Westchester Teens Lead Effort to Provide Humanitarian Aid to Syrian Refugees on MLK Day

Westchester Teens Lead Effort to Provide Humanitarian Aid and Supplies to Syrian Refugees on MLK Day

~Teen Volunteers (Grades 8-12) Needed to Aid in Westchester Countywide Volunteer Effort~

WHAT: J-Teen Leadership MLK Day of Service with AFYA Foundation and Westchester County Youth Council; Community Service Certificates will be provided for participants. Refreshments will be available

WHERE: Westchester Reform Temple, 255 Mamaroneck Road, Scarsdale, NY

WHEN: Monday, January 16, 2017,10:00 am-1:00 pm; Press Briefing will begin promptly at 10:30 am by Keynote Speakers,Teen Leaders, Danielle Butin of Ayfa Foundation and Dr. Georgette Bennett, Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees

DONATIONS NEEDED: J-Teen Leadership is looking for the donation of humanitarian supplies: Ace Bandages-Baby Blankets-Baby Diapers-Baby Hats- Bacitracin-Bandaids-Individual Hand Sanitizers-New Combs-Office Supplies-Penlights-Rain Boots-School Supplies-Soap-Toothbrushes and Toothpaste

The list of designated supply drop-off locations throughout Westchester can be found on the J-Teen Leadership website http://bit.ly/collect17

For more information: Contact Aviva Perlman, J-Teen Program Director and Leadership Coach, J-Teen Leadership, 914-328-8788,aviva@jteenleadership.org or register at http: // bit.ly/jteenmlkday17

WHITE PLAINS, NY- On Monday January 16, 2017 from 10:00 am-1:00 pm, teens from across Westchester County will participate in a day of community service in honor of MLK Day. Thanks in part to a generous grant from UJA-Federation of New York in connection with the launch of its Time for Good volunteerism initiative, J-Teen Leadership will spearhead this Westchester-wide interfaith teen volunteer event to aid Syrian Refugees with the AFYA Foundation and Westchester County Youth Council at Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale.

Teen volunteers will spend the morning sorting and packing items delivered from collection sites around Westchester organized by teen collection ambassadors. Boxed supplies will be air shipped to Syrian Refugees by the AFYA Foundation in partnership with the US Department of Defense. There is no fee to attend the Day of Service. Bus transportation for teens to Scarsdale will be available from points in Northern and Southern Westchester. In addition, Community Service Certificates will be provided for participating teens.

The J-Teen Leadership Planning Committee led by Co-Chairs Ethan Afran, 11th grade (Scarsdale High School), Jordyn Glantz, 12th grade (Horace Greeley High School), Aaron Hersch, 12th grade (Scarsdale High School) Hannah Malter, 12th grade, (Byram Hills High School) will run the event. Collectively the four Co-Chairs realize the importance of taking initiative and do not want to just stand by and watch.

Co-Chair Afran states that, “Over the past few years, Syrians have been struggling in one of the gravest humanitarian crises in our time. This day of service provides us with an opportunity to help the Syrian refugees. J-Teen Leadership along with AFYA Foundation will send essentials to help Syrian refugees in their search for a better life.” In addition to sorting and packing supplies, the teens will be making cards and writing letters to the refugees.

This is the eleventh year that teens from J-Teen Leadership will turn out in force in an interfaith volunteer effort to encourage community building and connections across religious and societal lines in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

J-Teen Leadership wholeheartedly supports the philosophy of esteemed Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve… You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”

~ J-Teen Leadership is dedicated to empowering and inspiring teens so they can contribute to their community and world today. J-Teen Leadership provides a platform for teens to develop a collective voice, address issues confronting society connect to one another, and be change agents in repairing the world. J-Teen Leadership programming is teen-led, meaningful and fun. J-Teen Leadership received funding from UJA-Federation of New York, Time for Good Initiative for this project.

~ Westchester County Youth Council (WCYC) is a teen-directed, adult-supported multi-issue youth advocacy program. The mission of the WCYC is to empower teens to become critical thinkers, engaged citizens and an active “voice” and sounding board for important issues throughout Westchester County.

~ AFYA Foundation, Yonkers, NY aims to provide an environmentally responsible solution to the dire shortage of healthcare supplies in underserved communities globally. AFYA mobilizes needed medical supplies and aid in times of crisis.