Volunteer Spotlight: Nina Luban

After 15 years of practicing environmental law and a full career of teaching and educational administration, retirement was a little too quiet for New Rochelle resident Nina Luban. So, in 2021, when she heard about an opportunity to volunteer to resettle refugees, Nina jumped at the opportunity. 

Two years later, Nina is still busy assisting in the resettlement of refugees, recently joining her second cohort at Hearts & Homes. 

Drawing on her career in teaching and education, Nina has become the education point person for both cohorts she’s worked on, assisting a 10th grader from Afghanistan in the Yonkers public school system and 2nd grader from Afghanistan in the New Rochelle public school system. 

Even with her extensive career as a teacher and administrator, Nina says she was challenged when she first started working as an education volunteer as part of Hearts & Homes for Refugees.

"Before I knew it, I was enmeshed in schools with which I was completely unfamiliar, but I needed to keep pressing ahead to get the refugee students enrolled,” says Nina. “Overcoming that personal challenge was one of the things that made volunteer work hugely rewarding."

But as a new volunteer, Nina felt at ease knowing the network of support behind her. She says at every step of the way, the team at Hearts & Homes for Refugees and the rest of her cohort were there to help her navigate any issues that may have arisen. 

“You are not left out there on your own,” says Nina. “They won’t allow things to go wrong.”

After working with two families, Nina has learned about the intimate challenges of starting a new life in New York. 

“It’s hard to truly grasp what it means to start over, in every sense of the phrase,” says Nina. “But what amazed me is after all these refugee families have been through, and are going through, is how grateful and appreciative they are of your support. It’s a humbling experience.” 

Nina also found an incredible network of administrators and teachers in Yonkers and New Rochelle who have gone above and beyond to embrace their newest students. 

“Amid a troubled immigration process that needs repair, how these institutions have greeted the Hearts & Homes refugees I've worked with makes me proud to be a New Yorker,” says Nina.      

Now two years as a dedicated HHR volunteer, Nina remains in awe of the volunteer colleagues she works with and the Hearts & Homes' model of community sponsorship. 

“HHR has a strong command and understanding of what refugee families need,” says Nina. “Volunteering with this organization is a singular learning experience - one that gives you much, much more than it takes."