donations

Hillary Clinton’s Call for Donations to Help Families at the Border

June 19, 2018 by Inside Press

Calls Border Abuse “Horrific” and States Sessions’ Biblical Reference “Contrary to Everything I was Every Taught”

Via Onward Together, Secretary Hillary Clinton sent the following urgent message this morning:

“What’s happening to families at the border right now is horrific: Nursing infants ripped away from their mothers. Parents told their toddlers are being taken to bathe or play, only to realize hours later that they aren’t coming back. Children incarcerated in warehouses and, according to more than one account, kept in cages. This is a moral and humanitarian crisis. Everyone of us who has ever held a child in their arms, and every human being with a sense of compassion and decency should be outraged.

Even as I warned this could happen on the campaign trail–that Trump’s immigration policies would result in families being separated, parents being sent away from their children, people rounded up on trains and buses–I hoped it would never come to be. But now, as we watch with broken hearts, that’s exactly what’s happening.

We can be heartbroken, but we shouldn’t be hopeless. There’s something you can do to help.

Today, I’m asking you to take a stand on behalf of immigrant families by making a direct donation to the groups working to protect kids separated from their families by ICE.

The test of any nation is how we treat the most vulnerable among us. First Lady Laura Bush made that case eloquently in the Washington Post this weekend, writing: “This zero-tolerance policy is cruel. It is immoral. And it breaks my heart.” She’s absolutely right. We should be a better country than one that tears families apart, turns a blind eye to women fleeing domestic violence, and treats frightened children as a means to a political end.

Meanwhile, Jeff Sessions is trying to use the Bible to justify this cruelty. Let me say this: I went to a lot of years of Sunday school and even taught it from time to time, and what is being done using the name of religion is contrary to everything I was ever taught.

I still believe in the vision we share for our country, and I won’t let scared children become victims of partisan politics. Alongside the organizations that Onward Together partners with, we can and will elect politicians and enact legislation to protect the most vulnerable among us — but first, we have to address the urgent needs of families at the center of this crisis.

Make a contribution today, and your donation will go directly to the groups doing this work right now:

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/families-border?refcode=email&utm_medium=email&utm_source=onward&utm_content=3+-+Donate+now&utm_campaign=20180618_hrc_full&source=20180618_hrc_full

A Fond “Look Back” at the Westchester Christmas Dinner

January 29, 2014 by The Inside Press

Volunteers come from all over Westchester County.

By Anna Bennett

When we are caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it can be easy to forget that not everyone has the resources to purchase gifts for multiple family members or to gather all the ingredients needed to prepare a hot, festive meal for the day. Such “givens” are so easily taken for granted. So it was heartening and enlightening to learn about and actually witness the “Westchester Christmas Dinner.”

This past Christmas day, as has been the tradition for 20 years, over 300 of our neighbors in need arrived via pre-arranged transportation to a welcoming St. Mary’s Parish in Katonah, to relax and enjoy a truly unique community-wide event. One of the event coordinators Licia Sandberg, said, “One of the main reasons I’m here is to teach my two sons what it means to give back.”

With team captains covering every aspect of the event from clothing and toy donations to volunteer coordination, this was a Christmas Dinner that had heart. Along with a delicious buffet meal, the venue was filled with entertainment, including DJ’s and various stations, like a “Rainbow Loom” activity for children, and a room filled with elves diligently wrapping gifts.

A colossal effort is needed to stage such an enormous production; the event requires hundreds of volunteers and hefty donations from both individuals and merchants. Perhaps one of the most charitable, intimate features of the dinner is that of gifting. Prior to the dinner, volunteer “elves” are designated a table, and take individual gift orders from the guests. After taking information about the guests’ needs, the elves proceed to a gift-wrapping room, where they select the best-fit presents. Adults are given assorted clothing items, and children are given both clothing and toys and other kinds of gifts. Thus, needy children can receive more than the bare minimum for survival, as would a more fortunate child.

The Blumenfelds of Chappaqua have made volunteering at this event an annual family tradition.

The Blumenfeld family of Chappaqua was among the elves at work: “This is our sixth year volunteering,” said Susan Blumenfeld. “Ever since our first time, we decided that Christmas would be a day of giving back. It’s very rewarding.” Like the Blumenfelds, many families return year after year for that humbling and life affirming effect of giving back to those considerably less well off. As one might expect in its 20th year running, the event ran smoothly and radiant smiles were painted across the faces of hundreds of guests and volunteers alike.

According to multiple volunteers, Chappaqua’s Dawn Greenberg (owner of Aurora boutique) was to be commended for her valuable contributions and outstanding performance collecting food from an array of restaurants, not to mention her personal last-minute shopping for extra clothing. Stated Dawn: “Crabtree’s Kittle House and Quaker Hill always give tremendous amounts of stuffing and sweet potatoes. Le Jardin du Roi and Susan Lawrence were new this year and equally generous. Altogether, we had food contributions from 70 restaurants in northern Westchester. Many thanks to all the callers and drivers who joined us from Chappaqua this year. And to folks who donated gifts and dollars for new clothing.”

Hope Mazzola, the joyful, hard-working “head elf,” confirmed that following the completion of this year’s dinner, planning for the next dinner will soon be underway. If you would like to get involved (or even just donate), the event’s website, westchesterchristmas.org, describes the many opportunities available and provides all of the information you might need.

