She has been a respected and distinguished advocate on behalf of women, children and families. As First Lady of New York State (1983-1995) she diligently worked as a volunteer with state and elected officials and community leaders, to establish programs to prevent child abuse, strengthen families, promote adoptions for foster care children and prevent school drop out. Mrs. Cuomo has been described as the most active First Lady in New York State’s history.In 1987, to prevent school drop out, Mrs. Cuomo established the New York State Mentoring Program, the nation’s first state-wide school-based- one-to-one mentoring program. In 1995, she established Mentoring USA, to continue support for the New York State Mentoring Programs. Mentoring USA has expanded to five states and Mentoring USA Italia established in Italy provides mentors for over 600 children.

Mentoring USA, is the only mentoring program with a special training component fully focused on mentoring foster care children ages 5-18, to try to make a real difference for their future. Mentoring USA sites are available in schools, residential facilities and community centers.

Another benefit that Mentoring USA affords mentees, is the BRAVE: BIAS RELATED ANTI-VIOLENCE EDUCATION project. BRAVE starts with the premise that violence occurs in an atmosphere of anger, disrespect and even fear, and conversely, that when we are taught to respect our selves and others, tolerance will supplant violence. The children are encouraged to learn about their own unique heritage and culture, and to read books about their own ethnic heroes who have fought against bigotry and intolerance. Mentoring USA developed a BRAVE comprehensive activities guide, called “Sharing Our Stories, Connecting Communities and Valuing Differences” which contains resources for the mentors and teachers to utilize.

Mentoring USA has become the largest school - community based - one-to-one K-8 mentoring program in New York City. It is affiliated with HELP USA, the largest provider in the nation of transitional housing, and on-site services, for homeless families. Mentoring USA’s mission is to provide mentors for the children in the HELP USA facilities.

To promote volunteerism and recruit more mentors for Mentoring USA,, in 1998 Mrs. Cuomo’s daughter Madeline Cuomo O’Donoghue, suggested a book of personal stories by outstanding individuals from all walks of life, recalling the people who motivated them during their formative years. In June of 1999, The Person Who Changed My Life; Prominent Americans Recall Their Mentors, edited by Mrs. Cuomo, foreword by Hillary Clinton, was published. Seventy-eight contributors, including Walter Cronkite, James Earl Jones, and Joe Torre, write about the people who had a lasting influence in their lives. All proceeds of the book go to Mentoring USA.

In 1979, Mrs. Cuomo was appointed by Governor Hugh Carey to chair the NYS Committee on the International Year of the Child for UNICEF. In 1990, UNICEF invited her to participate in the World Summit for Children and the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. In 1993, UNICEF invited Mrs. Cuomo to participate in the international Symposium to Promote Child Survival and Development in Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

In 1994, she delivered a keynote address for the United Nations International Steering Committee at the conference on the Republic of Malta launching the International Year of the Family. As First Lady of New York State, she represented the Governor at the inauguration of President Nelson Mandela.

As First Lady of New York State, Mrs. Cuomo dedicated herself full-time to chair and serve as chief spokesperson for the “New York State Decade of the Child”, Governor Cuomo’s initiative to improve the quality of and access to over 140 state programs for children and families. Mrs. Cuomo chaired the NYS Citizens Task Force on the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. She initiated the Parent Information Line, a computerized database of local resources that parents can access across the state, which still functions and receives 2000 calls each month.

In partnership with the New York State Department of Health and Education and Cornell University, Mrs. Cuomo initiated a nutrition education curricula for grades K-12, called “Nutrition for Life”- distributed free to all public and private schools.

Mrs. Cuomo created the “New York Family Album,” a widely praised and replicated adoption recruitment tool. To help children in foster care find permanent, loving homes, she launched and spearheaded eight state- wide forums which led to the development of Families for Kids, ASAP, an innovative restructuring of the entire child welfare system in New York State.

Under her leadership, the New York State Health Department established a NYS parenting program, the Pre- and Post Natal Parenting Education Hospital Program (PPPEHP), which has been replicated in many states. PPPEHP operated in 174 New York State hospitals providing maternity services, including information and support in a guide called “Welcome to Parenthood.”

In 1997, with the assistance of a national volunteer professional committee, Mrs. Cuomo updated this publication and renamed it “Welcome to Parenting: A Family Guide”. In 1999, the Greater New York Hospital Association distributed this free guide to all New York State hospitals, both public and private.

In 1992, Mrs. Cuomo was appointed as chairperson of the New York State Commission for the Christopher Columbus Quincentenary. In celebration, she developed, with the commission, two new cultural curricula; one for the Latino children; and one for the Italian American children; helping them to appreciate and learn more about their culture and heritage. Copies of the curricula were sent to all public and non-public schools and universities state-wide. Many student exchange programs with other countries were developed, under the Partners in Education and Culture Exchanges (PEACE).

In 1997, New York State’s Former First Lady was invited by President Clinton and Colin Powell to participate in the Presidents’ First Summit in Philadelphia, on Volunteerism.

For over thirty years, Mrs. Cuomo has been a national spokeswoman in the crusade to prevent breast cancer. She began as a volunteer for the American Cancer Society in Queens County and now serves as an Honorary Life Member of the National American Cancer Society and as member of the President’s Council of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. She has initiated and directed many medical conferences between the USA and Italy (C.N.R- Consiglio Nacionale delle Ricerche) and recently at the New York Academy of Medicine in New York City, involving The Brescia Medical Center, and The American Cancer Society and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

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