The Ingrassia Family
Four generations of the Ingrassia family are continuing to help others through deeds and philanthropy.
Asked twenty years ago by MHA’s Executive Director to offer development ideas for its gala committee, Patrice saw the impact volunteers could make. She joined MHA’s board in 2006 as a development committee member, using skills she developed in her career at Ernst & Young (now EY).
In subsequent years she joined the board of the Friends of the Rockefeller State Park Preserve. Also interested in local safety issues, she became involved in Hartsdale civic issues, and most recently served on County Executive Latimer’s Wrong-Way Driving Bronx River Parkway Committee.
Patrice was inspired by her grandmother, Beatrice Ingrassia, and her late father, Joseph Ingrassia. As a young woman, Beatrice used her excellent language skills to translate letters and documents for fellow Sicilian immigrants into English.
A national handball champion sponsored by the New York Athletic Club, her father went on to become president of the renowned club. He founded its Athletes’ Fund, which offers financial support to aspiring Olympians and supports sports programs for New York area not-for-profits. As a board member of the National Histiocytosis Society, he started their annual fundraising gala, which has ongoing support from the business community. He also raised money for the Catholic Church’s mission to minister to U.S. armed forces stationed abroad.
He and his late wife Cecilia both supported MHA. They inspired their children and grandchildren to become active in civic affairs and use their skills to help not-for-profit organizations make a difference in people’s lives.
Patrice and her partner Christine Broda have supported MHA of Westchester, the Friends of the Rockefeller State Park Preserve, and other not-for-profit organizations for many years.
Her sister Elizabeth, brother Paul and sister-in law Lynn, as well as her nieces Sarah, Jenne, and Claire have devoted their best to organizations they believe in – from Covenant House, New York Pet Rescue, Harvard Business School Community Partners, REACH Prep, the Breast Cancer Alliance, and the Jay Heritage Center, as well as volunteer nurse to administer Covid vaccines.
In the Ingrassia spirit, to paraphrase the words of the song, What Matters Most,
"When it comes to philanthropy and good works,
It’s not how many checks we write -- or for how much,
What matters most is how well we helped each other.
In the end, it’s not recognition for giving we should recall,
What matters most, is that each of us gave our all."