Rye Supports The Junior Board of Family Services of Westchester Who Hosted Wine Tasting Fundraiser at Tarry Wine in Port Chester

The Junior Board of Family Services of Westchester, Inc. (FSW) hosted its fifth annual wine tasting event at Tarry Wine on Wednesday, May 13, 2015. Nearly 100 guests from communities throughout Westchester including Rye, Scarsdale, Armonk, and New Rochelle purchased tickets to attend this fundraiser, the proceeds of which will benefit the Junior Board’s Youth Enrichment Fund.

Upon arrival, guests were greeted with a wine glass and a checklist of vintners and varieties of wine available for tasting. Making their way around the room, they were greeted by sales representatives who were eager to share details about the wines and their provenance. A percentage of sales from the wines purchased at the end of the evening also benefitted the Youth Enrichment Fund. “This event is a great way to inform our friends, neighbors and colleagues, who might not be familiar with FSW, about the work we do to make a difference in the lives of Westchester County residents in need,” said Karen Beatty of Rye, Chairman of the Junior Board. “It’s a fun and social night out, with a great cause at its core.”

 The Junior Board of FSW is comprised of volunteers who support the Board of Directors and promote the mission of FSW through educational, fundraising and service initiatives. With a focused outreach toward residents of Westchester County who are in their 20s-40s, the Junior Board helps to raise FSW’s visibility as well as identify and connect resources to the organization. Funds raised by the Junior Board support their Youth Enrichment Fund, which through a competitive process provides grants to FSW youth programs. These grants offer special opportunities that would not otherwise be available because they fall outside the regular program budget. Recent grants have enabled youth living in FSW’s Community Residence in New Rochelle to travel to Washington, DC allowed children in our Head Start program to visit Muscoot Farm and go apple picking; supported building a new playground at the Rochambeau School in White Plains, and most recently allowed over 100 teen girls an opportunity to shop at the Sharing Shelf’s Teen Boutique.

“We have been so thrilled with the contribution of the Junior Board since its inception five years ago,” said Susan B. Wayne, President and CEO, who attended last night’s event. “They are a dynamic group of young leaders who have so much to offer in support of FSW’s mission. I was so happy to see so many new faces in the crowd tonight and I am eager to get many of them involved as well.”

FSW operates more than 50 mental health and social service programs that reach 30,000 children, teens, adults and families each year. FSW’s programs run the gamut from adoption services to elder care, from home health care to youth residences and include chapters of such national programs as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Head Start and AmeriCorps. The agency’s 450 employees and 350 volunteers operate out of seven offices throughout Westchester County. To learn more about FSW, visit the agency’s website at www.fsw.org or contact LHalpern at lhalpern@fsw.org.