The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

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Inside Chappaqua Magazine Supporting Food Bank of Westchester

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It’s one thing to be without power following this storm. Quite another to combine that kind of stress with hunger. With that thought in mind… Inside Chappaqua is earmarking a minimum of $1000 from its advertising revenue in the upcoming Winter 2012/13 edition to the Food Bank of Westchester. “Every $1 donated to the Food Bank enables us to bring $4 worth of food to families to soup kitchens and food pantries in the county,” states Katy Coppinger, senior director of development for the Food Bank . Thank you in advance to all the sponsors who help make an Inside Chappaqua Magazine donation possible. Readers can help too with a voluntary or gift subscription of $24 to Inside Chappaqua Magazine, P.O. Box 643, Millwood, NY 10546.  At this time, Inside Chappaqua will donate HALF of your subscription dollars from now to January 15, 2013 over any such subscription to that $1,000 amount to the Food Bank as well.

Continue to be safe and warm everyone.

— Grace

7 Facts about hunger in Westchester

  • More than 200,000 people are hungry or at risk of hunger.
  • 33% of the hungry neighbors are children.
  • 51% are seniors.
  • 57% are registered voters.
  • 68% are U.S. citizens, many are veterans.
  • 1% of the hungry are homeless
  • 5% receive government assistance.

About the Food Bank for Westchester

The Food Bank for Westchester’s mission is to lead, engage and educate Westchester County residents in creating a hunger free environment.

The Food Bank for Westchester was incorporated as a not-for-profit 501 (c) 3 organization under the name of “Food People Allied To Combat Hunger Inc.” in 1988 to respond to the growing needs of hungry Westchester residents. The Food Bank has become the backbone of Westchester’s emergency food distribution network, providing over 95% of all the food distributed by over 220 grass roots programs such as food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and residential programs, helping to feed some or all of the 200,000 Westchester seniors, children and their families who are hungry or at risk of hunger.

The Food Bank for Westchester distributes 7 million pounds of food per year; delivering 9 to 12 tons of food per day to front-line agencies feeding the hungry.  The core program of Emergency Food Distribution is augmented by the following:

  • Project Green Thumb, which distributes bags of locally grown produce.
  • Food Recovery Program, which collects prepared and perishable foods from restaurants, corporate cafeterias and supermarkets and delivers the food directly to meal-service programs.
  • Food Growing Program, which grows produce on unused land using an available workforce.
  • Kids Café, which provides children hot, nutritious meals after school.
  • BackPack Program, which provides hungry, at-risk children with weekend bags of healthy food to get through the weekend.
  • A program entitled Services, Training, Education and Participant Support (STEPS) provides low-income women with children the tools to better manage their families and self-esteem enhancement as the first steps toward self-sufficiency.
  • Food Stamp Outreach is also provided by the Food Bank for Westchester

foodbankforwestchester.org

Disaster Relief Drive in Chappaqua

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URGENT SUPPLIES NEEDED

Staten Island, Brooklyn and Queens
Chappaqua Wellness Center Is COLLECTING AND DISTRIBUTING supplies that have been specifically requested for the next week.  We will be updating our list as we communicate with them throughout the weeks to come.

NO CLOTHING EXCEPT  -Winter jackets, Gloves, hats, etc!  
NO FOOD EXCEPT WATER

  • Blankets
  • Candles
  • Flashlights
  • ***Batteries***
  • Diapers / Wipes
  • Work gloves and Rubber Gloves
  • *Rubber Boots*
  • Masks
  • Bleach and cleaning supplies
  • Serving dishes and Utensils

You can check our website at Theminicook.com for updated info on current supplies needed

Rob Greenstein,
Chappaqua-Millwood Chamber of Commerce

A Sparkling Success!

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By Vicki de Vries

This lazy summer evening, a dozen small tables covered with white tablecloths grace a lovely garden filled with flowers, bushes and small trees. At one table, a waiter readies for the order.

“I’ll have the mini lobster rolls,” Desmond says in his gentle Irish brogue. His lovely wife, Nora, adds, “And I’ll have the grilled scallops enrobed in bacon,” pointing to the tapas menu.

