NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney Employee Receives Award from LeadingAge New York
Kurt Bartholomew is among 16 honorees recognized across New York State and 3 honorees in New York City
Aug 28, 2026
NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney announced the recognition of Kurt Bartholomew as recipient of the 2026 LeadingAge New York’s Employee of Distinction Award, which recognizes the extraordinary dedication of direct service and indirect service staff in post-acute care. Bartholomew is one of 16 people to receive the award in New York State, and one of three people to receive the award this year in New York City.
Bartholomew has worked as a Facility Maintenance Worker with NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney for 23 years. In addition to his official duties, he enriches the lives of residents and staff through extraordinary volunteerism, generously donating his time and talent as a DJ for summer barbecues, the Annual Labor Day Carnival, staff recognition events, holiday celebrations, Black Month History Month, and the beloved Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony in which he transforms the McKinney grounds into a festive holiday setting.
Bartholomew’s commitment to service extends beyond the walls of McKinney Nursing Home. He is deeply engaged in his Brooklyn community and remains strongly connected to his native Trinidad and Tobago, supporting numerous cultural and humanitarian initiatives. His contributions have earned recognition from respected organizations including The Coral Reef Experience for the 60th Independence of Trinidad & Tobago celebration at Brooklyn Borough Hall, the Trinbago Progressive Association of the USA, and the Carlos Lezama Archives and Caribbean Cultural Center.
“Receiving this Leading Age Employee of Distinction Award is more than a professional achievement for me — it is an indication of a standard of service that my co-workers have noticed, valued, and chosen to honor,” said Kurt Bartholomew, Leading Age Award Recipient and Facility Maintenance Worker at NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney. “I thank them for recognizing my dedication and compassion to making a difference in the lives of those I give my service to daily. I also thank my family for always supporting my call to serve, but most of all, this award affirms that when you serve with purpose, honesty, and compassion, your impact goes far beyond the responsibilities of your job.”
“Kurt understands the calling of working in Long-Term Care—recognizing that this is not simply a workplace, but home to our residents. He consistently goes above and beyond to enhance the quality of life of those we serve, whether it is ensuring that needed services are provided, stepping in as DJ during special events, or making his daily rounds to visit residents with whom he has built meaningful relationships,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney Chief Executive Officer Daveth Forbes-Thomas, RN, MSN, NEA-BC, CPHQ, LNHA. “For Kurt, McKinney is more than a job. His dedication to our residents and commitment to their well-being are evident in all that he does. Congratulations, Kurt, on receiving this prestigious award.”
“So many employees throughout our provider organizations are deserving of recognition for the extraordinary work they do each day, and it is truly an honor to present this Employee of Distinction Award to Kurt Bartholomew for his exceptional dedication, compassion, and service,” said LeadingAge New York Senior Director of ProCare & Education Policy Analyst Carrie Mosley, RN, BSN.
“Heartfelt congratulations to Kurt Bartholomew on receiving this well-deserved recognition from Leading Age New York. Kurt is an employee par excellence whose exceptional leadership, compassion, integrity, and dedication are evident in everything he does. He consistently places our residents first, takes the initiative to lead, and goes above and beyond to help ensure that McKinney operates at its very best,” said NYC Health + Hopsitals/McKinney Community Advisory Board Chair Debera Tyndall. “Kurt is respectable, dependable, and truly committed to those we serve – if we could clone him 100 times over, we would.”
“Kurt is a very kind and outgoing person with a tremendous sense of humor, bringing smiles to everyone’s face. I appreciate his encouragement of others, for example, he always motivates me during my exercise sessions in rehabilitation. He’s very deserving of this award, and I’m happy for him,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney Resident Allen Cofield.
LeadingAge New York is the only statewide organization representing the entire continuum of not-for-profit, mission-driven, and public continuing care, including senior housing, nursing home, adult care facility, continuing care retirement community, assisted living, home care, adult day care and community services providers. LeadingAge New York represents over 300 organizations dedicated to expanding the world of possibilities for aging.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Rafael Dominguez, NYC Health + Hospitals/Post-Acute Care, 646-694-4910
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney
NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney is a 320-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation center located in central Brooklyn, providing quality rehabilitation therapy and long-term skilled nursing services. McKinney serves long and short-term residents, offering medically complex services including dementia, pastoral, hospice and palliative care, Parkinson’s care, IV therapy, wound and tracheostomy care. Ranked #11 in New York’s “Best Nursing Homes 2026” by Newsweek, and received a rating of “High-Performing” in Long-Term Care and Short-Term Rehabilitation by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Nursing Homes 2026. The facility earned a Five-Star rating in all four domains from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About LeadingAge New York
Founded in 1961, LeadingAge New York is the only statewide organization representing the entire continuum of not-for-profit, mission-driven, and public continuing care, including home and community-based services, adult day health care, nursing homes, senior housing, continuing care retirement communities, adult care facilities, assisted living programs, and Managed Long-Term Care plans. LeadingAge New York’s 350-plus members serve an estimated 500,000 New Yorkers of all ages annually.