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<\/a>MILLIE COLON, PRESIDENT of the 41st Precinct Community Council, surprised Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Children\u2019s Rights with a special luncheon on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, at the Williamsbridge Oval Park Recreation Center in Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood, The Bronx. Also pictured is Sirio Guerino of Guerinos Against Graffitti* who is Heather\u2019s husband.Photo courtesy of Guerinos Against Graffitti*<\/p>\n
Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Children\u2019s Rights was honored during a special surprise luncheon held Wednesday, Nov. 12, at the Williamsbridge Oval Park Recreation Center in Williamsbridge Oval park in the Norwood section of The Bronx.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThis gathering is an opportunity to honor\u00a0Heather\u2019s unwavering advocacy and her invaluable contributions to our community,\u201d the invitation read. \u201cLet\u2019s come together to celebrate her legacy and express our heartfelt appreciation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Millie Colon, president of the 41st Precinct<\/a> Community Council, surprised Guerino with the luncheon, which was attended by her husband, Sirio Guerino<\/a>\u00a0of Guerinos against Graffitti*, several community members, including Danielle Herbert Guggenheim<\/a>\u00a0and Carol Lang<\/a>, and members of Bronx Community Board 7, including Chad Royer<\/a> and Betty Arce, along with members of the 52nd Precinct Community Affairs<\/a>\u00a0team, Det. Stephen Echevarria and Officer Jos\u00e9 Torres, and Anthony Rivieccio<\/a> of Northwest Bronx Democrats<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Guerinos, who reside in Bronx Community Board 7<\/a>, have fostered several children over the years, and had in recent years also advocated for the renovation and reopening of the DeWitt Clinton<\/a> High School swimming pool<\/a>, which was later facilitated by Councilman Eric Dinowitz<\/a>\u00a0(C.D. 11).<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The couple\u2019s children attended the school, and they said it was important to put it back to use and for local students to learn how to swim.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The Guerinos and Colon regularly attend community events relating to raising awareness about gun violence prevention, including one held earlier this year in June in St. Mary\u2019s Park<\/a>\u00a0in the South Bronx hosted by Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark<\/a>\u00a0during Gun Violence Awareness Month<\/a>.<\/p>\n Various participants spoke at the event and planted various flowers and plants in memory of those lost to the gun violence epidemic.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Additionally, Heather recently worked with the Office of State Sen. Gustavo Rivera<\/a> (S.D. 33) to plan a vigil on Aug. 22 in the Williamsbridge Oval park in memory of late local teen, 14-year-old \u00c1ngel Miguel Mendoza Hern\u00e1ndez<\/a>, who was tragically and fatally stabbed by a gang in the Norwood park on Aug. 5.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Earlier this year, during National Foster Care Month on May 24, the Guerinos, together with Colon and adoptive and foster<\/a>\u00a0mother of 25 years, Regina Cameron, held a candlelit vigil and day of remembrance event at 853 Longwood Avenue in the Longwood<\/a>\u00a0section of The Bronx in front of St. Dominic\u2019s Family & Children\u2019s Services, to remember fostered and adopted children who have died.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Speaking at that event in Longwood, Heather had said in part, \u201cThey\u2019re not here with us today but they are with you, Heavenly Father, with you in the beautiful sky.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n She added, \u201cWe are here today to bring awareness to what is going on in our foster care system. We\u2019re losing our children.\u201d She added that Crusaders for Children\u2019s Rights was started to advocate for foster children.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Heather also advocates for families and victims affected by domestic<\/a> violence<\/a> who she alleges sometimes fall between the cracks of family court and housing court<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n She alleges that, sometimes, when a victim is living (away from her abuser) in a home where repairs are needed, landlords do not always make timely repairs and instead seek to evict the victims and raise the rent once they get them out, even when she said there are laws in place that are supposed to protect such victims.<\/p>\n<\/a>STATE SEN. GUSTAVO Rivera (S.D. 33), Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, Assemblyman John Zaccaro Jr. (A.D. 80), Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Childrens\u2019 Rights, the NYPD, and others join the family of the late \u00c1ngel Miguel Mendoza Hern\u00e1ndez, 14, for a vigil in the Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood on Aug. 22, 2025.
