The Imagine Society

About The Imagine Society

The Imagine Society, Inc. is an organization that mentors youth in social justice, compassion, and service. We provide support and scaffolding for their inspired ideas and plans to better their communities in order to create positive change. Pre-COVID-19/social distancing, The Imagine Society hosted dynamic, interactive social events where the invited guests attended with their individual youth groups from all over New York City to meet up with other youth groups from different cultures and backgrounds. These face to face events were a unique and excellent opportunity to broaden perspectives about the world we live in and to make connections to enhance existing and future service projects.

At our events, the individual groups would mix together and expand their hearts and minds as they made new friends and shared ideas for community service and creating a better society.

Originally our member groups hailed from all over the city from schools, churches, temples, mosques and community centers, composed of young teens from a wide variety of city schools: Exceptional kids who value their world and community and are actively engaged in service. By collaborating with other groups with diverse cultures yet similar goals, we found that preconceived prejudices about people who are “different” melt away through a celebration of goodness and compassion, and our young people become better prepared to be the diplomatic and peaceful leaders of the future.

During the dark days of the pandemic in New York City, we continued our outreach and met up on Zoom, group chats and other digital platforms. Our youth members grew in number and blossomed in their creative service to the common good. While adhering to CDC guidelines for social distancing and mask-wearing, The Imagine Society continued to conduct a number of successful service projects including raising unprecedented funds and in-kind donations totaling over $100,000 that went directly to delivering meals to frontline medical heroes, and to supplementing supplies for food pantries and shelters.

Even now as life remains uncertain, The Imagine Society remains certain that our youth members will continue their work in making this world a better place.

As the world changes in the face of the global pandemic, The Imagine Society has evolved and adapted to a new model of youth led service. We have increased our social media presence, leading to national and international engagement with youth and adult mentors from all over the country and the globe. Forming these new connections has resulted in an abundance of empathy and unity with the human family beyond our greatest expectations. Our dynamic monthly newsletter has become a new symbol of our community gatherings, and we encourage you to sign up for our mailing list to experience the incredible projects and artistic expressions of our young contributors. Please follow us on Instagram @TheImagineSociety to see what is happening right now.

Member's Schools

Our past events have hosted youth groups comprised of students from the following schools:

Ideal School of Manhattan • 75 Morton MS 297 • Avenues: The World School • Booker T. Washington Middle School • East Side Community High School • Marymount School of New York • PS 165 Robert E. Simon • PS 199 • Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School • Saint Ignatius Loyola School • PS 145 • Spruce Street School • Stuyvesant High School • High School of American Studies at Lehman College • Regis High School • Bard High School • Trinity School • Bronx Science • Friends Seminary • Dwight School • Democracy Prep High School • MS 54/ Booker T. Washington • West End Secondary School • Hunter College High School • The Chapin School • York Prep • Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School

Meet Our Adult Leadership Team

Although our emphasis is on youth-led service, our stellar adult team offers scaffolding and guidance by providing leadership training, facilitating discussion and offering inspiration, support and mentorship to our young members.

Nora Fitzpatrick Founding Member
Laura Moore Brown Founding Member
Jeannie Gaffigan Founding Member
Emily Chen Carrera Advisory Board Member
Danielle Blumstein Director of Outreach and Engagement
Marina Franklin Advisory Board Member
Jim Gaffigan Advisory Board Member
Laurence "LJ" Jolicoeur Advisory Board Member
Hitha Herzog Friend of the Imagine Society
Sahar Husain Friend of the Imagine Society
Sanober Khan Friend of the Imagine Society
Gina Larucci Advisory Board Member
Harold S. Koplewicz Honorary Board Member