Dorella Walters is a distinguished determine within the New York neighborhood: She at present serves as chief enterprise growth officer at God’s Love We Ship (GLWD), a nonprofit that gives meals for many who, due to sickness, can’t prepare dinner meals for themselves.
Every single day at 7:30 a.m., Walters commutes from Queens to Manhattan on the E prepare, pushed by each private {and professional} commitments. Her skilled duties embrace shopper outreach and establishing community-based and healthcare partnerships for the company.
“After finishing my training and dealing in a number of completely different roles, I got here to understand that my true ardour was to make a significant affect within the lives of others,” Walters stated. “In 1997, when God’s Love We Ship was centered solely on serving people with HIV and AIDS, I utilized for the place of shopper providers specialist … This marked the start of my journey with God’s Love We Ship. Over time, I used to be promoted to supervisor of shopper providers after which director of shopper providers, the place I oversaw each the shopper providers and vitamin providers departments … In 2024, I used to be honored to tackle the place of chief enterprise growth officer.”
GLWD is a nonsectarian group devoted to bettering the well being and well-being of people with HIV/AIDS, most cancers, and different critical sicknesses by addressing points associated to starvation and malnutrition. The group prepares and delivers nutritious, high-quality meals to those that are unable to offer or put together meals for themselves on account of their medical situations. GLWD additionally supplies vitamin training and counseling tailor-made to particular sicknesses, which advantages not solely their purchasers but additionally their households, care suppliers, and different service organizations.
All GLWD providers are freed from cost as a right of recipients’ revenue.
Walters is of Cuban descent, was born within the Bronx, and lives in Queens Village. Her academic journey started at Lengthy Island College (Brooklyn Campus), the place she accomplished her undergraduate diploma. She furthered her training by incomes a grasp’s in public administration from Baruch School (CUNY).
“My numerous roles at God’s Love We Ship have constantly nurtured each my private {and professional} progress and our group’s potential to raised help our purchasers,” Walters stated. “Through the years, we’ve launched revolutionary approaches to how we serve these in want, enhancing the general affect of our providers. My work has additionally enabled me to collaborate extensively inside the group and [with] numerous exterior companions, such because the Meals is Drugs Coalition, the place I beforehand served as a board member. I now proudly co-chair with the Meals is Drugs Coalition on their healthcare supplier committee.”
At GLWD, Walters performs a essential position in supporting the group’s mission. GLWD delivers greater than 3.6 million nutritious, medically tailor-made meals to greater than 12,600 people affected by HIV/AIDS, most cancers, and different critical sicknesses in New York Metropolis and its surrounding counties. Underneath her management, the group has seen important progress, notably in securing and sustaining healthcare contracts with managed care organizations akin to hospitals and different community-based businesses.
“I’ve all the time understood the important position our providers play in supporting this neighborhood,” Walters stated. “This attitude led me towards broader advocacy efforts, motivating me to affix the HIV planning council, the place I had the honour of serving as neighborhood co-chair 4 separate instances all through my profession at God’s Love We Ship.”
Walters’s tenure at GLWD has given her distinctive perception into the purchasers and communities they serve. Her management has fostered appreciable progress inside the group, guaranteeing that GLWD’s mission to enhance well being and well-being by assuaging starvation continues to thrive.
“Though God’s Love We Ship is a nonsectarian group, our mission is compelling to people of all faiths, as it’s grounded within the common precept of serving others,” Walters stated. “This shared dedication to service is what has impressed many people to work with and help the group. It’s all in regards to the mission. The mission is impactful, and in its pursuit, it
embodies the essence of what may very well be thought of God’s work.”
