Community Corner

Three Minutes on a Park Bench with Jim Killoran

We said indulgent, he said vegetable juice...

If you've lived in Westchester County for any length of time, chances are you've seen Jim Killoran, head of the county's Habitat for Humanity chapter, somewhere—on a building site, the evening news, or just around downtown New Rochelle. We caught up with Jim recently to get to know the man behind the hammer a little bit better. 

Patch: What's your morning routine? 


Jim: 7 a.m. is the latest I arrive to meet with construction team. We go over our volunteers and building schedules, and then veterans outreach. Then I go throughout Westchester to meet with families, donors, or planning departments. Also within the last year we've been checking on our Hurricane Sandy Team in the Rockaways.

P: What do you do for a living? And what's the best thing about your job?

J: We build homes, lives, communities, and neighborhoods. Building 'walls of love' for families with people who want to help the world.

P: What's the hardest?

J: Trying to develop affordable homes in a county that denies it. Once people understand the importance of our mission, we are allowed to building Bedford, Somers, Larchmont, Rye.

P: How long have you lived here? 

J: More than 25 years. My dream is that my kids, and their kids can afford to live in Westchester.

P: What's your favorite thing about living here?

J: I love New York, its proximity to the city, the history of New Rochelle, and Yonkers, and most of all the people!

P: If you had to arrange a secret meeting here, where would you have it?

J: I'll call the NSA and ask where they recommend...(Just kidding...)

P: Tell us something about yourself that most of your neighbors don't know.

J: I'm an open book.

P: When you want a really indulgent snack here, where do you go and what do you get?

J: I go to Mrs. Greens and get yogurt raisins and a veggie juice.

P: What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given?

J: Get on my knees and pray

P: What are you doing after this interview?

J: Getting ready for our "Love a Veteran" Pancake Breakfast. [To learn more about Habitat's veterans' outreach program, email jim@habitatwc.org.]


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