East Harlem residents. The order of the Little Sisters of the Assumption began in France. Its mission is "serving God and loving the poor and marginalized." In 1958, a few sisters of the order began operations on East 115th Street, with a small staff that included nurses and a social worker. DePetris was impressed. He immediately became a supporter of the non-profit group. And today he is board vice chairman. "Their approach is very different than a lot of other organizations in New York. It's a holistic approach, a family-oriented approach," he says. This strategy provides skilled home nursing that includes pre-natal help, programs that combat asthma-another scourge of East Harlem-as well as adult education, GED and English as a Second Language programs. In 2011, the program, with a 70-person staff, served some 2,600 individuals through various programs. The group also has a thrift store that helps people buy necessities at discounts. It has a food pantry, play groups, a children's music group, after-school tutoring, mentoring for teenagers and a nutrition program that teaches kids to cook healthy meals with foods found in neighborhood bodegas.