The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Not for Profit News

A First White Rose Student Research Contest of the HHREC Announces Winning Entries

by

On May 20th, the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center (HHREC) launched an inaugural White Rose Student Research Contest event for students grades 7 through 12 in the greater Westchester County area. This contest, named in memory of the White Rose, a resistance movement consisting of German university students, commemorated the efforts of these brave young people who gave their lives for what they believed in.

This year’s contest theme was Propaganda, and participating students who competed submitted essays based on research of source materials provided on our website. Winning entries were identified by a panel of judges and honored at a virtual reception, and the sponsoring teacher of each first prize winner were awarded a voucher for use on professional development and/or Holocaust resources. 

The 2021 White Rose Student Competition winning students from Woodlands Middle/High School included:

  • Grade 7 & 8 Winner – Sameeha Ahmed
  • Grade 7 & 8 Finalist – Jake Morton
  • Grade 9 & 10 Winner – Jeremy Morton

The sponsoring teacher was Kasie Peralta, who was also honored earlier this year with the HHREC Susan Goldberg Teacher Award.

“Kasie is dedicated to human rights education and determined to bring the lessons of the Holocaust and other human rights violations to her students” said Julie Scallero, Co-Director of Education at HHREC. “ She involves them in many other educational programs offered by HHREC including the Middle and High School Human Rights Institutes.”

About The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center

 The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center is a not-for-profit organization based in White Plains New York that serves Westchester, Fairfield and neighboring counties. Their Mission is to enhance the teaching and learning of the lessons of the Holocaust and the right of all people to be treated with dignity and respect. We encourage students to speak up and act against all forms of bigotry and prejudice. Their work with students and teachers helps schools fulfill the New York State mandate that the Holocaust and other human rights abuses be included in their curriculum. Since 1994, they have brought the lessons of the Holocaust, genocide and human rights crimes to more than 1500 teachers, and through them to thousands of middle and high school students. Through their volunteer Educators Program Committee, the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center gives teachers the unique opportunity to develop programs for themselves and others. These programs not only enrich teachers’ knowledge about the Holocaust and related issues, but they   also provide the lens through which to view all other human rights violations. For more information call 914.696.0738 email info@hhrecny.org 

 

If You are Having Trouble Paying your Rent in Westchester, Help is Available

by

Westchester County residents eligible to apply for New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program

$20 million earmarked for Westchester applicants

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY (June 2, 2021) – As of June 1, 2021, Westchester County residents are now eligible to apply for the New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). Under ERAP, $20 million has been earmarked for Westchester County households at risk of eviction due to their inability to pay rent and utilities because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Click here to Apply for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program.

ERAP is providing financial assistance for up to 12 months of past-due rent, 3 months of prospective rental assistance and 12 months of utility arrears payments to eligible tenants, regardless of immigration status. Payments will be made directly to a tenant’s landlord or property owner, and utility company. Westchester will be assisting applicants throughout the County, except in Yonkers, where tenants and landlords will work directly with the municipality and its nonprofit partners.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a tremendous amount of financial hardship to many of our most vulnerable residents, and we want them to know that help is available. ERAP can provide a significant amount of economic relief to our low- and moderate-income households at risk of housing instability, and if you meet the appropriate criteria, I encourage you to apply.”

Commissioner of the Department of Planning Norma Drummond said: “Many Westchester County residents were devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and some are still struggling to get back on their feet again. This critical funding from New York State will help to ensure that those who experienced financial hardship will not become homeless and bring them the peace of mind they need to feel secure in their homes.”

Commissioner of the Department of Social Services Leonard Townes said: “The Emergency Rental Assistance Program will deliver desperately-needed help to Westchester landlords and tenants who have incurred financial hardship due to the pandemic. We at the Westchester County Department of Social Services are eager to assist tenants struggling with back rent and utility bills to apply for this lifeline.”  

New York State residents are eligible for ERAP if they meet all of the following criteria:

  • Household gross income is at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI). These income limits differ by County and household size. A household may qualify based on current income or calendar year 2020 income that is at or below 80 percent AMI.
  • On or after March 13, 2020, a member of the household received unemployment benefits or experienced a reduction in income, incurred significant costs or experienced financial hardship, directly or indirectly, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The applicant is obligated to pay rent at their primary residence and has rental arrears (rent overdue) at their current residence for rent owed on or after March 13, 2020.
  • The household must be at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability, which can be demonstrated by having rental arrears owed on or after March 13, 2020.

For the first 30 days of the program, the unemployed, those with income at or below 50 percent of area median income and other vulnerable populations will be prioritized for assistance. After this period, applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.

To simplify the application process, and ensure landlords and tenants have the support they need to apply, the County is partnering with 11 local nonprofit agencies to provide free aid to individuals seeking to apply for ERAP. Applicants can also call United Way of Westchester and Putnam’s 2-1-1 hotline with any questions and to find a nonprofit partner in their community. Rental counseling is available, in English and Spanish, with guidance for gathering the documents needed and access to computers to complete the application online.

