Brennan was a founding board member of Bay Ridge Cares

Community leader Teri Brennan died Oct. 16.

She was 62.

Brennan was a founding board member of Bay Ridge Cares, a local nonprofit organization run completely by volunteers that builds community relationships and helps our neighbors in need.

“Teri was one of the first to step forward after Superstorm Sandy, joining the Bay Ridge Cares Kitchen team that cooked and delivered over 25,000 meals in 28 days to neighbors across Brooklyn and beyond,” the organization wrote in a statement. “She showed up early every morning, stayed late every night, and poured her heart into helping others.

Brennan during a Community Board 10 meeting.
Photo courtesy of Community Board 10 Facebook

“When the kitchen closed, Teri continued her commitment by helping to build the foundation of what Bay Ridge Cares has become today — a community organization grounded in compassion, service, and love for our neighbors. Her spirit of kindness, selflessness, and action continues to inspire everything we do.”

“Teri was incredibly smart,” Karen Tadross, president of Bay Ridge Cares told this paper. “I think many people mistook that as intelligence sometimes, especially on social media. But she knew her stuff, and this irritated the hell out of the people who didn’t know theirs. She was incredibly principled and had enormous integrity and stuck to those principles, especially when it came to treating people with kindness and dignity, no matter who they were, where they came from, what God they worshipped, or who they loved.”

Brennan was also a photographer, a member of Bay Ridge Democrats, Community Board 10 (CB 10), and involved in the John Dewey Alumni Association.

Photo courtesy of Councilmember Justin Brannan Facebook

“Teri was more than just a dedicated volunteer; she embodied the spirit of our community through her unwavering commitment and passion, dedicating many years to advocating for local needs,” CB 10 wrote. “Teri served on Community Board 10 for nearly eight years. Whether it was raising awareness about food insecurity, emphasizing the importance of civic engagement, or lending a helping hand whatever the need, Teri was devoted to public service.  She will be greatly missed. Teri was an inspiration and will be missed.”

Councilmember Justin Brannan said he met Brennan following Superstorm Sandy when they were running the kitchen at St. Mary’s Church. 

“Once I met Teri, she was everywhere—if she wasn’t capturing the moment behind the camera, she was cooking, baking, or pitching in wherever she could,” he said. “And if she wasn’t doing all that, she was cheering on the scholars at Dewey. She was one of my biggest supporters. She also never held back when she thought I could do better. 

Teri Brennan was a founding member of Bay Ridge Cares.
Photos courtesy of Bay Ridge Cares Facebook

Teri had a gift for shining a light on those doing the thankless work, making sure their efforts never went unnoticed. Always helping. Always smiling. Always finding ways to make our corner of the world feel a little smaller, a little kinder, a little more like home.”