fundraising

The Generosity of Our Local Businesses

September 1, 2015 by The Inside Press

Enjoying the Chappaqua School Foundation Fundraiser: (L-R) David and Jenifer Gefsky, Bill Wachtell, Annie Zabar, Fran Flamino and Rachel Rader

By Madeline Finesmith

Residents of New Castle cannot fail to notice the philanthropic spirit that thrives here. All you have to do is drive through the town of Chappaqua on a typical day and you will see banners across Greeley, signs in stores, or postings on Instagram or Facebook about the current fundraising activities. Have you ever focused upon how much of that fundraising involves the generosity and involvement of our local business community?

Our businesses support our causes in ways big and small, some going to extraordinary lengths to help us make good things happen. Evan’s Team receives not just in-kind donations of signage, but also organizational services for the information that needs to be collected from its sponsors.

Robert Fuhrer, an Evan’s Team Board member, says that when a large fundraising effort is held, people only see the finished product. However there is a lot of organizational work that goes into it, and our businesses help us with that work. It is those incredible types of intangible services that no one knows about, that truly demonstrate the philanthropic nature of our business community.

Some of our largest community events simply could not happen without the support of our business community. The Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival, now in its third year, is a prime example of that. Chappaqua’s businesses provide a majority of the outright cash funding needed to rent the tents, tables and other costs of the festival. Publicity services help draw in thousands of attendees. The stores hold pre-festival events to raise awareness and excitement for the festival. There is now even a permanent mural on the side of a downtown building!

Our businesses have made a huge impact on our children’s education through their support of the Chappaqua School Foundation.

Started in 2011 in a difficult economic environment, CSF’s Spring Madness Program involves both a discount program and silent auction. Hundreds of businesses now participate, directly resulting in grants for educational innovation. David Gefsky, President of CSF, says that the community at large should be aware of the enormous gratitude and appreciation that is owed to our local businesses for their ongoing support.

Their participation helps the CSF to help channel the communities’ generosity into our schools.

Our businesses team up with us to help raise money for our causes. Restaurants allow us to use their facilities at little or no profit to themselves, sometimes setting aside whole areas of their property for weekly events. Stores host events to raise money for specific local organizations.

Sometimes they even come to the charities to suggest events, not the other way around. Sometimes the stores make things happen by strategizing with an organization how to hold their event. The organization, publicity and funding for these events are all time consuming tasks that require serious effort on the part of our businesses.

There are many other examples of how our business community gets involved with our causes. The point is, we are in a symbiotic relationship. They need our patronage, and we rely on their support to help make our community a vibrant and meaningful place to live.

But what is clear is that as a whole, our business community has become our partner in philanthropy. They not only give materially, but also have also become involved on a deeper level by making our causes their own.

Madeline Finesmith lives with her husband, son and two cats in Chappaqua where she has been a resident for 13 years. With a background in tax consulting, Madeline currently serves as the Chair of the Bell Middle School PTA and the Assistant Executive Director of the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival.

Fare Walk for Food Allergies Comes to Westchester

August 17, 2015 by Inside Press

15 Million Americans with Food Allergies = 15 Million Reasons to Walk

The FARE Walk for Food Allergy, presented by Mylan Specialty L.P., raises critical funds and awareness each year to support Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) in its mission to improve the quality of life and the health of individuals with food allergies, and to provide them hope through the promise of new treatments.

Join FARE and the food allergy community in Westchester to raise critical funds for and awareness about this growing public health issue. The FARE Walk for Food Allergy in Westchester will be held Saturday, October 10th at Glen Island Park in New Rochelle at 1pm.

This year, tens of thousands of people will gather at walks in nearly 60 communities nationwide to support their loved ones, friends, co-workers and neighbors living with life-threatening food allergies. The FARE Walk for Food Allergy offers fun activities for the entire family while helping to advance food allergy research, education, advocacy and awareness initiatives.

“Fifteen million people in the United States are living with food allergy, a life-altering and potentially life-threatening disease,” said Donna McKelvey, senior vice president and chief development officer at FARE. “It is for each of these individuals and their families that we work to find life-changing treatments, educate, advocate – and of course, walk. Every step we take and every dollar raised brings us closer to the day when we say FAREwell to food allergies.”