For help applying, contact the following non-profits:

Catholic Charities

Community Housing Innovations

Community Resource Center

El Centro Hispano

Human Development Services of Westchester

Hudson Valley Justice Center

Keeping Communities Safe

Mount Vernon United Tenants

Neighbors Link

Salvation Army

Westchester Residential Opportunities

Marlene Zarfes, Executive Director of Westchester Residential Opportunities in White Plains, one of the 11 nonprofits with whom the county is partnering, said: “We know that the pandemic has been challenging for both tenants and landlords, and we want them to take advantage of this great funding resource. Our goal is to simplify the application process so they can get the financial relief they need. We urge applicants to act quickly. Let us help you to ensure you have all of the necessary documents in place to file your application immediately.”

The New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program is being funded by $100 million from the state and $2.6 billion in federal aid. Westchester County’s application assistance program is being administered by the Westchester County Department of Planning. For more information, visit the New York State Website.

The Westchester County Department of Planning conducts a comprehensive work program and shapes and influences growth and development in Westchester County in order to improve quality of life and protect the environment, resulting in more livable and sustainable communities. For information, visit https://planning.westchestergov.com/.

This news was courtesy of the Westchester County Executive’s Office.

The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center Forges New Partnership with Yeshiva University

by

 

 

 

 

 

The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center  (HHREC) of White Plains, NY has entered into a partnership with the Emil A. and Jenny Fish Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Yeshiva University to further promote education programs, events and archived resources for schools and educators. 

“We are very excited to be working with the Fish Center at Yeshiva University on this collaboration and partnership” said Millie Jasper, Executive Director at the HHREC. “Their University has taken a very important step in providing education on the Holocaust, and we  look forward to working with them to promote and support their new education program  for our growing community.”

“Holocaust Education, at its core, is character education – which is sorely needed in today’s world”, says Dr. Shay Pilnik, Director of the Fish Center.  “With this new media series, students and adults will learn about leading edge initiatives from countries that were not directly involved in the Holocaust.  We are grateful  for the partnership with Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center.”

The Emil A. and Jenny Fish Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies strives to build a cadre of teachers, professional and lay leaders across the United States who are committed to Holocaust Education and Remembrance, ready to meet the challenges that the field is facing as survivors of the Holocaust are passing away and awareness of the subject in public memory is fading. Through courses, lectures, conferences, research and more, the Fish Center is dedicated to the study of the Shoah (Holocaust) from a perspective steeped in the history, culture, religion, and spiritual life of the Jewish civilization annihilated by the Nazis and their collaborators. They are also planning lectures, workshops, seminars and communal resources and activities to ensure that the Shoah and other genocides will continue to be remembered and further studied. By leveraging world renowned scholars and offering innovative programming for students and the public, this mission is to ensure that the Holocaust and other genocides are remembered. The Fish Center offers a Master’s degree program in Holocaust and Genocide Studies.

The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center is a not-for-profit organization based in White Plains New York that serves Westchester, Fairfield and neighboring counties. Their Mission is to enhance the teaching and learning of the lessons of the Holocaust and the right of all people to be treated with dignity and respect. We encourage students to speak up and act against all forms of bigotry and prejudice. Their work with students and teachers helps schools fulfill the New York State mandate that the Holocaust and other human rights abuses be included in their curriculum. Since 1994, they have brought the lessons of the Holocaust, genocide and human rights crimes to over 1,500 teachers, and through them to thousands of middle and high school students. Through their volunteer Educators Program Committee, the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center gives teachers the unique opportunity to develop programs for themselves and others. These programs not only enrich teachers’ knowledge about the Holocaust and related issues, but they also provide the lens through which to view all other human rights violations.

 

County’s Launch1000 Issues a Call for Additional Participants Interested in Generating Home-Based Income

by

The Westchester County Office of Economic Development program is seeking individuals with an interest in launching home-based income streams and other ventures.

White Plains, New York (May 11, 2021) – Launch1000, a program of the Westchester County Office of Economic Development, today announced it is more than halfway towards the goal of helping 1000 County residents who may want to create home-based income streams or launch new businesses or nonprofits. Launch1000 is an innovative, fully remote, self-paced program designed to turn concepts and ideas into business plans and startups.

“Providing a resource to help residents replace lost revenue and change how they work has been one of our pandemic priorities,” Westchester County Executive George Latimer said. “We are grateful to have additional slots available for more County residents who are interested in joining Launch1000, and are proud to support them as they work to create a viable new business, social enterprise, or nonprofit.”

Current Launch1000 participants include a diverse mix of individuals, some of whom are in the early stages of exploring an idea and others who have already started generating revenue.

“We have received overwhelmingly positive feedback about Launch1000 from participants at various stages of honing, testing and refining their concept,” said Deborah Novick, Westchester County’s Director of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. “While some participants are still pursuing the initial business idea they had when applying for Launch1000, others have gained valuable insights during the program that have led them to pivot and create new – and even stronger – business and nonprofit concepts.”

