Jan Golann: Rekindling Relationships and Inspiring Innovation

Over ten years ago, long-time St. James’ Church parishioner Jan Golann was helping to plan the church’s 2010 bicentennial celebration when she learned about the instrumental role that it had played in the founding of NCS. Jan was especially surprised to learn that the St. James’ Friday Night Dinner program, at which she occasionally volunteered, grew out of the response to community homelessness that also led to the founding of NCS in 1982. 

She realized that if she, an active member at St. James’, didn’t realize how connected the church was to NCS, that others likely didn’t either. She became more involved with NCS over the coming years and joined the NCS Board of Directors in 2017. She hopes to rekindle a direct and regular partnership between her church and the organization it helped launch.  

Jan has strengthened the relationship by inviting members of her church to join her at NCS events to learn more about the organization, but she has been excited to do more. Earlier this year, plans were underway to engage St. James’ parishioners in volunteer activities at NCS programs. Unfortunately, COVID-19 put these plans on hold.  

This didn’t stop Jan. When she returned to NYC in June, she joined her friend and fellow St. James’ parishioner Faith Fraser at the Monday Night Hospitality Program at All Souls Unitarian Church. Faith had connected All Souls with NCS at the start of the pandemic and was happy to have Jan help her each week to pick up meals set aside for NCS and deliver them to the Residence, our long-term, supportive housing facility on the Upper East Side that houses 65 individuals who have a history of homelessness. We are excited that St. James’ parishioners will soon begin visiting the NCS Residence to safely prepare meals for the tenants. 

Becoming more involved with NCS as a Board Member and later as Board Secretary and member of the Executive Committee, Jan came to be “inspired by NCS’s commitment to new ideas.” NCS has always approached the challenges of homelessness by applying creative thinking to develop new solutions to the problems faced by our community.

Last year, when NCS’s NextGen Network launched the NextGen Innovation Award to support the work of an emerging leader who is advancing creative approaches to homelessness, her family’s Fullgraf Foundation endowed the annual $5,000 award. 

“Jan is the ideal board member,” shared NCS Chief Executive Officer, Ann Shalof. “She cares deeply about our clients, our work, and our organization. She is thoughtful, insightful and full of creative ideas. She’s an enthusiastic supporter and is always ready to contribute in every possible way.” 

Jan shared that she is “energized by encouraging young people to participate at NCS and by seeking new approaches to helping the homeless in our city—this is the future of innovative assistance.” 

Thank you so much, Jan for your continued support as a donor, board member, and volunteer! 

Related: 

Innovative approaches to homelessness are even more crucial during and after the pandemic. Do you have a creative idea? Apply for the 2nd annual NextGen Innovation Award before Oct 30th.