Ron Pagano

Ron Pagano, JD At this stage in my life, I am grateful to be able to volunteer and help those in our community who need assistance.   I started my activism as a high school student in NYC. As a disabled person, I was concerned about lots of issues affecting the disabled, including education, transportation, employment, recreation, housing and health. In the late '60s and '70s, as President of a non-profit organization, named P.R.I.D.E. (People for Rehabilitating & Integrating the Disabled Through Education), we were able to make significant changes in NYC and New Yourk State.  After college and law school, I worked on issues involving Fair Housing and discrimination. I have always been involved in community and professional organizations, and today, I am proud to be active in several groups: 1) I am very proud of my work in the disabled community and I have started a new organization, ENDEAVOR Disabled Advocacy, to help educate and advocate for the disabled. The ADA provides a way for the disabled to demand equal access to those parts of our society that include education, employment, transportation, accessibility and recreational inclusion. 2) Distribution of clothing, food and other necessities to the homeless in my community, as co-founder of From Roots To Wings, Inc; Serving on the Board of Directors of PAC14, our local public access channel. 3) Helping to raise awareness and money in the fight against cancer, through the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life initiative; 4) I am past Vice President of I.P.P.S. Mentoring, Inc., dedicated to providing mentoring services to inmates and former inmates, in order to reduce recidivism and change the lives of individuals, families and communities; 5) I am also past Vice President of my church Board of Trustees, active in helping to spread the ideas of social justice, peace and making a difference in people's lives. I have received many blessings as a result of my involvement in these groups and others.  We may not be able to change the entire world, but we can definitely change pieces of our little corner of it.