Photo by S\u00edle Moloney<\/p>\n<\/a>MILLIE COLON, PRESIDENT of the 41st Precinct Community Council, is seen with Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Children\u2019s Rights at a candlelit vigil and day of remembrance event on May 24, 2025, held at 853 Longwood Avenue in the Longwood section of The Bronx in front of St. Dominic\u2019s Family & Children\u2019s Services, to remember fostered and adopted children who have died.
Photo by S\u00edle Moloney<\/p>\n<\/a>MILLIE COLON, PRESIDENT of the 41st Precinct Community Council, is seen with Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Children\u2019s Rights and foster and adoptive mother and advocate for foster children, Regina Cameron, at a candlelit vigil and day of remembrance event on May 24, 2025, held at 853 Longwood Avenue in the Longwood section of The Bronx in front of St. Dominic\u2019s Family & Children\u2019s Services, to remember fostered and adopted children who have died.
Photo by S\u00edle Moloney<\/p>\n<\/a>HEATHER GUERINO OF Crusaders for Children\u2019s Rights is seen plating a shrub during a shrub-planting and remembrance event hosted by the Office of the Bronx District Attorney and held in St. Mary\u2019s Park in the South Bronx in June 2025 to remember those lost to gun violence during Gun Violence Awareness Month.\u00a0
Photo by S\u00edle Moloney<\/p>\n<\/a>BRONX COMMUNITY BOARD 7 member and Veterans committee chair Chad Royer is seen with Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Children\u2019s Rights at a special surprise luncheon held Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, at the Williamsbridge Oval Park Recreation Center in Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood, The Bronx to honor Heather for her work in the community.\u00a0
Photo courtesy of Guerinos against Graffitti*<\/p>\n<\/a>BEDFORD MOSHOLU COMMUNITY Association member and founder of the Northwest Bronx Democrats, Anthony Rivieccio and local resident Carol Lang, fleft and second left, are seen at a special surprise luncheon held Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, at the Williamsbridge Oval Park Recreation Center in Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood, The Bronx to honor Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Children\u2019s Rights for her work in the community.\u00a0
Photo courtesy of Guerinos against Graffitti*<\/p>\n<\/a>(L to R) NYPD DET. STEPHEN Echevarria from the 52nd Precinct Community Affairs team, Danielle Guggenheim Herbert, local community leader and teacher, Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Children\u2019s Rights, NYPD Officer Jose Torres of the 52nd Precinct Community Affairs team and another colleague are seen at a special surprise luncheon held Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, at the Williamsbridge Oval Park Recreation Center in Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood, The Bronx to honor Guerino for her work in the community.\u00a0
Photo courtesy of Guerinos against Graffitti*<\/p>\n<\/a>(L to R) DANIELLE GUGGENHEIM HERBERT local community leader and teacher, Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Children\u2019s Rights, and a colleague are pictured at a special surprise luncheon held Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, at the Williamsbridge Oval Park Recreation Center in Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood, The Bronx to honor Guerino for her work in the community.\u00a0
Photo courtesy of Guerinos against Graffitti*<\/p>\n<\/a>(L to R) HEATHER GUERINO OF Crusaders for Children\u2019s Rights is pictured with a commemorative cake at a special surprise luncheon held Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, at the Williamsbridge Oval Park Recreation Center in Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood, The Bronx to honor Guerino for her work in the community.\u00a0
Photo courtesy of Guerinos against Graffitti*<\/p>\n<\/a>DURING A SPECIAL surprise luncheon held Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, at the Williamsbridge Oval Park Recreation Center in Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood, The Bronx to honor Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Children\u2019s Rights for her work in the community, she was presented with this plaque with an engraving which read, \u201cYou make a difference. Presented to Heather Guerino.\u201d\u00a0
Photo courtesy of Guerinos against Graffitti*<\/p>\n<\/a>DURING A SPECIAL surprise luncheon held Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, at the Williamsbridge Oval Park Recreation Center in Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood, The Bronx to honor Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Children\u2019s Rights for her work in the community, she was presented with a bouquet of flowers and a commemorative plaque.\u00a0
Photo courtesy of Guerinos against Graffitti*<\/p>\n