________ Franklin square/elmont _______
MARKENS JEWELERS
HERALD
FINAL DAYS! DOORS CLOSE FOREVER
SATURDAY, DEC 31!
DECEMBER 29, 2022 - JANUARY 4, 2023
What’s
Vol. 25 No. 1
‘The marks remind me of my strength’
INSIDE INSIDE
by aNa borrUTo
E Family and Health Centers announced a new name for the organization as part of a rebrand.
Page 3
Santa Claus collected gift donations and posed for photos with children at a realty group's holiday event in Franklin Square.
Page 4
Polk Street students learned about diversity and inclusion on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Page 6
For BrEAKING NEWS go to liherald.com
lizabeth Forbes is a fighter. When you meet her, you wouldn’t know the many trials and tribulations she has overcome throughout her life. She doesn’t share her personal story often. She focuses on shining the spotlight on those in the Elmont community in need through her Gift of Giving Foundation. “I never want a child to feel neglected of love,” Forbes said. “My mission is to really change the lives of children — one child at a time.” For her dedication to that mission, the Herald is proud to name Forbes its 2022 Person of the Year. Forbes was one of 11 children – eight sisters and three brothers –raised in East Harlem and grew up in a protective household. She recalled her mother always keeping a watchful eye over her and her sisters. However, at times, she was allowed to go out and explore her neighborhood, where she created some of her most exciting childhood memories. Forbes and her sister, Kathy, were the “two bandits” of the family, she said. When she was 10, they entered a double-dutch jump rope and roller-skating competition, just for fun at first, and the two ended up winning both contests. “It was just so amazing and I think a lot of the things that I wanted to do come from what I experienced there,” Forbes said. When she was 13, her family moved from Harlem to Queens and unfortunately, the family dynamic shifted. The man who raised her was not her biological father, she said, and although she did not understand the situation as a child at the time, looking back, she felt as if he was trying to “get rid” of her because she was not his. “One time, he beat me so bad that even to this day, I still have the marks on my back,” Forbes said. “The marks remind me of my strength and courage.” The following day, the school reported the incident to Child Protective Services and Forbes was taken out of her home. For the next two years, she was in and
80
NOW UP TO
OFF
GOING OUT OF BUSIN
ESS!
GREEN ACRES MALL
HERALD PERSON oF THE YEAR
ElizabETh ForbEs 'I just feel like the world is ours to give back to the future generation.' Elizabeth Forbes founder, Gift of Giving Foundation out of different homes, until Shirley and Newton Virgil of Freeport took her in at age 15. Shirley, who has since passed, was heavily involved in the Freeport community volunteering for various organizations such as the Cub Scouts, the Freeport Recreation Center, Archer Street
% 1198356
$1.00
Elementary and Atkinson School. “Mama Shirley” grabbed a quiet Forbes by the hand and introduced her to civic service and volunteerism – an exposure that completely changed the trajectory of her life. “When I tell you this woman shaped me, molded me, she did so much and I was right there with her,” Forbes said. “She taught me the importance of giving back to the community and from that point on, I realized that that's what saved my life.” Forbes went on to attend Hofstra University and received Bachelor in Science in healthcare administration. She contemplated what she wanted for her life. She moved forward from her horrific past experiences and broke the toxicity she endured by starting her own family. She left Freeport and moved to Florida for a short time, but her heart always stayed in New York. She returned a year later where she met her husband Rex, who stepped in as a father figure to her three sons and they had two more children together. Forbes was living her dream life until her health took a turn. Her weight dropped to an alarming 69 pounds, her hair was falling out and she couldn’t keep food down. After several misdiagnoses, she was hit with crushing news. At 35 years old, she was diagnosed with stage four esophageal cancer and was given three months to live. She received that prognosis 10 years ago. “Three months later they did another PET scan and put both scans side by side – no sign of cancer,” Forbes said. “I was fighting through a lot and I couldn’t get out of bed. The Creator had done so much work for me in those three months.” Her oncologist told her she was a “miracle.” With a second chance at life, Continued on page 2 Courtesy Elizabeth Forbes
Elizabeth Forbes created the Gift of Giving Foundation.