A mom and her three boys enjoying the Westchester Christmas Dinner festivities — A mom and her three boys enjoying the Westchester
Christmas Dinner festivities

Anna Bennett, a long time contributor to Inside Chappaqua Magazine, is graduating in May from University of Massachusets in Amherst. She is also job hunting for a position maximizing her considerable writing, communications and social media skills. Write to her at annabennett13@gmail.com.

Westchester Mothers Host a “26 Acts of Kindness” Dinner

January 5, 2013 by The Inside Press

On Wednesday, December 19, Benjamin Steakhouse Westchester and Westchester Blogger StacyKnows hosted the #26 Acts of Kindness Dinner to commemorate the lives lost at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Stacy Geisinger of StacyKnows.com invited 26 Westchester Mothers to a vigil and candle lighting ceremony held at Benjamin Steakhouse. Each of the 26 female attendees wrote down an act of kindness they were dedicated to and read them aloud during the vigil.

The dinner was inspired by Reporter Ann Curry’s social media campaign #26Acts. Ann Curry recently tweeted, “Imagine if all of us committed to 20 mitzvahs/acts of kindness to honor each child lost in Newtown. I’m in. If you are RT #20Acts.”

“I wanted to bring the #26Acts Social Media Campaign to life that Ann Curry started on Twitter,” said event organizer Kris Ruby of Ruby Media Group.

“I am thankful that we could come together as women and as mothers to commemorate such a terrible loss. When I heard about Ann Curry’s social media campaign #26 Acts of Kindness, I knew this was a great opportunity to pay it forward and keep the campaign moving to help others and raise money for the victims,” said blogger Stacy Geisinger.

Benjamin Steakhouse Westchester donated 26 meals to the family members of the victims lost. All proceeds from the evening were donated to The Sandy Hook School Support Fund. $1,828 was raised in donations for The Sandy Hook School Support Fund at the dinner. The donations were presented to honorary guest Robert Merola, Legislative Council Member of Newtown, CT.

“Our sympathies go out to the victims families and the entire Newtown community,” said Benjamin Steakhouse owner Benjamin Sinanaj.

stacyknows — On Wednesday, December 19, 2012, Benjamin Steakhouse Westchester and Westchester Blogger StacyKnows hosted the #26 Acts of Kindness Dinner to commemorate the Sandy Hook Elementary School Tragedy. News correspondent Ann Curry joins #26 Acts of Kindness Vigil at Benjamin Steakhouse.

How Donated Computers Created Bloggers with a Cause!

December 4, 2012 by The Inside Press

mateo012 — MKCCC Bloggers at their Desks: Mateo Ojeda (front) and Stephen Mains.

By Rich Monetti

Through the generosity of a local individual, the Mt. Kisco Childcare After School Program found itself the recipient of five new PCs. As the computers appeared, excitement emerged among students and staff. But as the tech was tweaking us toward operation, anxiety replaced my excitement as a teacher at the center. How where we going to put these to good use?

Duh, you’re a writer Rich, they have something called blogs that makes everybody a journalist now. But who really wants to write unless you’re getting paid.

People who call themselves bloggers, I guess. I didn’t want to set that precedent with my kids. I decided, we’re going to generate some cash. (MKCCC a nonprofit, we’d follow suit and donate the proceeds).

Before getting into the business model, let’s begin with content. I see a soccer game breakout in the backyard or one of our Feed me Fresh cooking projects begins, I hand somebody the camera. If the lucky child happens to be an older, she must blog a story to the photo.

So if you ask 4th grader Kiduce Daniel, who drew the first assignment with his friend Stephen Mains to report on the shiney tomatoes grown in our garden, he’s perfectly honest on what he likes most about the PCs.

“Playing all the computer games,” he says.

Why not and are we any different when it comes to work and play?

“You want to play, you got to pay. Do a story and the games are yours,” I tell them.

Hmm. I need to get better at this inspiration thing, and bringing them the jar with 64 cents accumulated ain’t quite it either.

Stephen’s Mom Kris isn’t so worried about that as MKCCC’s kids can be just as mum about their days as any others. “I’m excited to get the latest because it gives me a snapshot of what my kids are doing that day,” she says. The center’s director of curriculum concurs and goes that one better. “It’s a great way for parents to see that the things that go on here go beyond this just being a place to keep their kids busy,” says Dawn Meyerski.

And maybe a little in print publicity produces enough inspiration that the bloggers ask for the camera rather than the keys to the click that begins their games. “Any encouragement is good, because it feels good to be recognized,” says Meyerski.

Why not, are they any different than us? I don’t know, maybe they will be.

By clicking the link at the end of each blog entry, a page view is recorded for that specific article on my Associated Content dashboard. This amounts to .16 cents per click. and once reaching $25 dollars, the money will be lent to a micro-financing organization called Kiva.org. (See September 18th entry of Blog C).

The kids would love to receive feedback on their work. For more info, write to: mkcccbloggers@aol.com

Blogs:

http://mkcccpresskiva.blogspot.com/

http://mkcccpresskivab.blogspot.com/

http://mkccckivac.blogspot.com/