Suleika Cabrera Drinane, the executive director of the Institute for the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Elderly, was honored recently at a City Council ceremony sponsored by Councilmember John Sabini (D–Jackson Heights).

Cabrera Drinane founded the Institute in 1978. Under her leadership, the multi-service umbrella agency has become one of the city’s largest social and health service agencies dedicated to seniors. One beneficiary of her dedicated work is the Elmhurst–Jackson Heights Senior Center in Sabini’s district.

"Suleika has been a driving force in the effort to provide better services to seniors," Sabini declared in presenting her with a council proclamation extolling her achievements.

In addition to her position with the Institute, Cabrera Drinane founded the Senior Action Council, a self-help seniors group which functions citywide. Prior to that, she served as director of the Bilingual Resource Center at the central Board of Education.