L-R-Rev. Lisa Mason, Gloria Spedafino-Golle, Joe Liberti, and Tina Sadarangani
By Randal Ikeda
Big changes often begin close to home. At the October 13 Larchmont-Mamaroneck Local Summit, three civic leaders explored how local engagement and volunteer-driven organizations can strengthen community life, foster meaningful connections, and make a tangible difference. Moderated by Rev. Lisa Mason, the conversation featured leaders from Larchmont Friends of the Family, At Home on the Sound, and the Original Civic Research & Action program at Mamaroneck High School, each bringing a distinct perspective on service and civic participation. As Local Summit Chair Elaine Chapnick observed, “if we look local, we know there’s a lot that we can do to make our own community better.”
Larchmont Friends of the Family: Confidential Help in Times of Crisis
Tina Sadarangani, board chair of Larchmont Friends of the Family, described an organization that quietly steps in when a parent or child faces a serious illness or death. The group helps with rent, groceries, transportation to medical appointments, meals, and other immediate needs so families can focus on healing rather than financial survival. “We come in and we help as good neighbors would do, and then some,” she said.
Sadarangani noted that the organization’s confidential, anonymous work makes public awareness challenging, despite the profound need. She urged residents not to assume local families are immune to crisis: illness can quickly destabilize a household. When families share their stories, neighbors are reminded that crisis can happen to anyone.
At Home on the Sound: Independence, Connection and Belonging
Gloria Spedafino-Golle, executive director of At Home on the Sound, discussed the organization’s work helping adults age 60 and older remain independent, active, and connected. Through transportation, lectures, programs, and social activities, the organization combats isolation and helps older residents feel valued. “At Home on the Sound brings them together so that they feel, as they should, that they are an important part of this community,” she said.
For Spedafino-Golle, the most persistent challenge is stigma. Some older adults hesitate to participate because they do not see themselves as ready for an organization serving older residents. Her goal is to present At Home on the Sound not as a sign of decline, but as a source of community, vitality, and connection.
Original Civic Research & Action: Teaching Students How Change Happens
Joe Liberti, founder and director of Original Civic Research & Action (OCRA) at Mamaroneck High School, described ORCA as a four-year, student-centered, group-based and project-based civic program focused on the local community. Students interview community members, research local issues and learn how to make change collaboratively and realistically.
Liberti said one challenge is helping students understand that meaningful change often happens incrementally. Students may want immediate results, while local institutions can be slow to adapt. His role, along with fellow mentors and educators, is to help students find projects at the right scale, listen carefully, and recognize that moving the ball down the field still matters. He tells students, “God gave us two ears and one mouth, so let’s do more listening.”
A Web of Community Service
Audience members broadened the discussion by highlighting other local service efforts, including Furniture Sharehouse, which celebrates its 20th year in 2027, the Fuller Center, the Lions Club, the League of Women Voters, the Hunger Task Force, the Alzheimer’s Association Hudson Valley Chapter and volunteer opportunities such as election protection, poll work and crossing guard service.
Throughout the discussion, participants returned to a common theme: strong communities depend not only on effective organizations, but also on neighbors willing to notice a need, ask questions, and lend a hand. Ultimately, it is the human connections forged through this work that sustain volunteers and make their efforts so rewarding as they enhance the quality of life in the community.
The Larchmont-Mamaroneck Local Summit is an informal community council that seeks to improve community life by keeping residents informed about major issues of concern. The next meeting, on November 10 at the Nautilus Diner in Mamaroneck, will discuss the changing landscape of healthcare and what it means to you. For more information, visit https://www.localsummitlm.org/. To view recorded programs on LMC Media, visit https://lmcmedia.org/series-page/larchmont-mamaroneck-local-summit/.