The benefit, now in its 15th year, supports JCCA’s Pleasantville Cottage Campus programs for vulnerable children with serious emotional and family problems. This year’s event focused on enhancing the well-being and safety of the children and young people who JCCA cares for. The costs of many of the services JCCA provides—tutoring, therapeutic arts, recreation and internships—are not completely supported through government reimbursement. Yet these are some of the very things that have the greatest impact on a child’s sense of self-worth and happiness, and help them feel loved and no different than children who are far more fortunate.
The event was co-chaired by Leah Alani, of Chappaqua; Alisa Gershman, of Briarcliff Manor; and Ali Rosenberg, of Mount Kisco. JCCA Trustee Stephanie Spiegel, of Chappaqua, was one of the original co-chairs of the first Tree fundraiser in 2006 and served as Honorary Co-Chair for the 2020 event.
Honorees were Steffi Green, of Chappaqua; Jen Krugel, of Chappaqua; Judy Shapiro, of Armonk; and Liz Templeton, of Chappaqua. All have been dedicated Pleasantville Campus volunteers for many years, volunteering alongside their own children and families, and provided countless hugs, smiles, and emotional support to hundreds of campus youth.
In today’s fast-paced world, life can be hectic – especially if you’re among the growing number of adults caught in the middle known as the sandwich generation. According to the T. Rowe Price 2019 Parents, Kids & Money Survey, more than one in three parents with kids between the ages of 8 and 14 is also caring for an aging family member. Of those, nearly 70% have an aging parent or relative living under the same roof.1 Being a dual caregiver can cause emotional stress and even financial strain, but planning ahead and seeking out the support you need can help you find – and maintain – your balance.