A MEMBER OF THE STATEN ISLAND UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL FOUNDATION BOARD DISCUSSES THE HEALTH CENTER’S EXPANSION PROJECTS AND OTHER NEWS

BY JESSICA JONES GORMAN • PHOTOS BY AMESSÉ PHOTOGRAPHY

Matthew Langella began his career in banking as a branch manager, and among his duties was identifying worthy local nonprofits in need of financial support.

My career has opened a path to philanthropy. I learned the impor

tance of giving back to the community, and it was my job to find a local cause that was in need of assistance,” Langella said. “I had heard about Rob Capolongo and all of the great work he does for Michael’s Cause, so I gave him a call.” The pair met at a local diner, where they discussed Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Capolongo’s son Michael battles the disease and both he and wife, Theresa, work tirelessly to raise money to find a cure.

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His story broke my heart and inspired me at the same time,” Langella said. “Here was this father, telling me about what his family endures on a daily basis, but never once complaining about it. He knows his son is battling a fatal disease, but he’s made it his mission to raise awareness and help others.”

That meeting with Capolongo motivated Langella to reach out to other nonprofits. After assisting Michael’s Cause, the banker starting volunteering with the Emergency Children’s Help Organization and the Carl Bini Foundation. He also joined the North Central chapter of the Kiwanis Club and became a member of Staten Island University Hospital’s Charity Ball Committee and the hospital’s Golf, Tennis, and Bocce Classic.

Nicole Spread

“Each of those organizations became a very important part of my life,” Langella said.
In 2016, Langella was elected to the board of the Staten Island University Hospital Foundation, which oversees philanthropy at SIUH Northwell Health.

“The foundation does so much to support the hospital’s projects and bring awareness to the work the hospital is doing on Staten Island,” said Langella. “I knew from the start that it was something I wanted to be a part of. I could think of no better way to serve this community.”

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Born and raised in Staten Island’s New Springville section, Langella, a product of Monsignor Farrell High School and the College of Staten Island, was inspired to pursue a career in finance by his father.

“My father worked on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange as a brokerage clerk, so it was a field I was familiar with and always interested in,” he said. “I wanted to do something locally and become more involved in the Staten Island community, because I wanted to work and serve a place where I was born and raised.”

In 2018, he began working in the business development division at BCB Community Bank. As a thriving local bank that takes pride in investing in the community, this was the perfect fit for Langella. The bank continues to grow, as does its mission to support the community. BCB has been involved in major projects at Staten Island University Hospital, including the new chapel and the development of the Women’s and Newborn Center.

“I think my involvement in the Staten Island business community provides the right balance for my work with the SIUH Foundation,” Langella said. “I’ve always believed in the values of every company I’ve worked for, and the work I’ve been able to do in this community gives me a strong sense of purpose.”

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At the SIUH Foundation, Langella is in charge of fundraising for hospital projects. His most recent efforts have supported the hospital’s Hybrid Operating Room campaign as well as the creation of the Women’s and Newborn Center, an integrated cancer services center, and a pediatric emergency center at the hospital’s South Campus.

He also helps raise brand awareness for SIUH, an effort to make sure the local community is well informed about the services their hospital has to offer.

“It’s so important for Staten Islanders to know that there is great medical care right here in their borough,” Langella said. “People think they have to travel into Manhattan for first rate medical care, but we have some of the best doctors in the country right here on our staff.”
Langella added that the hospital is constantly evolving to keep up with the most modern procedures.

“We are on the cutting edge of medical care,” he said. “And our continued fundraising efforts will only allow us to evolve so that we can continue to offer the most modern and progressive treatments.”

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