Senator Fred Akshar Honors Jill Alford-Hammitt as a Woman of Distinction

In Albany this week, Senator Akshar recognized Jill Alford-Hammitt as his NYS Senate 2016 Woman of Distinction.

Each year, the New York State Senate honors women who have enriched the quality of life in their communities across New York.

Jill Alford-Hammitt is the manager of the Student Assistance Program and the Alcohol & Drug Education Prevention Team at Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Hospital. Jill has worked extensively in her community to support substance abuse prevention and heroin awareness. She was the recipient of the Broome County Chemical Dependency Professional of the Year award in 2005.

"Jill has shown true dedication to educating youth and the community on substance use and the disease of addiction," said Akshar. "I'm truly proud to select her as the 52nd District's Woman of Distinction."

In 2014, Ms. Alford-Hammitt began coordinating heroin awareness forums after she was contacted by a local high school principal to provide community education on heroin use. Believing that it would be beneficial to hear from not only experts but also family members aff ected by addiction, Ms. Alford-Hammitt worked to highlight these perspectives in her presentation. Since then, she has worked with community and school groups in four counties to host panels that raise awareness about opiate abuse and help reduce the stigma of addiction.

Currently a member of the Broome Opioid Abuse Council and Chairperson of the Community Education Workgroup of BOAC, Ms. Alford-Hammitt has worked in human services since 1990. In addition to holding positions at the Broome County Child Development Council and Area IV Agency on Aging in Indiana, she began work as a case manager for teen parents in the Young Parent Support Program at Lourdes in 1998.

Truly dedicated to her community, Ms. Alford-Hammitt has volunteered her time to RISE, the local domestic violence shelter, serving on their Board of Directors from 2010 to 2013. In her tenure on their board, she served as the Vice President and President.