Top Ladies of Distinction, Incorporated
The "Sugar Hill" Manhattan Pearls Chapter
TLOD History
Motto: “Serving Youth and Adults”
Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. was chartered in the state of Texas on September 8, 1964 as a non-profit educational, humanitarian organization with the following as charter members: Mrs. Franchell Boswell, Tyler, Texas; Mrs. Ina Bolton Brown, Houston, Texas; Mrs. Augusta R. Cash, Memphis, Tennessee; Major Ozell M. Dean, Washington, D.C.; Mrs. Willie Lee Glass, Tyler, Texas; Mrs. La Verne R. Madlock, Tyler, Texas; Mrs. Ruth Payne Smith, Navasota, Texas; and Mrs. Georgia B. Presswood Nelson, Dallas, Texas. The vision and service of these eight dedicated women created the TLOD Story.​Since its inception, the organization has expanded its objectives to include its focus on youth (known as Top Teens of America), improving the status of women, service to senior citizens, community beautification, and community partnerships. Chapters nationwide support the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), United Negro College Fund (UNCF), and the awarding of national scholarships to at least one in each of TLOD’s six geographic areas. Moreover, TLOD has included in its program, a cooperative peer education facet with Top Teens of America and the National Foundation, March of Dimes.
The "Sugar Hill" Manhattan Pearls Chapter Story
On June 25th, 2022, the “Sugar Hill” Manhattan Pearls Chapter of Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. was chartered as the 18th chapter- charter number#2094 - in Area II, to serve the boroughs of Manhattan, Bronx, and Westchester county in New York City. Under the leadership of Lady Hope V. Ruffin, Area II director, and National President, Lady Sharon J. Beard, and the vision of Organizer and current President, Brenda L. Jones; 26 members were welcomed into TLOD, Inc.
The 26 charter members are; Lady Dawn M. Baskerville, Lady Nicole Benjamin, Lady Liza Bowers, Lady Charlane Brown-Wyands, Lady Keisha Creft, Lady Valerie Evans, Lady Jasmine L. Glover Smoak, Lady Taniqua Hutson, Lady Janet Johnson, Lady Isatu Kenu-James, Lady Sandra Maldonaldo-Jackson, Lady Marilyn Anne McDonald Hendricks, Lady Stacey R. Meads, Lady Jaynette Mills-Simmons, Lady Doris B. Mitchell, Lady Carissa L. Phillps, Lady Jamie Ralliford, Lady Barbara Gracia Richards, Lady Jaimi Ross, Lady Raimi Ross Harvell, Lady Esther Slack-Metellus, Lady Lu-Shawn M. Thompson, Lady Jennifer Watler, Lady Jamie Whitfield, Lady Nicole Williams.
The current chapter consists of 23 members who are actively working together on the chapter’s mission of eliminating poverty through equity. We will accomplish our mission through literacy, and taking on the challenge of ending hunger and thirst. Ending poverty is no simple process and to achieve this goal we have created programs to develop skills and abilities to correct the imbalances in marginalized communities and decrease vulnerabilities.
One such program is the establishment of our “Little Lady Kits”for tween girls to combat period
poverty along with destigmatizing a basic need for sanitary products. To eliminate the 30 million word gap that affects our children, we established our “Sugar Hill'' Little Free Library to be stationed at the Pediatric ward at Harlem Hospital. Children who are patients are able to take a book and read a book by African-American authors and find a book where the main character resembles them, in essence creating healthy self esteem. To further achieve this goal, we partnered with The Reading and Writing Project at Teachers College at Columbia University who have committed to donating early reader - decodable books to our little free library. Decodable books are essential to understanding the relationship between letters and sounds which is vital in developing reading skills.
To tackle hunger, we’ve created a program to eliminate and combat food insecurity among children. Although free and reduced breakfast and lunch programs provide significant nutritional benefits to students during the school day, many disadvantaged children do not have access to regular meals when school is not in session. The Weekend Backpack Program helps alleviate child hunger by discreetly providing hungry children with backpacks full of nutritious and easy to prepare food on Friday afternoon so they have food to eat throughout the weekend.
Lastly, we are working with the Urban Assembly Academy for Future Leaders, to establish our Top Teens of America chapter. Students are selected to attend our Harlem Hustle Initiative -that teaches students leadership skills, through lessons and challenges in entrepreneurship, public speaking, and problem solving.
We understand the importance of investing in the lives of youth and adults and are grateful for the opportunity to serve in excellence as we pursue greatness.
One Teen, One Lady and One Community at a Time.
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