Meet Our Team
Pamela Burner, President and Founder
Each night I would gratefully get into my nice warm bed. I would think of the people out on the streets in the cold, I prayed that the situation would change, I heard news reports of the situation getting worse, I prayed and watched for about three years and nothing seemed to change, so I decided to change. I asked New Life Community Church for a room to use and invited like minded people to come to the table to discuss what we could do. HIS Coalition was born! I am grateful for the dedicated people who chose to walk this path, who have a heart for the homeless. Praise God!
Maureen Graziano, Vice President and Co-founder
I am a native Long Islander where I reside with my husband and two daughters. I am an Adjunct Clinical Nursing Instructor at Stony Brook University School of Nursing and currently serve as a Deacon at New Life Community Church in Sayville. I also enjoy co-leading the church's mission committee and volunteering in the local community. Seeing the many injustices and barriers that the un-housed face, God put it on my heart to raise awareness and help the homeless in our local community.
"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me"-Matthew 25:40
Amanda Sanford, MSW, Recording Secretary
"I am a recent graduate of Stony Brook University's Master of Social Work program. Through my studies, I developed an interest in housing access, and through my experiences interning for the Patchogue-Medford Library, I was able to put names and faces to the statistics on homelessness that I had learned about in my classes.
My interests and passion led me to be introduced to Pam and Maureen in January of 2023. We connected over our shared vision of developing a transitional tiny home village for the homeless and I haven't looked back since. In addition to volunteering with HIS, I also work for St. Joseph's University in Patchogue, and as a life-long resident of Patchogue, I am passionate about making change in my community. The number of individuals experiencing street homelessness on Long Island is nothing short of alarming. No one should have to live unsheltered, and alongside Pam, Maureen, and the wonderful members of HIS, I plan to continue working toward achieving more equitable and dignified shelter access for those experiencing homelessness."
HIS Coalition for the Homeless is a New York non-profit, incorporated on May 24, 2022. HIS Coalition for the Homeless has received recognition of tax exempt status under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. EIN# 88-2678576. Our organization is run solely by volunteers and 100% of donations go toward helping our neighbors in need.
