Meet Your Neighbor: Lianne Persaud

“I learned about Queens Community House through Queens College, where I’m currently studying to be an environmental studies major with a minor in urban planning. The main focus for my internship while I’m at the Pomonok Community Center is on the health of older adults in the community. I worked with older adults elsewhere before this, and initially most of them seemed uninterested in speaking much or participating in any activities. However, I noticed that the more I would interact with them, the more active they’d want to be, whether that would mean getting up and exercising or being more engaged in conversations with others. So, for my internship here in Pomonok, I’ll be spending time with the participants and learning about their interests, as well as the programs and activities that benefit their health at the Center. I’m also looking forward to studying the food pantry. I want to encourage older adults to understand the recipes and ingredients used in the food pantry to promote healthy meal planning.”

- Lianne Persaud, Intern at Queens College