Nina Lynch

Nina Lynch of Rhinebeck moved to Dutchess County in 1963, and discovered the League of Women Voters and the value of education, collaboration, and thoughtful action for community problem-solving. Her leadership of Friends in Service Helping (FISH) inspired her to use volunteer service to help meet community needs. When FISH services were supplanted by county services, Ms. Lynch shifted focus to help start the Greater Hyde Park Meals on Wheels program, which recently celebrated 40 years of service to its community.

Due to her outstanding reputation as a community volunteer, Ms. Lynch was hired as the Coordinator for the Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers program and eventually by the Dutchess County Office for the Aging. She retired in July 2011, after almost 19 years as the organization’s Aging Information Services Specialist. In this role, Ms. Lynch supervised the staff and volunteers responsible for providing outreach as well as benefit and health insurance counseling services. Ms. Lynch served as Chairperson of Dutchess Health 2000’s Aging Committee for five years, and served on the boards of directors of Mental Health America, the Dutchess County Community Action Program, the Dutchess County Department of Mental Hygiene, Taconic Resources for Independence and Northern Dutchess Caregivers Coalition.

Ms. Lynch helped inspire and is a founding member and President of Rhinebeck at Home, an aging-inplace membership organization. Launched in 2013 with 35 members, Rhinebeck at Home has grown to 110 members – all committed to an all member/all volunteer approach to neighbors helping neighbors stay independent at home. Rhinebeck at Home initiated a series of public education forums called “Rhinebeck is Aging”, in collaboration with Northern Dutchess Hospital and other community partners. The organization also features a showcase of services and resources—Thriving in Rhinebeck—while continuing to provide socialization opportunities, volunteer assistance and resource referrals to its members.

Ms. Lynch is a member of the Town of Rhinebeck Committee on Aging, the Rhinebeck Affordable and Open Space Housing Committee, and the Lifetime Learning Institute at Bard College. She is an active, certified volunteer health insurance counselor for the New York State Health Insurance Information Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP). She holds a B.A. from Elmira College.