Not for Profit News

Westchester Children’s Association (WCA) will hold their annual Imagine A Child…WCA Annual Spring Benefit on Wednesday, June 1st, 2022, starting at 6:00 pm at the Surf Club in New Rochelle, New York. This year WCA will honor Nicole Sheindlin and Judge Judy Sheindlin of Her Honor Mentoring; The Building & Realty Institute (BRI) of Westchester; and Dr. Katherine Lobach, former WCA Board President and Chairperson.

“We are very excited about our annual spring benefit and looking forward to celebrating three outstanding honorees next week.” said Allison Lake, Executive Director of the Westchester Children’s Association. “At the same time, we are reminded by recent events in Buffalo, New York and Uvalde, Texas that we need to be ever more vigilant and persistent in our advocacy to ensure that every child in Westchester is healthy, safe, and prepared for life’s challenges than ever before. These honorees are shining examples of what each of us can do to help children in our communities, and anywhere else – across the country, or around the world.

Honorees who are expected to receive awards at this year’s WCA Spring Benefit include:

The WCA Edith C. Macy Award for Distinguished Service, given in recognition of extraordinary contributions to children’s well-being, will be awarded to Nicole Sheindlin and Judge Judy Sheindlin of Her Honor Mentoring. Their mission is to provide unique learning opportunities and resources for young women, as they connect the needs of our public education system with powerful resources in the business community. Their belief is that connecting strong, positive, female role models with young women changes everything. Her Honor Mentoring was developed by Nicole Sheindlin and Judge Judy Sheindlin as an innovative and pragmatic way to boost self-confidence in young women in the workplace and everyday life. For more information visit herhonor.org.

“Since Nicole and I started Her Honor Mentoring 16 years ago, it has been incredibly gratifying to see hundreds of young women become outstanding members of society, as leaders in their fields, wonderful mentees themselves, and most of all, independent women who are truly making a difference in the world,” says Judge Judy Sheindlin. “It is an honor to receive this award and I share it with all of them.”

The WCA Corporate Children’s Champion Award will be presented this year to the Building & Realty Institute (BRI) of Westchester. This award recognizes and honors a business or organization with an outstanding record of advocacy, actions, and/or philanthropy that has substantially benefitted young people in Westchester. BRI Westchester advocates for the best interests of the realty industry to government and the community, provides knowledge and resources to their members, and creates opportunities for their members to build relationships and improve their businesses. WCA and BRI found synergy on the Welcome Home Westchester campaign that combines several companies involved in the home building and development of housing with economic leaders such as the Westchester County Association and Nonprofit Westchester, academics and think tanks that have extensively examined the housing question, organizations dedicated to fighting against homelessness and supporting families in need, faith leaders and community advocates to drive forward a new conversation around affordable housing in the county. For more information visit buildersinstitute.org/whw/.

“We have long admired WCA’s ability to analyze, educate, advocate and lead on the critical policy issues that face Westchester’s children, including the urgent need to address a county-wide housing shortage that puts so many children at-risk of homelessness, housing insecurity, or facing barriers to educational attainment.“ said Timothy Foley Chief Executive Officer, BRI of Westchester & the Mid-Hudson Region. “WCA has been one of the cornerstones for the Welcome Home Westchester campaign we launched in the past year to advocate for building the housing we need, and we are honored to work side-by-side with them on this issue.”

The WCA Lifetime Achievement Award will be awarded to Dr. Katherine Lobach, former WCA Board President and Chair. Dr. Lobach, a pediatrician, learned early that effective health care for children often required advocacy on their behalf. This awareness and activity were a constant element of her career as a clinician, teacher, and administrator, and upon her retirement, brought her to the WCA Board as president in 2005.During her tenure, she participated in WCA’s efforts to provide in-school support to Westchester preschool students with social and emotional issues. She also led an initiative to improve data collection and develop outreach activities at WCA which offered adolescents an opportunity to receive preventive health care and formed a County-wide collaboration to expand newborn and toddler home visiting services in Westchester. Today, she continues to advocate to reduce child poverty.

“Dr. Lobach has devoted her life to the health and well-being of children, as a pediatrician, public health leader, and as a mother and grandmother.” said Ann Umemoto, WCA Board President. “ We are very grateful for her tireless efforts in support of our youth over the years, and we look forward to recognizing her contributions, along with our other special honorees at this year’s event.”=

Donations and sponsorship for this event will help WCA continue its advocacy and work for children in Westchester. To reserve a seat or for more information about the program, visit wca4kids.org/imagine/ or contact Debbie Campbell at 914.946.7676 x300 or via email at dcampbell@wca4kids.org.

About Westchester Children’s Association: Westchester Children’s Association (WCA) is a multi-issue, child advocacy nonprofit that works to ensure that every child in Westchester is healthy, safe, and prepared for life’s challenges. Since 1914, WCA has been the leading independent voice for Westchester by identifying their needs, making those needs known to the public, and ensuring those needs are met through advocacy and mobilization efforts. For more information about Westchester Children’s Association, visit www.wca4kids.org . 

May 25, 2022– The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center (HHREC) held their second annual White Rose Student Research Contest for 7th-12th grade students in the greater Westchester County NY area. The 2021/2022 contest theme was Auschwitz and the Hungarian Deportations.

This year, HHREC honored students and teachers from Irvington High School, Westchester Day School and Woodlands Middle/High School via Zoom. Participating students who chose to compete in the contest submitted essays or original documentaries based on research of primary source and secondary source materials. Student and teacher entries included:

7th and 8th Grade Winners – Rachel Tratt, Westchester Day School and Jake Morton, Woodlands Middle School; and Finalist Annshiya Pulikkottil Sam, Woodlands Middle School.

11th and 12th Grade Winner – Alexandra Pollack, Irvington High School

Sponsoring Teachers – Christopher Barry, Irvington High School; Kasie Peralta, Woodlands Middle School; and Jill Rivel, Westchester Day School.

This contest is sponsored by the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center, and it is named in memory of the White Rose, a resistance movement consisting of German university students. The project commemorates the efforts of the brave young people who gave their lives for what they believed in. HHREC is encouraging teachers to utilize this writing contest as a classroom exercise.

“We are pleased at the response we received this year from area teachers and their students about the program we have developed to further their knowledge of the Holocaust.” said Julie Scallero,  Co-Director of Education, Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center. “This project commemorates the efforts of brave young people during the Holocaust who gave their lives for what they believed in. May their memories inspire us to reflect upon our own responsibilities as citizens in a democratic nation.”

Winning entries for the HHREC White Rose Student Research Contest were identified by a panel of Blue-Ribbon judges that included Richard Berman, Ph.D. Muma College of Business, University of South Florida; Debbie Lewis, HHREC GenerationsForward speaker; Elena Procario-Foley, Ph.D. Professor of Religious Studies, Iona College; Debbie Minchin HHREC Educators Program Committee; and Audrey Reich Art Specialist, The Birch Wathen Lenox School

The top prize winner in each age level was awarded a cash prize, and the sponsoring teacher of each first prize winner was awarded a voucher for use on professional development and/or Holocaust resources.