Crystal Collins

Crystal Collins’ philosophy about service is simple – work hard, stay committed and give each project your best effort.

As a community advocate and organizer, Ms. Collins has spent the past two decades bringing positive change in and around her community. Her volunteer work includes serving as the Mount Vernon 37th District Leader, Westchester County Senior Program Speaker, member of the board of the Youth Community Outreach Program (YCOP) of Mount Vernon, and of the Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church in the Bronx. She is a former Youth Church Director/Youth Advisor, past PTA President at Bronx Middle School #370 and is past PTA and Bronx Condominium Vice President.

In addition, Ms. Collins is co-creator and developer of the 2014 1st Annual Toy Drive for the Northeast section of the Bronx, working with law enforcement officials and officers in the 47th Precinct. Together, they’ve successfully assisted over 1,000 families by collecting and distributing more than 5,000 Christmas gifts in 2016.

Ms. Collins also organized the Northeast Bronx’s 1st Annual Seniors’ Dinner, “Dining in Elegance,” for over 200 seniors, as well as a Back-to-School book bag giveaway that generated quadruple the donations and gift-giving since the inception of both. In her work with the YCOP youth program, Ms. Collins assisted in developing the after-school program and helped double enrollment within its first three months. The program has now reached maximum enrollment.

Ms. Collins earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business from the College of Mount Saint Vincent and a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Systems and Policies. She is currently employed as the Secretary of the Mount Vernon Civil Service Commission and established a private event-planning business called CreativeSolutions – all while raising four sons ages 8 to 21.

She is the recipient of the Bronx Branch NAACP Freedom Fund Community Leader Award, the City of Mount Vernon Community Service Award and the New Flex Phenomenal Woman Award.