Sean and Shani on PIX
On July 24, PIX11 viewers were treated to a powerful interview by Monica Morales of Floating Hospital President Sean Granahan and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Shani Andre. The discussion centered on our history, marking the 160 years since our founding, and how our dedication to the delivery of wraparound care has remained mostly unchanged since then.
Andre said the secret to our success “has been staying true to our mission.” At the beginning, we went to tenements and gave the residents boat rides to clear their lungs of the polluted air in their homes and neighborhoods. “While we’re not doing boat rides now, we are still providing the same relief for our families… whatever they need that might not typically be associated with healthcare.”
Although our patient base over the years has shifted to homeless families and domestic violence survivors, “our model still works and has an application after all these years,” Granahan noted. “It’s primarily medical care, health education, and relief” and relief can be anything from food, clothing, diapers, and formula, “whatever the moms need.”
The discussion also covered our Women’s Wellness events and our intensive health education summer camps for children and teens. Andre noted that it’s “important that you’re going back to your patients and asking what they need, meeting those needs, and trying to fill those gaps they have but that might not be the typical things you think about as a healthcare provider.”
Six-weeks to learn and grow
Our 2026 summer interns let The Floating Hospital staff, their supervisors, their family, and friends know how much the program meant to them on August 11, when all 16 interns gave summaries of their time with us in the form of PowerPoint presentations. The program took place from July 6 to August 13, led by Cynthia Davis, who developed the program and is retiring this year.
Those who participated were Jaliyah Acevedo, Araceli De La Luz, Benjamin Espaillat, Linnia Goodwin, Sienna Koball, Michael Lape, Dairsha Mack, Kimberly Martinez, Gavin McGowen, Yasuri Munoz, Yeiden Norales, Daniel Pinzon, Saba Rahman, Ahmir Ruiz, Rayan Shannak, and Selena Wu.
In addition to their regular assignments, interns visited the United Nations, volunteered in the Part of the Solution (POTS) community kitchen and food bank, and assisted with a cooking demonstration, the SOAR day camp, and a Women’s Wellness event.
Drawn from a diverse pool that included the New York City Summer Youth Employment Program, AHRC NYC, our staff’s families, and our younger patients from family and domestic violence shelters, many of the interns have plans to pursue careers in healthcare. The departments they assisted included registration, health education, behavioral health, and clinical operations.
After morning check-ins, they were off to their assignments, earning money while they learned skills valuable to potential employers, such as elements of the Microsoft Office suite, public speaking, networking, phone etiquette, and customer service. They were also taught CPR by the New York City Fire Department (to use outside of the clinic) and conducted outreach to notify the community of our available services.
“One of the highlights of my internship was the opportunity to work with an amazing team of interns,” Jaliyah noted in her presentation. “We learned from each other, collaborated on various projects, and supported one another throughout our time together.”
After seeing his students’ final presentation, Anthony Jenkins, director of college and career readiness at the Urban Dove Team Charter School III Queens, said it “truly highlighted the amount of time, effort, and care that you and your team poured into them. The opportunities and experiences they were able to participate in were truly once in a lifetime, and it was great to see the impact the program had on their growth.”
Down to the wire
There are only a couple of weeks left before about 100 teens board buses bound for the Hudson Valley for Camp Rise Up. The weeklong intensive health education sleepaway experience begins August 30.
We provide everything the campers need for their week in the woods where they learn in classrooms and seek adventure in the great outdoors. Donors like you help provide all the necessary gear, food, and camp rental fees with donations and in-kind gifts from our wishlists on Amazon.
Many thanks to all who have given, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Citizens Philanthropic Foundation, Good Sports, Soles4Souls, Venable Foundation, and the John and Martha Wolf Fund, and all who are planning to support this turning point in many teens’ lives.
Women’s Wellness
Our Summer Women’s Wellness Day pop-up resulted in 83 women receiving important health screenings, including tests for STIs, HPV, and cervical cancer, in addition to free mammograms courtesy of the American-Italian Cancer Foundation.
The Floating Hospital provided complimentary transportation, along with breakfast and lunch, which was donated by Rethink Food. Each patient was additionally treated to pampering spa treatments, massages by Primp Events, henna tattoos from Sumalya Akther, and many giveaways. These included personal items such as lingerie by Dreamwear, clothing, shampoo, make-up, and more.
Several women came with their kids, who enjoyed books galore for reading and coloring, as well fun games and healthy snacks inside our Health Education Center. It was a day of important screenings followed by well-deserved treats for everyone.
We would like to thank all those who made the day such a success, including the donors and sponsors mentioned previously with the addition of Berenny Garcia and Direct Relief. We are also grateful to our individual volunteers, who provide exceptional support for every Women’s Wellness Day, along with the group of volunteers from Mediterranean Shipping Company.
