Angeline Alvarez-Davis

Photo: Donna Alberico

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Angeline Alvarez-Davis, Age 43 (Before)
Education Site Director, Head Start

Raised in Far Rockaway, Queens, Angelina knew she wanted to make an impact in her community; she began working as a substitute teacher in a Head Start program there while still in college. Twenty-five years later, she's the education site director and has helped hundreds of low-income families find the resources they need, from education to health care. When Hurricane Sandy decimated the area last year, Angelina's work became even more urgent. With more than four feet of water in her school, she went door-to-door to check on families, and rallied help from individuals and organizations—like the family charity Baby Buggy, a longtime supporter of her Head Start site—to turn the space into a relief center. "Our families are still rebuilding; many remain displaced or living in shelters," says Angelina. "Our team will continue to do anything and everything we need to do for them. I always tell the parents: Your children are my children—all 111 of them."

For more information about Head Start, go to NHSA.org. To find out how Baby Buggy helps families in need, go to BabyBuggy.org.