Barbara Stuchinski

Barbara Stuchinski was born in Kew Gardens and has lived in Forest Hills since 1938. She received her master’s degree in Education, and then went on to get her New York State Teaching License for grades K-12 in Art Education. The majority of her accomplishments have been in her dedication and commitment to volunteerism, making the lives of the people in her community better by putting theirs before her own.

Ms. Stuchinski has always stayed active in her community. In her younger years, she volunteered at New York Foundling Hospital, and in college, as a Junior Lady of Charity, at homes for challenged children and seniors with disabilities. Whenever time allowed, she gave her own time to help in homeless shelters, collecting clothing for American Indian Missions, soup kitchens and outreach programs for those in need.

 Ms. Stuchinski was first Vice President and President of Forest Hills Community and Civic Association, which advocates for the community of Forest Hills. As President, she worked to save land on Metropolitan Avenue in order to build a school campus. Ms. Stuchinski also served as President of the Remsen Park Coalition, through which she published the booklet Colonial Patriots, to describe the contribution of the Remsen Family to the War for Independence.

The tragedy of 9-11 pushed Ms. Stuchinski into high gear, becoming involved with community emergency response teams. Currently, she is Deputy Chief of the Community Board 6 Team, which was involved in collecting supplies for the workers at Ground Zero and driving carloads to the downtown area. She responded during Hurricane Sandy, where she assisted in setting up collection points at various locations in Queens. She is a tremendous presence to have in the community during times of disaster; when everyone needs help, you can count on her to be there, at the front lines, offering assistance.

Ms. Stuchinski is not just involved in civic and emergency matters but also environmental. She is Chair of the Parks and Historic Committees and Co-Chair of the Certification Committee. This involves gathering volunteers to landscape and clean local parks, maintain involvement with historic sites and respond to requests from the New York City Emergency Management Department.

Barbara Stuchinski has dedicated her life to the betterment of her community. She continues to advocate for a better quality of life by improving neighborhoods and by volunteering the majority of her time to helping those in need.