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914 Cares

914 Cares Panelists Delved into the Reality of ‘Clothing Insecurity’ & More… Toward Ending Poverty

April 24, 2023 by Grace Bennett

Jessica Reinmann, head of 914 Cares, leading a morning panel of the organization’s annual Westchester Poverty Symposium

There’s an assumption of affluence when you tell people you grew up in Westchester, posited David Heath, Co-Founder and CEO of Bombas, and keynote speaker for the 914 Cares 4th Annual Westchester Poverty Symposium which brought together non-profit leaders in March to discuss strategies and solutions toward ending poverty. “But when you peel back the onion, we see different layers–and not all affluent.”   

And, for many, far from.

In introducing Heath at the White Plains event, Jessica Reinmann, 914 Cares CEO and chairman, Reinmann opined that she considers Heath ‘the Derek Jeter’ in the business of giving, noting that Bombas was “just a few months away from donating its 100th million items of clothing” since its inception, its greatest focus… socks, the most requested item in homeless shelters, said Heath, who described his lightbulb moment as an executive: “that Bombas could donate a pair of socks for every pair of socks sold.” Today, the company works with over 3500 ‘giving partners’ such as 914 Cares across 50 states to achieve its astounding success.

And like the people behind 914 Cares and other service organizations represented at the White Plains March event addressing this lesser known aspect of poverty –  ‘clothing insecurity’ and its negative impact on the self esteem of children — Heath said the quality of the product is critical too, and that Bombas takes special measures toward that end.  “We want the person to experience the same level of quality and joy that we were delivering to our paying customers.” Reinmann later reenforced a similar concept, one central to the 914 Cares mission, focusing “on the dignity of the recipient.”

914 Cares described the Symposium as “an annual opportunity for thought leaders… to share innovative ideas about community-driven partnerships.”  “The event is all about connection, and learning how we can work together to share ideas and resources to improve the lives of our neighbors in need,” said Reinmann.

Along with Heath and Reinmann, the other panelists were Lynn Margherio, Founder/CEO, Cradles to Crayons; Nichole Culotta, Program Manager, 914 Cares; Ana Maria Fritsch, Bedford Central School District; and Matthew Fasciano, President & CEO, Delivering Goods. Later in the program, a final panel focused on Food Insecurity. Faith Butcher, Chief Impact Officer of United Way of Westchester shared highlights of that organization’s annual ALICE report. The panel also featured Daniel Bonnet, Chief Program Officer, Carver Center; Rick Rakow, founder of Rakow Commercial Realty & Board Member, Feeding Westchester; Erica Youngren, Full Plates Coalition Chair, County Harvest; and Chris Dapolito, Store Manager of DeCicco and Sons.

As Margherio noted in the first half of the panel: “It’s comforting to know there are so many kindred spirits in the fight to end clothing insecurity in children.”

For more information visit 914Cares.org

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: 914 Cares, bombas, Clothing Insecurity, David Heath, Ending Poverty, Food Insecurity, Westchester Poverty Symposium

914Cares to Host its 4th annual Westchester Poverty Symposium on March 9

February 10, 2023 by Inside Press

On Thursday, March 9th, the Westchester non-profit 914Cares will host its 4th annual Westchester Poverty Symposium. The event is being held at The Play Group Theatre in White Plains from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Featuring keynote speaker David Heath, the Co-Founder and CEO of Bombas, the symposium will feature presentations and conversations from some of the County’s leading experts on the topic.                

The Symposium is an opportunity for thought leaders including community members, nonprofit leaders, elected officials, policymakers, funders, and others to share innovative ideas about community-driven partnerships. 

Featured presenters and panelists include:                                                                                            

  • David Heath, Co-Founder and CEO, Bombas
  • Jessica Reinmann, CEO/Chairman, 914Cares
  • Lynn Margherio, Founder/CEO, Cradles to Crayons
  • Nichole Culotta, Program Manager, 914Cares
  • Ana Maria Fritsch, Bedford Central School District
  • Matthew Fasciano, President & CEO, Delivering Good
  • Daniel Bonnet, Chief Program Officer, Carver Center
  • Chris Dapolito, Store Manager, DeCicco and Sons
  • Faith Butcher, Chief Impact Officer, United Way of Westchester & Putnam
  • Missy Palmisciano, President and Founder, County Harvest

“The Poverty Symposium is all about creating synergies in order to create solutions for our neighbors in need,” said Jessica Reinmann, Chairman + CEO of 914Cares. “We’re particularly excited about this year’s lineup of speakers and panelists, all of whom are true innovators in the fight to eradicate poverty.” The lineup for the event is as follows:

8 a.m. Doors Open

8:30-9: A Fireside Chat With Dave Heath, CEO + Co-Founder, Bombas

9-10: Panel Discussion–“Clothing Insecurity and Its Negative Impact on the Self-Esteem of Children”

10:15-11: An Update on the United Way’s ALICE Report– “Living Without a Safety Net: The Invisible Struggle of Households Working Paycheck to Paycheck”

11-12: Panel Discussion–“Using Food Rescue to Combat Food Insecurity”                        

To learn more about the Westchester Poverty Symposium or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.914cares.org/poverty-awareness/. The event is open to the public, and special student/non-profit tickets are available. 

