SOMERS, N.Y. - “The simple act of caring is heroic.” -- Edward Albert.
Stephanie Crispinelli probably wouldn’t have thought of herself as a hero, but the people she selflessly helped in Haiti and Jamaica – as well as displaced children in Westchester who are now supported by a foundation established in her memory – would heartily disagree.
A 2008 Somers High School graduate, the 19-year-old was in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, on Jan. 12, 2010 on a Journey of Hope mission with the nonprofit, Food for the Poor, along with two professors and 11 classmates from Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., when a devastating earthquake struck.
She and fellow students Britney Gengel, Christine Gianacaci, Courtney Hayes, and faculty members Dr. Richard Bruno and Dr. Patrick Hartwick were killed when the hotel they were staying in collapsed.
Crispinelli, a sophomore majoring in Human Services, was known for her commitment to caring for the poorest of poor, her love of family, her spunky attitude, and her sunny smile.
Those attributes were poignantly evident in photographs of the teen’s last hours that were recovered from a digital camera found in the rubble.
Wearing a yellow T-shirt with her dark hair pulled back in a purple-tinged ponytail, Crispinelli is surrounded by beaming schoolchildren. She’s clearly in her element.
Crispinelli was in love with the Haitian and Jamaican peoples and in very much awe of the fact that, despite having next to nothing, they were “so happy and spiritual” she once told her mother, Lin.
After her untimely death, Lynn University President Kevin M. Ross spoke of Crispinelli’s “real passion for serving others,” noting that after returning from a similar trip to Jamaica in 2009 -- where she had met orphans who’d played soccer barefoot – Crispinelli collected sneakers and sports equipment to send back to the island.
For someone so young, Crispinelli’s devotion to humanitarian causes -- both here and abroad -- and her apparent fearlessness was impressive.
“This was the type of young lady she was – one who sought out need and then, when she found it, tried to remedy it,” Ross had said.
When Crispinelli left for that fateful trip, she gave her younger brother, Nicholas, a bracelet that declared: “Failure is not an option.”
Legacy of Service
Inspired by that humanitarian spirit, members of the Somers community gather each year make “Steph’s Comfort Kits” to donate to the American Red Cross for children who’ve been displaced from their homes.
Each of the kits contains a no-sew fleece blanket, a child-sized pillow and pillowcase, and a stuffed animal -- all wrapped up nicely with a ribbon.
Earlier this month, the SHS French Club and Fashion Club hosted an afternoon of community service to make kits in collaboration with The Stephanie Crispinelli Humanitarian Fund and the American Red Cross.
The event was organized by SHS French teacher Anna Timone and Christine Brooks, who teaches fashion and art, also at the high school.
Somers’ beloved roadside stand, King Kone, where Crispinelli had worked in the summers, once donated money from ice cream sales to the fund. Softball tournaments and family fun days were also held.
The outpouring of support -- financial and emotional -- helped lay the foundation for the fund’s continued good works.
“The thing that has just been so beautiful and touching to this day is the way the town, and everyone, rallied around us, especially when she went missing,” Lin recalled with gratitude.
(It took about a month to formally identify Crispinelli’s and the other victims’ remains.)
“We wouldn’t have been able to get through it without this community and all these kind people,” she said.
Crispinelli’s family – Lin, an associate real estate broker with Houlihan Lawrence; dad, Lenny; and two brothers, Michael and Nicholas – have carried on her legacy.
“Our hearts are set on continuing Stephanie’s mission of making a difference in the world, one child at a time,” said her mother on the brokerage’s website.
The fateful 2010 trip to Haiti was the fourth Crispinelli had taken on behalf of Food for the Poor, which provides sustenance, medicine, and shelter, among other services, to the poor in Latin America and the Caribbean.
One of the SCHF’s initial goals had been to build a new elementary school each year in a poverty-stricken town in Jamaica, “providing education to children that otherwise would not be afforded one.”
The family and a team of volunteers traveled to the country regularly to participate in the construction process. About 10 schools were built. The team also visited different orphanages, homes, and shelters.
The best part was, they said, was having the chance to “spend time with the Jamaican adults and children” and being able to personally hand out things such as soccer balls, clothes, shoes, candy, and games to the children.
Then COVID hit in the U.S. in early 2020, putting a kibosh on travel and social gatherings, shuttering schools and businesses, and sending folks into survival mode.
Little ones at Primrose Elementary School at the time had been putting together the comfort kits with the help of SHS students. That had to go on hiatus during the pandemic as well.
Now the event’s back on track in the district.
At present, the foundation has re-focused its efforts on helping displaced children here in Westchester.
Besides providing comfort, the kit-making events promote “the humanitarian spirit among others,” Lin said.
It funds two scholarships for SHS students who want to pursue humanitarian projects and sends seven local kids to summer camp each year, she said, adding that “seven was Stephie’s lucky number.”
It also continues to raise money to send to Food for the Poor in her late daughter’s name, said Lin.
“We try to help within our own community where we can,” she said.
On a local level, if people are interested in helping their fellow humans, Crispinelli’s family says that the Somers Lions Club is a good place to start.
For more information about the civic organization, visit www.somerslionsclub.org/.
Rather than expecting thanks, Crispinelli was the one thankful for being given the opportunity to carve out such a meaningful path in life.
It put a lot of things in perspective, said her mom, recalling that her daughter once told her: “I went to Jamaica to help the poor and the poor ended up helping me.
Good to Know
To learn more about the Stephanie Crispinelli Humanitarian Fund and how to donate, visit https://www.stephaniesmission.org/
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