Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester
It was not the usual feeling of “Winter Wonderland” we love to relish when snow first falls in New Castle. With six inches of snow following a hurricane that left over three quarters of our community without power, so many felt Mother Nature was offering up a bad joke….creating more outages. This photo by Chappaqua’s roving photographer Chatschik Bisdikian (who captures so many beautiful images inside New Castle), perhaps serves as a healthy reminder of who’s really in control.
–Grace Bennett
The Mental Health Association of Westchester (MHA) has been chosen to provide crisis counseling assistance through the program, Project Hope, part of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s $8.2 million grant from FEMA. The mandate: To deliver immediate mental health crisis counseling to individuals impacted by Hurricane Sandy. A team of twelve has already been assembled and will soon begin visiting the 11,000 individuals in Westchester and Rockland estimated to have been impacted.
Those at emotional risk after a traumatic storm such as Sandy are children; older adults; people with prior trauma, disabilities, serious mental illnesses and substance abuse problems and feelings or sense of hopelessness; people with low-incomes; first responders and other public safety workers.
Symptoms include irritability, poor concentration, low mood and hopelessness, isolation, discouragement, grief over losses and alcohol, tobacco and drug abuse.
If you, or anyone you know, would like to contact Project Hope, call 914-345-5900 extension 7543 or 7544.
MHA of Westchester is a community-based mental health agency that has been helping Westchester County residents for 66 years through direct services, professional and community education and advocacy. MHA supports 20,000 individuals annually through a comprehensive array of mental health services striving to help each individual to achieve their personal goals and to lead independent, healthy and successful lives. For information, visit www.mhawestchester.org
With power out in more than two thirds of New Castle, in many homes for a week and longer, there were more than a handful of kids getting antsy. Jodi Levine, owner of Jodi’s Gym, graciously opened her doors with a blessedly warm environment for hours and hours of staff supervised playtime, and WiFi and coffee for tired and frustrated grown-ups.
As the impact of Sandy here became only too clear, the American Red Cross set up a shelter at Chappaqua Crossing below the WeeZee World facility at the old Reader’s Digest site. A safe and nurturing environment along with three meals a day were provided accommodating 20 folks on the very first night of its opening, November 1, with hundreds more folks, averaging 60 some nights, availing themselves of the option throughout the crisis.
