2025 Fall Benefit Honoree Spotlight: Celebrating Ken Nolan
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At this year’s Heartshare Fall Benefit for St. Vincent’s Family Services, we are honored to celebrate Ken P. Nolan, Esq. with the Fred and Nancy DeMatteis Award. Board Chair from 2014–2025 and now Board Chair Emeritus, Ken has expanded programs, launched a youth center, and built partnerships that have positively impacted thousands of lives. His dedication embodies the DeMatteis Family’s motto, “To make life better by serving human needs”. In this interview, Ken shares the insights and vision that drive his work for St. Vincent’s future.
Heartshare
Let’s start at the beginning. How were you introduced to St. Vincent’s Family Services?
Ken Nolan
When St. Vincent's joined Heartshare in 2014, then President and CEO William R. Guarinello asked me to serve as Vice President of the Board. Soon after, I became President and have truly enjoyed working with the organization.
Heartshare
I think everyone at Heartshare can agree that we were the fortunate ones to find you. When you first learned about the organization, what aspect of the mission resonated with you the most?
Ken Nolan
I was generally familiar with the organization due to its historic presence on Boerum Place in Brooklyn, and I knew that it had once been an orphanage. When St. Vincent’s merged with the Heartshare Developmental Disability Services, I saw this as an opportunity to help an organization navigating a transition, but more importantly, an opportunity to support children in need.
Heartshare
You’ve done quite a bit of research about St. Vincent’s history; can you tell us about that?
Ken Nolan
I was semi-retired, and my wife Nancy said I had to get out of the house. There was a master's program in Irish studies at NYU, in which I enrolled and eventually graduated. One course studied the mass immigration of Irish to New York City caused by the Famine. I was required to do a paper on a related topic, and I chose St. Vincent’s since it was founded in 1869 to care for street urchins who were, at the time, primarily Irish Americans.
Since I was involved with St. Vincent's, I learned that we had some original documents from that time. I thought that was a very good fit for me to delve into the organization's history since St. Vincent’s was originally established to help orphaned or abandoned street boys, like the Newsies who sold newspapers. The Irish community founded and supported the orphanage since disease and work-related deaths caused many children to lose their parents. The children then found themselves living on the Brooklyn streets. The need was great then, and tragically, the need today is as great as ever.
Heartshare
Did you discover anything during your research that surprised you or was new information?
Ken Nolan
I did. The organization was founded by Irish Americans, primarily for the Irish children living on the streets, but within 30 years, its demographics began to change. It wasn't just Irish boys. Jewish, Italian, Scandinavian, and other European backgrounds were being supported. In 1869, they began with eight boys, and by 1890, they were caring for over 95 boys. The orphanage remained in operation until the 1950s.
Heartshare
If you're ever speaking with someone unfamiliar with St. Vincent's Family Services, how would you describe the organization to them?
Ken Nolan
Our mission is to support young people during their most challenging times by providing the essentials they need to thrive. Our goal is then to encourage them and help them build their self-confidence, which I didn't realize was a significant issue until I started working with the organization.
Often, for youth in difficult situations, it’s easy to say, “What’s wrong with me?” And what we try to do at St. Vincent's is provide them with an understanding that it's not their fault, that they can succeed, that they are enough. They have significant worth and a significant future.
Heartshare
Are there any moments or stories that stick out to you from over the years of your involvement?
Ken Nolan
Whenever we have the Youth of the Year or Level Up ceremonies, you see the success, but you also see many of these young people helping and caring for one another. It's very touching, and that's the community we try to create at St. Vincent’s. Those moments make it all worthwhile.
Heartshare
What does this recognition and this honor mean to you after spending so many years with the organization?
Ken Nolan
I'm honored to be this year’s honoree. It's a prestigious event and I'm truly looking forward to it. I also was very fortunate that my lovely wife Nancy is so supportive.
I'm excited to share the night with the Youth of the Year and other honorees.
I'm very fortunate in that, as Board Chair, I've worked with terrific people at St. Vincent's —people who care, people who sacrifice, and people who day in and day out care for those our society has really ignored. They are heroes. It's easy to be Chairman of the Board –I'm not on the front lines every day like our incredible staff.
Heartshare
We’d love to hear a bit about the work you do outside of Heartshare.
Ken Nolan
I’ve always lived in Brooklyn. I grew up in a neighborhood called Windsor Terrace. Almost all of my schooling, including college and law school, was in Brooklyn. I currently live in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, and have lived here since 1977.
Although I’m semi-retired, I'm still a practicing lawyer and currently handling a few cases. I was with a law firm that specialized in plaintiff personal injury and wrongful death, specifically aviation law. We represented people, families of people injured or killed in plane crashes. We were very involved, and we're still involved with representing 125 families from the World Trade Center tragedy.
Additionally, I've been happily married for over 50 years to my beautiful wife, Nancy. We have four children and 11 grandchildren, and everybody is healthy.
Heartshare
Looking towards the future, where do you see St. Vincent's headed?
Ken Nolan
I hope the organization continues to expand, because the need is there. Our mission will always be needed in Brooklyn, in New York, and, quite frankly, all over the world. I hope Heartshare continues to grow, helping those in need and changing lives.
Heartshare
Our final question for you today: How can we encourage more people to get involved in supporting the work we do?
Ken Nolan
I think the best way to get more people involved is by having them meet some of our young people. Once they meet them and hear their stories, which are often very difficult, and then they see how St. Vincent's has positively impacted their lives, they will want to get involved. The work St. Vincent’s does is miraculous. We change lives by providing support, encouragement, and resources. Once people meet our kids and our staff, they will undoubtedly want to help.