Starting this month, Launch1000 will admit cohorts of roughly 100-150 applicants every three to six weeks. This will allow participants to build community and network with peers who are working through the same phase(s) of the program. To ensure that a lack of technology does not prevent anyone from applying to the program, the Westchester County Office of Economic Development will provide laptops to participating residents who need them.

Potential participants can learn more about Launch1000 and apply by visiting: WestchesterCatalyst.com/Launch1000.

In addition to Launch1000, the Westchester County Office of Economic Development offers a suite of programs and resources to support businesses and entrepreneurs including: Westchester County Biosciences Accelerator, Element 46 Incubator, the RXR Volunteer Program, the Westchester County IDA Grant and Loan Program and the Westchester County Business FIRST Grant Program.

News courtesy of the Westchester County Office of Economic Development

$2.5 Million Gift from Drs. Scott and Nan Hayworth to Help Transform the Maternal Child Health Unit at Northern Westchester Hospital

by

Drs. Scott and Nan Hayworth

To commemorate their longstanding relationship with Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH), Scott D. Hayworth, MD, FACOG and The Honorable Nan Hayworth, MD–two of Westchester’s most prominent physicians–have donated $2.5 million to transform the hospital’s Maternal Child Health Unit. Upon completion, the Hayworth Family Maternity Center’s physical environment will be an appropriate setting for the high-caliber programs offered to women and families during every stage of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

“Together, Drs. Scott and Nan Hayworth have dedicated almost a half-century to Northern Westchester Hospital,” said Derek Anderson, the hospital’s executive director. “They understand the importance of the hospital’s Maternal Child Health Unit as a gateway for new families entering the community. We are very grateful for their generosity, their commitment to ensuring the delivery of person-centered care and for the appreciation this gift demonstrates for the entire care team at Northern Westchester Hospital.”

The gift will be allocated towards a major transformation of the unit, including renovation of the labor and delivery rooms; creation of two new triage rooms; the expansion of three existing recovery bays; and renovations to all 25 postpartum rooms.

 “A transformative gift of this nature not only makes these important capital improvements possible, but it is also emblematic of the generosity of people in our community who make Northern Westchester Hospital the critical community asset that it is. We are most grateful that they have chosen to invest in us,” said Keeva Young-Wright, the hospital’s Foundation President.

The team delivers approximately 1,600 babies a year and provides care to the hospital’s tiniest patients in the Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, which is equipped to stabilize and treat life-threatening emergencies and illnesses in newborns who weigh as little as 1 1/2 pounds at birth.. The hospital also offers a Level III Perinatal Center and special services such as a Mother-Baby Navigator program, which helps new parents navigate every issue related to pregnancy and birth.

“This community is not only where we live and have raised our family, but also where we’ve chosen to practice medicine,” said Dr. Scott Hayworth. “We’re so glad to have, through this gift, an opportunity to say ‘thank you,’ honor the incredible teams at Northern Westchester Hospital, and recognize the outstanding care they provide.”

Dr. Nan Hayworth added, “Throughout the decades we’ve been members of the community here, we’ve benefited enormously–as have our children and our parents–from having, in Northern Westchester Hospital, a hospital that is really miraculous: we have care of the highest quality, provided by a talented and dedicated team who treat us and our loved ones as family. It’s wonderful to be able to honor these great people with a gift to help the hospital continue to grow and transform its services in the 21st Century.”

Dr. Scott Hayworth is the President of the Optum Tri-State Region, made up of CareMount Medical, ProHEALTH NY, and Riverside Medical Group, comprising 2,250 providers at 380 locations and serving over 2.5 million patients. For more than 20 years he has also served as President and CEO of CareMount Medical, (formerly Mount Kisco Medical Group, PC). He began his career at Mount Kisco Medical Group in 1988 and he served as an attending OBGYN at NWH until 2015, including one memorable year in which he delivered four sets of triplets. Dr. Hayworth has also served on numerous NWH committees, including the Board of Directors of the NWH Foundation. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and he advises and serves on the boards of many investment firms and businesses, including serving as a senior advisor at Arsenal Capital Partners and Amulet Capital Partners.          

The Honorable Dr. Nan Hayworth is the first female physician ever elected to a full term as a Member of the House of Representatives, serving the 19th District of New York.  She practiced ophthalmology for nearly 20 years in Mount Kisco and she was an attending physician at NWH throughout that time. Now a Strategic Business Development Advisor for Pilot Growth Equity, Dr. Hayworth is also chairman of the board of directors of ConservAmerica, an organization promoting economically-sustainable conservation and environmental protection, and a member of the boards of the Independent Women’s Forum, the Goodman Institute for Public Policy Research, Public Agenda, and United Way of Westchester and Putnam.

The Hayworths reside in Bedford, NY.

 

News courtesy of Northern Westchester Hospital.