by Mohamed Farghalhy | mfarghaly@queensledger.com
The Thomas and Jeanne Elmezzi Private Foundation, rooted in the American Dream’s promise, aims to empower individuals in Long Island City and Astoria through workforce development, educational attainment, and medical research. Photo courtesy of the Elmezzi Foundation
The Thomas and Jeanne Elmezzi Private Foundation, rooted in the American Dream’s promise, aims to equip individuals with the tools and support needed to achieve their potential. This vision, established by Thomas and Jeanne Elmezzi, focuses on workforce development, educational attainment, and medical research, particularly benefiting those in the Long Island City and Astoria areas.
“We are all about helping people develop skill sets they can continue to use throughout their life,” Joshi said. “For example, teaching people how to install solar technology not only trains them in specific skills but also helps them develop career pathways.”
Founded on the belief that everyone deserves the chance to pursue their dreams, the Foundation addresses challenges including physical, medical, economic, and educational barriers. It funds programs that directly improve individual lives through innovative program design and development.
“For years, we were funding programs in educational attainment, academic achievement, and youth development,” Joshi said. “Recently, we’ve been focusing on economic mobility for residents who haven’t had that kind of access or support.”
The Foundation’s mission emphasizes measurable impacts on the quality of life, with a commitment to the socio-economic upliftment of Western Queens neighborhoods.
“We’ve been focused on workforce development programs that benefit residents in this community,” said Pooja Joshi, Executive Director of the Foundation. “Our interest is making sure that people who graduate from these programs don’t just get any job, but get family-sustaining jobs.”
In addition to workforce initiatives, the Foundation has two notable endowments: the Jeanne Elmezzi Adult Learning Center at Queens Library in Long Island City and the Elmezzi School of Molecular Medicine at Northwell Health in Great Neck, Long Island. These initiatives reflect the Elmezzis’ dedication to giving back to their roots in Astoria.
“The whole idea of giving back to this community is about coming back to their roots and making a difference here in this space,” Joshi said.
The Foundation’s recent efforts include the Elmezzi Career Fellows Program at LaGuardia Community College, offering paid internships and dedicated academic advising to students, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college. This program aims to bridge the gap between education and employment, especially for low-income BIPOC youth in Western Queens and beyond.
“We’ve established the Elmezzi Career Fellows Program at LaGuardia Community College, a paid internship program supporting students, many of whom are first in their family to explore higher education,” Joshi said. “A lot of these young people don’t have the opportunity to be exposed to internships, let alone paid internships. So, we’ve been funding this program to expose students to higher education and connect their education with their work prospects.”
Through annual grants exceeding $3 million, the Foundation continues to support programs that demonstrate clear strategies for serving community needs and achieving measurable outcomes. “We want to ensure that all community members, regardless of their socio-economic status, have access to opportunities for self-sufficiency and improved quality of life,” Joshi added.
The Foundation’s commitment to the community remains steadfast amid the rapid changes and gentrification in Astoria and Long Island City. By funding programs in education, job training, and medical research, the Thomas and Jeanne Elmezzi Private Foundation strives to uphold the founders’ vision of empowering individuals to lead independent and productive lives.
For more information, visit the Foundation’s website at elmezzi.org or explore their
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