All attendees must be registered, as capacity is limited–please contact lisa@914cares.org.                                                                                 

ABOUT 914CARES: Our vision is for everyone in Westchester to live a full, healthy, and happy life free from the hardship of poverty. 914Cares works to ensure our neighbors in need are cared for by collaborating, supporting and providing resources to local organizations, educating the community about poverty and encouraging actionable generosity. We carry out our primary mission by: Distributing tangible re- sources, Educating the community, Engaging the next generation, and Collaborating with Community Partners. For more information, visit 914cares.org.                                                

 

News and image Courtesy of 914Cares

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: 914 Cares, Community Partnerships, Food Insecurity, Paycheck to Paycheck, Poverty, poverty symposium

Inside 914Cares: A Lesson in “Actionable Generosity”

November 9, 2022 by Grace Bennett

Inside Press Photos

A tour through the 914Cares facility feels a bit like landing on a cloud where a group of earth angels are busy creating little miracles daily within a dizzying number of rooms with clearly marked shelves. Sooo many shelves. Sooo many helping hands. Santa’s elves have nothin’ on this crew!

This celebrated, and nearly all volunteer effort, a ‘basic essentials distribution center’, as its founder and CEO Jessica Reinmann proudly describes 914Cares, “distributes everything other than food.” 914Cares works closely with over 80 Westchester County programs to distribute items for them regularly, but as this not for profit has gradually evolved (it began in 2014), it also responds to calls from many different organizations and individuals seeking assistance for underserved populations.

“We have become known as the organization in the county that can get things to where they need to be immediately!” related Jessica, who together with with Marjorie Troob, Program Manager and Lisa Horten, Director of Communications and Development, took time out to acquaint the Inside Press with 914Cares.

Sometimes, the diversity of the calls can surprise even them. One time, for example, 914Cares received a phone call from a film crew who had to have their employees’ quarantine. “They had microwaves, coffee makers, and more…so we just got those items out really quickly!… We figured that we have these distribution possibilities…let’s put it all together!”

And to ‘put it all together’ 914Cares filled that void in a most monumental, year-round effort! Clothing essentials is probably still the ‘biggest’ item continuously sorted by volunteers. For a sense of the effort, consider that 914Cares distributes around 3,500 bags of clothing every year in its work with some 80 to 90 community partners each month. These partners arrive from every corner of the County to deliver the bags to the populations they serve.

914Cares volunteers in the meantime work to tailor the bags as much as possible to satisfy a child’s distinct wishes and needs. “Every bag is packed for the individual child. When an order comes in, they can say: “This is a Yankees fan” and the volunteers will look for Yankees items. Or we can have a girl that, let’s say hates pink, so we will make sure to not put in pink!”

Each bag contains a week’s worth of clothing. They also contain books and a ‘hygiene bag.’ Much thought goes into those too. “We have different hygiene bags for different age groups, because say, for example, ‘under 4s’ can’t have fluoride. “We are very thoughtful about what types of products we put in the bag….

Avi’s Library

The clothing is also ultimately something you would be happy for your own child to wear. “We do not give away anything with a specific school emblem or holiday images on it, anything with rips, stains holes, are rejected. We get shirts that will say “Little Brother” and we can’t give that to a child because we don’t know their situation.”

“A lot of our partners say we focus on dignity of the recipient.”

That level of dignity extends to books recipients find in the donated bags as well, as 914Cares packs and/or delivers about 50,000 books a year.” The 914Cares experienced librarian Miriam Minor is also a volunteer who trains library volunteers and manages ‘Avi’s Library,’ a children’s library housed inside 914Cares, too.

Books are packaged with clothing bags, by request of any organization: For example, 914Cares recently packed almost 8,000 books last year on behalf of the Ossining School District–after receiving their request for only 20! That effort led to each child receiving four books for their summer reading.

Most items are individual donations, but 914Cares also has evolving relationships with different clothing companies to receive overstock items, etc. They recently solidified “a strong relationship with Carters” as one example These relationships help enormously with meeting the greatest challenge in sorting the bags: making sure there are always enough sizes, and not an overabundance of any one size or too many items specific to one gender.

