S. Katzman Produce awards NYC students $10,000 in scholarships
To create a close-knit community culture at work, employees need to feel appreciated and heard, said Stephen Katzman, owner and president of S. Katzman Produce, Bronx, N.Y.
One way to foster that culture is to help employees’ children.
In late summer, the fourth annual S. Katzman Produce Scholarship Program awarded five New York City students in high school and college $2,000 scholarships.
The recipients are all children of employees “from the warehouse to accounting and everything in between,” Katzman said. “We decided to make our own culture here, and it’s one more thing we can do for our employees.”
The students were chosen based on their applications showing high academic achievements, including grades and essays on their extracurricular activities and community involvement.
Scholarship recipients are:
- Mikayla Marcus
- Madison Rosado
- John Linaris
- Ana Mejia
- Francisco Mejia
In past years, Katzman, his daughter, Stefanie Katzman, and other staff awarded the scholarship to the winners and their families at an awards dinner.
This year, the celebration took place on a video chat.
The change is yet another example of how it’s been a tough year for students, as well as their parents, who have had to become teachers while continuing their roles as parents and employees, Stephen Katzman said.
College students are typically encouraged to branch out and meet new people, but that’s harder than ever with the coronavirus pandemic’s prescribed social distancing and remote learning.
“When you go to college, you’re supposed to be social and now — boom! — it’s ‘Don’t be social.’ It’s just not normal,” he said. “But these kids, I have a lot of faith in them. They were very focused, and from all levels of the company.”
The company’s scholarship program is one of several ways it supports children in New York City and surrounding areas.
The firm has partnered with nonprofit youth organization DREAM, based in Harlem, since 2017, donated over 1 million pounds of fresh produce each year to families in need and hosts an annual summer day for its 375-plus employees and their families.
Katzman said he wants his company to help all five boroughs of New York City, as well as New Jersey and Connecticut, by providing access to fresh fruits and vegetables, education or youth programs.
As far as this year’s scholarship winners, he was impressed with their chosen fields of study, including: engineering, medicine, law enforcement and the arts.
“Everybody was looking to make a positive change in our society. And it boggles my mind that these youngsters are already thinking that way,” Katzman said. “It gives me a great deal of satisfaction to see that the next generation coming up and that there is hope for this country.”
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