Helping Neighbors in Need

By Janet Bear

Has anyone asked you to volunteer your time and talents for a local organization? Those who attended the Local Summit Breakfast forum on Tuesday, May 15th had the opportunity to hear from four Westchester based organizations that focus on the challenges of Housing, Health Care and Hunger. The audience learned about the volunteer needs and opportunities that exist countywide and in our local community.

Theresa Colyar, Community Service Coordinator for the Washingtonville Housing Alliance (WHA) spoke of the need for affordable housing in Larchmont-Mamaroneck. In addition to managing 40 housing units, through the efforts of local volunteers, WHA provides classes for local residents that have included yoga and jewelry making instruction and currently they offer ESL classes. WHA is always looking for volunteers to expand their educational offerings and to help improve their housing stock.

Open Door Family Medical Center has 6 family based medical centers in Westchester County, including a Mamaroneck office that has been opened one-year. They service approximately 55,000 patients in Westchester and Putnum Counties and their mission is to provide affordable, quality health care to residents in need. As explained by Lindsay Farrell, President and CEO, in addition to providing medical care their staff focuses on improving health through life style change. Open Arms offers workshops throughout the county on nutrition, exercise, illness prevention and they offer reading programs for children. Begun as a volunteer organization more than 40 year ago, they continue to rely on volunteers for many of their programs.

Leslie Gordon, President and CEO of Feeding Westchester (formerly the Westchester Food Bank) explained that 1 in 5 Westchester County residents do not have enough food to eat. (For school age children the statistic is 1 in 3.) Feeding Westchester distributes nearly 8 million pounds of nutritious food each year, working with 300 partners across the county, including the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Hunger Task Force. Leslie explained that in addition to providing food, they help seniors and the disabled enroll in food benefit programs, offer nutritional educational programs and maintain small farm sites throughout the county. Feeding Westchester relies on volunteers to work on their farms, package food donations, and work on special events or in their office.

Jeanette Gisbert, Deputy Executive Director of Volunteer NY! spoke about the power of volunteering, helping to build connections within the community. Volunteer NY! maintains an online data base identifying volunteer opportunities throughout the county. Just sign on, provide information about your area of interest, skills, location or time restrictions and they will provide a list of organizations and their needs.

There is a growing income inequality in our county, with an increasing number of residents in need. Volunteering will help to make our communities stronger and make you feel good.

This breakfast forum was hosted by the Larchmont/Mamaroneck Local Summit, an informal community council that seeks to make life better for all in the tri-municipal area. Monthly meetings are held at the Nautilus Diner in Mamaroneck at 7:45 a.m., on the third Tuesday of the month from September through May.