When times are hard, New Yorkers come together and pitch in to help each other (like we did at the 911 crisis and at other critical times). When the chips are down and we are in the bottom of the 9th inning at Yankee or Shea Stadiums cheering for our team to pull through, pouring our hearts out sending positive energy and love our level of enthusiasm is at its very height.

If that is true, shouldn’t we be especially enthusiastic and diligent about helping those that have served NYC and helped to make it a safer and better pace for all of us? Those who have spent their lives and careers sending help and resources to other New Yorkers in their times of need and/or desperation?

I want to share a truly heartbreaking situation and hope that you will find it in your hearts to help, either directly by contributing whatever you can, or indirectly by sharing this story with as many other people as you can.

Joanne Southall-Shark, herself was dedicated to serving NYC as a 911 Operator from 2009 – 2024. She had just been promoted to Senior Police Administrative Aide (SPAA) when she was stricken with a horrible life-threatening blood cancer (Hematologic Cancer) and has subsequently suffered two strokes losing the use of her entire left side and the ability to take care of herself.

Now, because her illness has forced her into an early retirement, she is not able to keep up with her financial responsibilities which could result in eviction. This is because she cannot afford her modest one-bedroom apartment in Harlem any longer which she shares with her son who is also disabled. She has been confined to a nursing home for the past months and desperately wants to spend however much time God allows her to live at home with her loving son in their familiar surroundings.

Joanne Southall-Shark is the only child of the deceased Honorable Mark T. Southall, who served NYC and NYS as Assemblyman for two Districts during his tenure of service to the legislature in New York from 1962 -1974. Joanne followed in her father’s footsteps in service to New York City.

We are desperately trying to raise funds to facilitate payment of Joanne’s necessary financial obligations and allow her to go home and live out her life with dignity without the additional stress of finance in addition to her health conditions. WON’T YOU PLEASE HELP HER?

MAY GOD BLESS YOU.