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Group of 3 YAI staff wearing Central Park Challenge t-shirts
Some of the YAI staff at the Manhattan residence wearing the shirts Joseph Jones bought them. 

Joseph Jones knows how a kind gesture can go a long way. That’s why he didn’t think twice when he used some of his COVID-related bonus money to buy his team Central Park Challenge t-shirts.

“A lot of people appreciate the little things,” said Jones, Program Supervisor for a YAI residence. “I can’t do much, but I can show staff I know what they do for the team. I wanted to show them I appreciate them and all they do for the job.”

Jones bought two shirts each for the 10 staff at the Manhattan residence and surprised them with the gesture in August. He said he wanted both veteran and new staff to feel like part of the residence's family when they received the shirts.

“The staff who received the t-shirts were grateful and most appreciative of Joseph’s kindness,” said Dawn Kinley-McCullough, Program Director. “It was a feeling of honor to have a supervisor take their own personal money to purchase these shirts for them.”

Jones became supervisor of the program this year after working his way up from Direct Support Professional over the last six years at YAI.

“Ever since the pandemic began our staff has been working 24/7, so this was my way of saying thank you and recognizing all their hard work,” he said.