Catherine Flood, is being honored by the YWCA Yonkers at their Spirit of a Woman Annual Gala for her work as an advocate of the homeless in New York for several years. Her Trailblazer award shines a light on this terrific organization that every day assists women and offers them much needed support to rebuild their lives.
Catherine Flood, originally from Errigal Truagh, Co. Monaghan, Ireland, is living in New York for the past thirty years. She is married to Galway native, Dermot O’Brien, and they have three daughters, Siena, Stella, and Michaela. From an early age, Catherine was immersed in charity work, fundraising and community development, along with her eight siblings. Her strategic leadership skills were recognized early in life when she was elected “Head Girl” at St Louis Secondary School of nine hundred girls. A few years later, she was crowned “International Miss Macra” a title that had her promote “Macra Na Feirme”, a successful youth organization in Ireland.
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Upon arrival in New York, Catherine immediately engaged with the Irish community life where she became involved in the Ladies Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and initiated the Monaghan Ladies Club along which included organizing two trips for the NY Ladies GAA to develop their skills in Ireland.
She was also instrumental in the establishment of the Aisling Irish Community and Cultural Center on McLean Avenue, Yonkers, and played many roles over twenty-five years in the development of programs, fundraising and community outreach.
Growing up on the border of Northern Ireland, she has a deep affection for families living in eye of “The Troubles.” Inspired by the charity work of Project Children, she became an advocate in volunteering, fundraising and took a lead in promoting the award-winning documentary “How To Defuse A Bomb: The Project Children Story”. Catherine wants the world to see this inspiring documentary and recognize how it changes the lives of thousands of families in Ireland and America.
Among her diverse array of talents, Catherine’s love of marathon running (13 marathons and counting), led her to establish “Team Aisling New York” in 2018, a vibrant and popular fitness club. Catherine uses her marathon events opportunistically to fundraise for families with Special Needs where she is a lifelong campaigner including Errigal Truagh Special Needs Day Centre, back in her native North Monaghan, Ireland.
Among her numerous activities Catherine has been an advocate for the homeless in NY. She launched “Team Happy Feet” in 2012, with her three young daughters now running the initiative collecting thermal socks for the homeless every November. Along the way, she befriended the YWCA and is a huge supporter of the organization in Yonkers, visiting with donations and shining a light for other organizations to support them.
Besides leading a very active community life, she also has an extremely successful professional career, managing her own recruitment, life coaching and special events’ agency, Catherine Flood & Associates. Catherine is well renowned within the NY Irish community, as willing to assist anyone seeking a career opportunity, particularly young Irish immigrants. Offering guidance and help to anyone along the winding road of life has always been central to her beliefs.