All Seasons Caring

The tour extended into a ‘seasonal’ area where 914Cares volunteers create bags whether it’s for back to school or for summer camp. “We fill about 200 camp bags a year, half sleep-away and half day,” said Jessica. “A lot of kids get scholarships to camp but they can’t go because they require a sleeping bag and certain sheets. The parents can’t afford that, so we have tried to play that role in the community, and make sure every kid that gets an opportunity to go to camps gets to. We separate the clothes between boys and girls. Then by size, then by item.”

It’s impressive but if it all also sounds daunting (it did to me!), my tour guides insist that it is all eminently doable thanks to a concept 914Cares promotes called “actionable generosity” that builds empathy along with passion and commitment among volunteers spanning different age groups. While most volunteers are parents with kids in school (they open daily at 10 a.m.), volunteers also include retired people and “tons of kids” after school.

Jessica encourages volunteers of every age to be ‘hands on’ to really learn what it means to not have clothes. She will especially tell kids to please NOT wear nice clothes “because you are going to work, pack diapers, hygiene supplies. There’s sweating and working here!”

These dedicated efforts ultimately help meet the profound needs of the most diverse families–from refugees to people coming out of the foster care system to fire victims and to those impacted by the Covid 19 pandemic.

Ever changing wish lists depend on the season or what supplies are on hand. “Our goal for every bag is to get a pair of sneakers which we don’t always meet, but it is our goal. Our goal for every winter bag is also a pair of boots,” she explained pointing out the long coat rack for the winter bags receiving a coat, a hat, and gloves. All socks and underwear are brand new. “As you can see our shoe bins depends on what we get, and what gets filled up.”

Her partner in passion for caring is Marjorie Troob, Program Manager, who manages the 914Cares Baby Bank. “It is a program which helps the County’s neediest babies–we work with six or seven organizations, along with high schools who contact us for help for teen parents. “For six months straight, each baby receives a month’s worth of diapers and wipes, clothing with updated sizing, and also, miraculously enough, essentials like car seats, strollers, bathtubs, portable high chairs, diaper cream, shampoo, bottle bibs, blankets, swaddles, diaper bags, and more.

Why Volunteer?

To explain the volunteer mindset, Lisa Horten, Director of Communications and Development, noted: “For me, I like knowing I’m helping someone less fortunate and who has not had the experiences my kids have had. That gives me great pleasure. It’s even selfish for me.”

Jessica explained further: “I spent years in the private sector making rich people richer, and I just couldn’t do it anymore. We get all these quotes from social workers about how the bags have literally changed their lives. There’s no place I would rather be.”

Added Marjorie: “We get to do good every single day, I love being here, we have fun and yet we do good at the same time. Everyone is genuinely caring at the same time.”

Lisa offered that it’s also an opportunity to educate people. “Last night I was at a meeting in Pelham and people don’t realize that poverty is here in Westchester. I didn’t realize before I got here, either. It’s a quieter type of poverty than in Manhattan where you can see homeless people walking on the street.”

The positive feedback from recipients is gratifying too. “Last year, two sisters who got dresses had never had dresses in their lives!… They were holding hands in a picture, and you have never seen a bigger smile on kids.”

Ever growing, 914Cares is also on the move to a larger (still undisclosed) space from their current White Plains location. Individual donations are especially sought.

“Financial donations are amazing especially in the diaper and ‘period world’, said Jessica. “But we also encourage people to do diaper and clothing drives! We just got a call from Seven Bridges Middle School in Chappaqua, where they are going to do a sneaker drive for us,” she added. “All these things are helpful!”

Please visit 914cares.org

Inside Press Intern Adrianna Cmiel-Walsh assisted in the preparation of this article.

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: 914 Cares, 914Cares, book donations, clothing donations, Distribution Center, Jessica Reinmann, Lisa Horten, Marjorie Troob, Seasonal Donations, Volunteer Programs, Westchester County

So Much that’s Amazing

August 25, 2022 by Grace Bennett

As we head into ‘back to school/fabulous fall’, I’ve compiled a 10-point snapshot of so much that’s AMAZING and crazy fun ‘round here. See if you agree. Warning: this ‘quickie’ list is by no means ‘complete’. Let me know what ‘should’ have been on here or might make the cut next time: grace@insidepress.com That said, here goes (more on some of these ‘inside’):

1. The Jacob Burns Film Center, now celebrating 20, may just be everyone’s favorite theatre/cultural center, mine included.  October brings us the ever popular Jewish Film Festival and more than 20 movies to choose from!

2. The Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival, in its 9th year, draws a gazillion residents & visitors to town to meet favorite childhood authors and discover new ones. Surprises, galore and memories waiting to be made on October 15.

