“I wanted to do something that was meaningful. I wanted to do something that was close to home—I grew up in this area—and I wanted to do something that allowed me to make an impact,” said Derrick Holman, Culinary Program Supervisor at Allie’s Place.
That desire to give back has shaped Derrick’s path both inside and outside of his work at HFH.
Before joining HFH three years ago, Derrick worked in marketing and advertising after earning a degree in sociology from Wesleyan University. While he originally embarked on a career in marketing, he found himself looking for work that would allow him to make a more direct impact in the neighborhood where he grew up. He joined Allie’s Place Family Residence in Soundview as an Outreach Specialist, a role that drew on his marketing experience by connecting families with diverse programming. He later became Program Specialist, supporting initiatives across the residence, and was recently promoted to Culinary Program Supervisor, where he will oversee the daily operations of the Culinary program’s employment and outreach team.
As Program Specialist, Derrick supported many programs throughout the facility, including Family Services, Afterschool & Recreation, and the Culinary Center at Allie’s Place. Whether coordinating events, helping families navigate enrollment, presenting at monthly housing meetings where residents receive housing resources and guidance, or representing Allie’s Place at community resource fairs, Derrick has played an important part in connecting residents to programmatic support across the site.
One of Derrick’s favorite parts of the role is seeing how those programs come together to support the entire family.
“We’ve had families whose children were in the Early Childhood Education program, then they participated in the Culinary program, or their kids are in Afterschool, and then I may be working with them during our housing meetings,” Derrick said. “It’s really important for all of us that we’re serving the entire family.”
For Derrick, that means recognizing that every family’s needs are different and meeting people where they are.
“Understanding that what each person needs is different,” he said. “Being there for people in the ways that they need to be supported, not just in the ways that we want to support them, is probably the most important part.”
That mindset is reflected in the way Derrick approaches his work every day.
“Derrick consistently shows incredible drive and strong organizational skills,” said Jayda Gabriel, Lead Chef Instructor for the Culinary Center at Allie’s Place, a job training and workforce development center that prepares adults for careers in the food and hospitality industry. “He’s always willing to jump in wherever needed and make sure everything is done right. His kindness, dependability, and teamwork truly stand out.”
Julissa Lantigua, Senior Administrator at Allie’s Place, has seen Derrick’s impact across the facility.
“There is no better person to express the services at Allie’s Place than him,” she said. “He knows how to present the programs and the great opportunities that people can take advantage of.”
She said his understanding of each program allows him to anticipate what staff need and support them wherever he can.
Whether supporting a program, assisting a family, or helping organize an event, Julissa said Derrick approaches every task with the same level of care.
Charima Thompson, Director of Family Services at Allie’s Place, has seen that same commitment through Derrick’s support of her department.
“He goes above and beyond,” she said. “Derrick is all over the place—he is helping everybody.”
The same desire to help others extends beyond Derrick’s work at Allie’s Place.
Outside of HFH, he remains active in his community through his local Community Board and other neighborhood initiatives. Having grown up skateboarding, Derrick became involved in an effort to bring the first skate park to Soundview after connecting with local Pastor Joel Grassi, who had already begun building support for the project. Since then, the two have worked alongside local residents, community organizations, elected officials, and Tony Hawk’s The Skatepark Project to help move the effort forward. Derrick hopes that one day children from Allie’s Place will have the opportunity to enjoy the finished skate park.
In addition, through his involvement with various industry organizations, including Together Hospitality NYC and Grassroots Hospitality, Joel helped connect Derrick and the Culinary Center at Allie’s Place to a network of professionals across the food and hospitality industries, opening doors to valuable relationships and resources.
“He’s very genuine, he’s very focused, and he brings the right connections together to help everybody’s quality of life move forward,” said Joel.
When he isn’t at work or volunteering in the community, Derrick enjoys fitness, writing music, and spending time with family and friends. A songwriter with an appreciation for all genres of music, from folk and pop to rap, he enjoys live music and visiting local jazz clubs.
