CLUSTER Community Services To Honor Three Outstanding Individuals

CLUSTER Community Services will be holding their 12th Annual Harvest Tasting Gala to honor three outstanding Westchester County superstars on Thursday, October 25, 2018 from 6:00pm-9:00pm at renowned celebrity Chef Peter X. Kelly’s X2OXaviars on Hudson, 71 Water Grant Street, Yonkers, NY 10701. This year’s Community Spirit Honorees are Charles Gardner, City of Yonkers Police Commissioner, Jeanne Martinelli, Director of Marketing, Yonkers Chamber of Commerce, and Debora A. Smith, Sr. Vice President, Wells Fargo Foundation.

“The 12th Annual Harvest Tasting will be an evening of celebration with our corporate supporters, community members, and incredible staff,” said Kristina Yamin, Executive Director at CLUSTER Community Services. “We are excited to celebrate and share all of the accomplishments we have made throughout the year.”

Charles Gardner, City of Yonkers Police Commissioner, is a Yonkers native and has been a member of the Yonkers Police Department for 37 years, rising to Police Commissioner in 2012. Commissioner Gardner is a founding member of the department's Honor/Color Guard, a unit of officers that represents the department at the funeral ceremonies of deceased members. During his career, he implemented the department's first Citi-Stat program, designed and implemented the department's first Homeless Outreach Team, and has advised and participated in the formation of the department's Truancy Reduction and Sex Offender Monitoring Programs. An active supporter of CLUSTER’s Restorative Justice Program, Commissioner Gardner has continued to stay committed to keeping the Yonkers community safe.

Jeanne Martinelli, Director of Marketing for the Yonkers Chamber of Commerce, coordinates all member services which includes the monthly networking breakfast, the Annual Women in Business Luncheon, the Annual Business Hall of Fame Dinner, and the Annual Golf Classic. A lifelong resident of Yonkers, Jeanne is an active participant in the city as a member ofthe Board of Directors at St. John’s Riverside Hospital, a member of the Lincoln High School Academy of Finance Advisory Board, and a Sacred Heart High School mentor.

Deborah A. Smith, Senior Vice President and Community Affairs Manager for the Wells Fargo Foundation in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, is responsible for leading region-wide corporate social responsibility strategies, philanthropic funding, team member volunteerism, external stakeholder and nonprofit engagement to strengthen the communities that Wells Fargo serves. A passionate community advocate, Deborah currently serves on the board of directors for Working In Support of Education (W!SE), Marion P. Thomas Charter School, New York Common Pantry and the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers.

“We are so thankful to our event sponsors, for without them, we would not be able to do all of the wonderful work we do in the Yonkers community,” said Diana Campos, Director of Development at CLUSTER Community Services. This year’s Harvest Tasting Gala is sponsored by: Westchester Sponsor – Wells Fargo; Yonkers Sponsors - Nilsen Management Co. and Werlinich Asset Management LLC; Hudson River Sponsors - Tom & Margaret Roth, St. John’s Hospital, and PKF O’Connor Davies LLP; Palisades Sponsors – Jonathan & Ilona Pokoik, Dr. Lynne Hoffman & Jerome Silverman, and RM Friedland LLC; Downtown Sponsors – Mutual of America, Cross County Shopping Center, Sterling National Bank, and Assured Partners Northeast LLC; Business Sponsors – Robert Kreek, KEB Pest Control, and Nader J. Sayegh, Esq.

Attendees at the 2018 Harvest Tasting Gala will enjoy an extraordinary culinary experience provided by renowned celebrity Chef Peter X. Kelly and will feature silent and live auction items all while supporting CLUSTER Community Services and their programs. Tickets for the evening are available for $225 per person and can be purchased online at https://clustergala2018.eventbrite.com. For more information about the event, as well as sponsorship opportunities, please contact Diana Campos, Director of Developmentat (914) 963-6440 ext. 220, or via e-mail at dcampos@clusterinc.org.

About CLUSTER: CLUSTER Community Services is a private non-profit 501 (c) 3 multi service agency located in Yonkers, NY. Since 1975, CLUSTER Community Services has been providing a broad range of programs and services designed to meet the needs of residents in Westchester and Rockland Counties and help fulfill their dreams and potential. CLUSTER Community Services provides services in four core areas which include Mental Health Residential Services, Westchester and Rockland Mediation Centers, Youth & Family Programs, and Housing Resource Center.