines down the block, the new one seats 60.
“My job is to help people go even further with their lives,” says Ms. Jeris. Because POTS is such a big part of the community where she lives, she says it’s special for her to be there. “We can’t say enough about the support from Rye.”
After starting as a small soup kitchen, POTS has evolved into a seven-day-a-week community providing a large array of services to help people achieve better lives. Next year is POTS’ 30th anniversary, a true cause for celebration.
