One of the Bronx Times’ most influential women is saluting another.
Local Throggs Neck author Nan Clark has penned a book about the life of Regional Aid for Interim Needs’ founder Beatrice “Bea” Castiglia-Catullo. The book titled, “The Promise,” is available at Amazon.com.
Both women have achieved recognition in the Bronx Times’ 25 Women of Distinction annual awards
The book tells the life story of Beatrice “Bea” Castiglia-Catullo, 96, who founded RAIN, the largest not-for-profit, non-sectarian, multi-service organization for senior citizens in the borough. Castiglia-Catullo’s RAIN is an institution in the Bronx.
“I met Bea about 20 or 25 years ago, and I was always impressed by the work she was doing,” said Clark. “She always impressed me as an extraordinary person.”
Clark said that the life story about Castiglia-Catullo’s humble origins, and her founding of an organization with that now has a $32 million annual budget serving 540,000 meals a year to the home-bound elderly and many more at 20-plus senior centers around the borough, is truly inspiring.
All the more telling, Clark said, was that Castiglia-Catullo never drew a salary for herself at RAIN.
The crux of the book tells the story about a difficult time in the subject’s life when she was a young mother living in Parkchester. She was dealing with a sick husband, a full-time nursing job at Westchester Square Medical Center, a crowded apartment in Parkchester that had far too many people in too small a space, and other pressures.
She made a promise to God that if she got through that difficult period in her life, she would go on to do good for other people. She then went onto to found RAIN.
“Truly, ‘The Promise’ which Bea made 55 years ago is still being fulfilled,” wrote Clark in a note at the start of the book.
The book tells the story of the subject’s personal development and that of her organization through interviews with Bea herself and testimonials from people who shared her journey.
“The Promise’s” suggested retail price is $19.99. For more information, visit Amazon.com.
Patrick Rocchio can be reach via e-mail at procchio@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 742-3393
