Hope Coleman

Hope Coleman, a lifelong advocate for children and education, has worked in childcare her entire career and was the director of several childcare centers prior to her retirement.

Currently, Ms. Coleman coordinates the Peninsula Section of the National Council of Jewish omen’s annual “Back to School Store” event. The program provides a bevy of school supplies and materials — from winter coats to backpacks to pencils — to children in need. Each summer, hundreds of disadvantaged children from across Nassau County go “shopping” with an adult volunteer, selecting school supplies and other items for the upcoming school year. The goods are donated and volunteers staff the event.

Through the annual program, Ms. Coleman ensures that children not only leave the store with the physical materials to make their school year a success, but also with increased self-esteem, allowing them to make their own decisions, while having a back-to-school shopping experience just like every other student their age. While the children pick out supplies, parents receive a myriad of services including free nutrition advice and health screenings. Ms. Coleman’s efforts have helped more than 3,500 children who have participated in the program.

Residing in Baldwin, Ms. Coleman and her husband Michael have called Long Island’s South Shore their home for nearly 40 years. They have two children, Joanna and Lee, and two
grandchildren, Allison and Jacob.