GlamourGals Foundation

ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBER SINCE 2024

Anna Haraka

"Ending elder loneliness matters to me because it feels like the most tangible way to pay it forward.”
Why Anna serves with GlamourGals

Anna Haraka is a Consultant within Deloitte’s M&A practice, where she supports complex Financial Services organizations through large-scale transformations. Anna also provides pro bono consulting services for social enterprises in underserved communities.

Anna’s involvement with GlamourGals began in 2018, when she started a GG chapter in her hometown of Bloomfield, New Jersey. Shortly after starting a chapter, Anna met GG Founder, Rachel, who inspired her to attend her alma mater of Cornell University. Anna graduated magna cum laude from Cornell’s Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management in May of 2024. The Bloomfield chapter continues to make an impact for local senior homes and the national GG community.

Anna is passionate about supporting the GG mission, whether it be speaking about her volunteer experience at Illuminate dinners, organizing My Dear Friend card writing events, mentoring Bloomfield Chapter leaders, or hosting the Power Brunch in the Deloitte NYC Office.

3 Questions With Anna

Why does ending elder loneliness matter to you personally?

"Ending elder loneliness matters to me because it feels like the most tangible way to pay it forward. We all have seniors in our lives that matter to us. I think about my grandparents, who I have had the privilege of providing companionship to in their older years, and know that this privilege does not extend to everyone. Everyday, elderly in senior citizen facilities find themselves isolated from family and friends, whether it be due to distance, the passing of their loved ones, or lost relationships. Being able to pay forward the gift of companionship to seniors in need is a beautiful opportunity for me personally to dedicate experiences to my grandparents and know that groups like GG will be there for me in my older years.”

If a teen volunteer gave you a makeover, what would you ask them about their life?

"If I had the opportunity to receive a makeover from a teen volunteer, I would ask them about “Love.” When I was a volunteer myself, the seniors I worked with always talked about the great loves of their lives, and appreciated hearing about my relationships, whether familial or romantic. I found that learning their perspective on love gave me a newfound wisdom on how to approach connection with others. In return, they were excited to hear my youthful, un-jaded perspective. Now that I am older and wiser, I would love to be on the other side of makeover for a conversation on love.”

What’s the best piece of advice a senior ever gave you?

"An amazing senior, Ellie, once told me to have hope. We had the opportunity to connect through a glass wall during the early days of the pandemic. She told me about the many hard times she experienced in life and how, by having hope, she got through each of those experiences and came out on the other side as a better person. As an impressionable teenager during a time of crisis across the world, this gave me great ease. Within a few years, Ellie’s advice proved true. Having hope helped our whole world progress through dark times, and I have carried that sentiment with me through other hard times. I’d like to think that each time I demonstrate hope in this world, I am making Ellie proud.”