3. The Armonk Outdoor Art Show, turning 60!, boasts phenomenal artists’ exhibits with such creative family fun activities. Save the dates: October 1 & 2.

4. Neighborhood Theme Days. Whether it’s Community Day (9/17) in Chappaqua or a Block Party (10/1) in Pleasantville, gotta love days that encourage us to mingle with neighbors, embrace where we live AND to #ShopLocal.

5. Arts Splendor Close to Home. I love keeping up with the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, Arc Stages and Armonk Players. This fall, I plan on taking in one of the spectacular shows lined up at the Phoenix Festival: Live Arts in Nyack. And after a summer of enjoying glorious Caramoor productions in Katonah, I’m staying tuned into what they’re planning next.

6. Metro North to New York City. The Big Apple will always beckon. Broadway! Lincoln Center! Central Park! My son! And, don’t get me started on all the boro gems.

7. Charitable Westchester. Way too much to report for this short space, but for a pull my heartstrings fix, I’m psyched for a tour of the 914 Cares facility soon. Stay tuned to learn about the essentials they distribute to those in need.

8. The Music Scene is back with a vengeance after a Covid pause so if you haven’t visited your favorite musician/band of late, well, please do! Karaoke lovers, take note too. Bring a wipe and grab a mic. Chamber and orchestra music lovers have it MADE with the 914 Orchestra and Friends of Music concert offerings.

9. Dining Meccas. Some new ones on the scene will leave you hungry for more.

10. Nature! Parks, hiking trails, bodies of water. We’ve reported on them all, or nearly all. So much makes the county home, sweet home.

Filed Under: Just Between Us Tagged With: 914 Cares, Armonk Outdoor Art Show, Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival, Jacob Burns Film Center, Live Arts in Nyack

How this ROCK PALACE is Helping Local Organizations in Need

March 3, 2022 by InsidePress

The legendary Capitol Theatre has opened its doors to some of the world’s biggest rock stars, comedians, and performers. The iconic venue also hosts a number of diverse special events, from wedding proposals to symposiums and benefits.

Off the heels of “The Cap Cares” volunteer rewards program, the theater continues to go above and beyond to help and bring awareness to local charities, and organizations. 

The Capitol Theatre will be hosting the following special events in the coming months:

March 4 – The Cap is hosting a benefit for Pathways, before the Marcus King show. Pathways is a private, non-profit agency that provides services for adults who suffer from severe and prolonged mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression.

March 10 – 914Cares will be having their annual Westchester Poverty Symposium. The Westchester Poverty Symposium is an event where community members, nonprofit leaders, elected officials, policymakers, funders, and others join to share innovative ideas about community-driven partnerships. 914Cares is a local organization working to ensure the people of Westchester are cared for by collaborating, supporting and providing resources to local organizations, educating the community about poverty and encouraging actionable generosity.

April 28 – Will be the ninth annual Rock the River Concert to benefit Sunrise Day Camp-Pearl. Honoring Allison & Larry Fehrenbaker and featuring Back to the 80’s Show with everyone’s favorite cover band Jessie’s Girl. Sunrise Day Camp brings the simple pleasures of childhood back to children struggling with cancer, changing months of loneliness and isolation into summers filled with sunshine, laughter and happiness.

ABOUT THE CAPITOL THEATRE 

Designed by celebrated architect Thomas Lamb in 1926 and listed in The National Register of Historic Places, The Capitol Theatre is located 30 miles from NYC. The 2,000-capacity theater, known as “the original rock palace,” showcased legends such as Traffic, The Grateful Dead, Black Sabbath, Chuck Berry, David Bowie, Janis Joplin, Pink Floyd, and The Rolling Stones. Jerry Garcia called it one of his two favorite venues in the USA. In 2012, the theatre underwent a major renovation under the guidance of music entrepreneur Peter Shapiro. Since then, it has hosted major performers including Bob Dylan, Phil Lesh, Ringo Starr, Joan Baez, Skrillex, Bonnie Raitt, Snoop Dogg, Kacey Musgraves, The Strokes, Tom Petty, Cyndi Lauper, and Willie Nelson, as well as comedians like Kevin Hart and Amy Schumer. The New York Times raves: “A rock theater that looks and sounds as good as the Capitol is something to celebrate.” The Capitol’s inner-sanctum bar and music club, Garcia’s, was named for Jerry Garcia in partnership with his family. A venue of its own, Garcia’s showcases local artists and nationally touring acts across the musical spectrum.

 

Filed Under: Not for Profit News Tagged With: 914 Cares, Capitol Theater, sunrise day camp, The Capitol Theater

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