Star of Brooklyn: Martha Galasinao

April 6, 2015 Anna Spivak

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COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: After devoting the past 11 years to the nursery school at Redeemer St. John’s Lutheran Church as its director, Martha Galasinao – community activist, mother and fundraising expert — says it’s all about “giving back” to the community in ways that help children.

Galasinao’s involvement with children, she says, is her priority. From nationally recognized charities to those close to home, Galasinao organizes and finds ways to raise money for various causes.

“We do a St. Jude Tricathon – a fundraiser where [St. Jude’s] provides materials that have to do with tricycle safety, a coloring book that kids can learn from and take home with them, and in exchange for that, the parents donate money,” said Galasinao. “We’ve raised probably close to $15,000 in the years that we’ve done it.

“We also for the past few years have been participating in a toy drive for the Olivia Boccuzzi Foundation,” Galasinao continued. “She died of cancer before her third birthday and the toys then go to the hospital that she was treated at around Christmas time. We [also] did a pajama fundraiser for a little boy named Pietro [battling] muscular dystrophy.”

MOTIVATION: The motivation behind what Galasinao does has to do with seeing the school she works at and the children she helps thrive.

“This school is the third baby I never had,” said Galasinao. “To be able to see it continue in the community and be a place in the community where parents want their kids to come, it’s a joy for me to be able to offer this kind of nurturing experience.”

CAREER/DAY JOB: Galasinao teaches students ages two, three and four in her nursery classes at Redeemer St. John’s Lutheran Church.

BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT: Her biggest achievement, Galasinao says, is putting out a positive image and name for the church, school and fundraising haven that she says, now, is “synonymous with a quality education,” but wasn’t always that way.

PERSONAL LIFE: In her spare time, Galasinao enjoys traveling with her family. While she’s traveled to places like Paris, Italy and New Zealand, visiting her son, who is away at Cornell University in Ithaca for his first year of college, is at the top of her list.