A skilled guitarist eases into a coffeehouse rift. People holding glasses filled with wine seem to appear from nowhere and start talking to each other. Complete strangers talking to each other.

Suddenly, the atmosphere has become distinctly festive. For the uninitiated, the conviviality could be mistaken for a casual garden party, and the food and wine orders could have been made at any fine outdoor restaurant in almost any town.

What sets this particular scene apart is nothing short of amazing–or, rather, sparkling as in Sparkle for a Cause, the charity fundraiser that Crabtree’s Kittle House Restaurant and Inn in Chappaqua has been sponsoring every Tuesday evening for the past two summers.

Since its auspicious beginning in June of 2011, Sparkle for a Cause has raised well over $12,000 for local charities. The fundraising angle is uncomplicated. Every Tuesday evening, diners order from a special tapas or full dinner menu and have the pleasure of knowing that 30% of their paid bill, minus tax and gratuity, will go to the charity featured for the evening.

Among the charities that have participated in Sparkle for A Cause include Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester, The Child Abuse Prevention Center, Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson, Hope’s Door, Make A Wish of the Hudson Valley, Mount Kisco Child Care Center and the SPCA of Westchester, among others.

As with many great achievements, Sparkle for a Cause began small. In fact, according to John Crabtree, the owner of Crabtree’s Kittle House, it began “on a whim.” It seems that John’s sister Amie Crabtree and Grace Bennett, Inside Chappaqua magazine’s very own enterprising publisher, were discussing various ways to help local charities.

Even though the name Sparkle for a Cause is not necessarily original–there is even an online book company by the same name that publishes personalized children’s books which support “educating our youth through literacy” and in some places in the country, there have been charity events by the same name–the Crabtree’s Kittle House garden variety of Sparkle for a Cause clearly grew out of that inspired discussion between Amy Crabtree and Grace Bennett.

As soon as John Crabtree heard about the idea, he immediately offered to sponsor it, insisting it be held in Amy’s Garden, the outdoor area named in honor of his beloved wife, Amy, who had died from cancer a couple of years before. Located near the restaurant’s Tap Room, the garden is the fulfillment of a dream Amy had, but never lived to enjoy.

Many of Amy’s friends, who have planted flowers and flowering bushes in the garden, also participate in Team Amy, short for the Amy Marie Crabtree Foundation [a 501c (3) charity that the Crabtree family operates] in remembrance of their dear friend. During her life, Amy had helped several charities, including those associated with children, battered women, the homeless, and animals.

Little wonder that many of the Sparkle for a Cause charities reflect the same categories that used to move Amy Crabtree’s generous heart. In celebration of Amy’s birthday on August 2, 2011, Team Amy held a special fundraiser that raised more than $24,000 for four charities: Hope’s Door, Make A Wish, Have a Chance against Brain Tumors, and the SPCA. This past Aug-
ust 2, four charities were also featured.

While the formula behind Sparkle for a Cause seems fairly simple, the weekly events have not grown out of spontaneous generation. “Each event is carefully planned,” said Amie Crabtree, who, along with her sister, Rita, contacts the charities and reminds them to promote their special evening through emails and social media. The sisters create the special tapas menu and are on hand to keep each Tuesday event running smoothly.

“Another important last step is reminding the charities to set up a display table with literature, posters and so forth,” said Amie, who also schedules the live musicians that add an extra touch to the party atmosphere.

During the recent Sparkle for a Cause event on August 28, the Child Abuse Center of Westchester set up a literature table and conducted a raffle with an array of prizes.  Attendees included committed charity supporters, the CEO and the Treasurer of the charity, and casual diners who “just happened” to learn about the Sparkle event.  Either way, “a happy time” was had by all.

So, is Sparkle for a Cause worth the effort?  “Absolutely!” said Amie, who can’t wait until next summer to see how much the restaurant can help local charities. And big brother, John, concurs.

Vicki de Vries is a freelance writer/editor and educator who loves the definition of sparkle–“giving off or reflecting flashes of light” and “to be brilliant in performance,” qualities that aptly describe Westchester’s own Sparkle for a Cause at Crabtree’s Kittle House Restaurant and Inn.