MAGDA SLAWECKA
Brooklyn-based Magda Slawecka is celebrating 5 years of volunteering for PPMNY. In her 30s, she had been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and was told she would have to be on medication for the rest of her life. She says, “At the same time I started taking synthroid, I also went plant-based. I stayed on medication only for a year and a half,” and then no longer needed it.
While her true love is outreach and tabling, and she has led our Health Freedom Walks in Brooklyn, Magda has also been a frequent peer mentor. She will always remember one of her mentees — an older woman from the Bronx who was suffering from high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and glaucoma. Dietary change was tricky because she was very slim and couldn't afford to lose weight. With Magda's care and support, her mentee got off of medication, didn't lose weight, and even her glaucoma got better! Working with PPMNY, “I learned that my way of living and eating speaks more for this lifestyle than my words. I love representing the plant-based community and shocking omnivores with the way I look.” 
ELLIE HSU
NYU undergrad Ellie Hsu has been an intern for PPMNY for the better part of a year. As a student of nutrition and public health with great skills in data analysis and writing, Ellie has prepared impact reports and visualized our data, organized our Lifestyle Support Circles, supported Food for Life classes, and explored new tech platforms that can help us work smarter.
“Plant-based nutrition has been a long-time interest of mine, and I admire how PPMNY makes this way of eating more accessible and practical for the community. A particularly memorable experience was attending a training for community health workers. It was very insightful to observe how nutrition information can be presented in a way that is both engaging and approachable. Seeing the participants actively involved, asking thoughtful questions, and expressing excitement about incorporating more whole plant foods into their lives left me feeling incredibly inspired.” |
BRYANT MEYTHALER
Coming up on five years of volunteering with PPMNY this fall, Bryant Meythaler is a dynamo. A pre-med student who has a deep and nuanced understanding of nutrition and health, Bryant has taken on diverse roles including as a peer mentor in both our Jumpstart and Reto Salud programs and for our Lifestyle Support Circles, an assistant in our Food for Life classes, and an ambassador tabling at events and fairs.
“It has been quite fulfilling to see participants transform their health with whole food, plant-based nutrition! My mentees in the Jumpstart programs were able to drastically improve their health, reverse disease, decrease medication dosages or even get off them completely, lose weight, and so much more. All of these stories make me feel incredibly grateful to be in this position to impact the lives of so many people! We have such a profound impact on the health and well-being of so many different communities, especially underserved communities that suffer from chronic diseases the most. We also have an impact on the environmental and ethical aspects and will continue to do our best to raise awareness about this.” 
SHERI ABRAHAMS
Hailing from South Florida, Sheri Abrahams has served as a peer mentor since 2023, supporting participants of PPMNY’s Jumpstart programs and facilitating Lifestyle Support Circles. She also started a new group in South Florida that mirrors PPMNY’s efforts in the metro NY area. As an educator, Sheri says that volunteering with PPMNY “checks the boxes” for her, providing the opportunity to educate and motivate others.
“We have a critical message that needs to be shared. So many people can be healthier if they have the knowledge and support they need. I was completely surprised and honored when a lifestyle support group participant made a donation in my honor to PPMNY as a thank you for our time together in the group. I'm so happy that she found the support she needed to truly commit to her well-being. Everyone has the right to know how to care for themselves through the lifestyle choices they make. Through PPMNY they can gain the knowledge and support to make the choice for a healthier and happier life.” |