Sandi Kornblum, a Westchester resident and parent of a child with food allergies, is Westchester’s Walk Chair. She shares, “I am very excited about the 6th annual food allergy walk in Westchester. We are working diligently and planning a spectacular family day with fun-filled activities for the kids. Please fundraise and register to attend on October10th to help spread awareness as we walk together towards progress and growth in the research and education of food allergies.”

The 2013 and 2014 FARE Walk for Food Allergy programs raised over $3 million each. Participants can sign up to walk individually or as part of a team. For more information, or to register or volunteer, visit www.foodallergywalk.org/westchester2015. Sponsorship opportunities remain available, enabling businesses to show their support for families who are managing food allergies.

ABOUT FARE
Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) works on behalf of the 15 million Americans with food allergies, including all those at risk for life-threatening anaphylaxis. This potentially deadly disease affects 1 in every 13 children in the U.S. – or roughly two in every classroom. FARE’s mission is to improve the quality of life and the health of individuals with food allergies, and to provide them hope through the promise of new treatments. Our work is organized around three core tenets: LIFE – support the ability of individuals with food allergies to live safe, productive lives with the respect of others through our education and advocacy initiatives; HEALTH – enhance the healthcare access of individuals with food allergies to state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment; and HOPE – encourage and fund research in both industry and academia that promises new therapies to improve the allergic condition. For more information, please visit www.foodallergy.org and find us on Twitter @FoodAllergy, Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest.

The information presented here was via a Press Release from The FARE Walk for Food Allergy.

315 Supporters Laced Up to Run Miles for Miles

June 2, 2015 by The Inside Press

Team Daniel Runs for Recovery from Mental Illness
By Janine Crowley Haynes

The Laitman family with marathon great, Bill Rodgers & Shari Applebaum, Miles Applebaum's mother (From left) Abbey Laitman, Hannah Laitman, Rachel Laitman, Rob Laitman, Bill Rodgers, Shari Applebaum, Daniel Laitman, Ann Laitman — The Laitman family with marathon great, Bill Rodgers & Shari Applebaum, Miles Applebaum’s mother (From left) Abbey Laitman, Hannah Laitman, Rachel Laitman, Rob Laitman, Bill Rodgers, Shari Applebaum, Daniel Laitman, Ann Laitman

Last Sunday in Armonk, nonprofit organization, Team Daniel, held a 5K fundraising event, Miles for Miles, at Byram Hills High School in memory of Miles Applebaum, 21, who was lost to suicide last October. The high school was a fitting venue. “There’s no better place to hold an event in memory of my son,” says Shari Applebaum. Miles Applebaum attended Byram Hills High School and was a cross-country runner who ran the course behind the high school many times over. When approached with the idea of holding the event at the high school, Principal Chris Borsari quickly mobilized support from the Student Wellness Advisory Committee (SWAC), teachers, students, community volunteers, friends, and family. “Everyone came out to make a difference,” says Shari Applebaum who is truly grateful for the overwhelming love and support from the Armonk and surrounding communities.

Bill Rodgers signs copies of his book, Marathon Man

Dr. Rob Laitman, Bedford resident and co-founder of Team Daniel, opened with introductions. Tables were set up for mental health representatives from NAMI of Westchester, Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.* Singers Bianca and Jacqueline Muniz sang an emotional rendition of Hallelujah. Bianca Muniz and Miles Applebaum met at Lagond Music School and quickly became close friends. Lagond’s band, County All Stars, played for the close to 400 supporters in attendance, with 315 of them lacing up to hit the cross-country trail as well as the track. Running alongside them was four-time winner of the Boston and New York City marathons, Bill Rodgers, who later signed copies of his book, Marathon Man, for his enthusiastic fans. In his 40 years of running, Rodgers participated in approximately 1,500 races–all for different causes. Rodgers noted, however, Miles for Miles was his first run for mental health.

Daniel Laitman of Team Daniel (on left) runs regularly as part of his mental health regimen after being diagnosed with schizophrenia. — Daniel Laitman of Team Daniel (on left) runs regularly
as part of his mental health regimen after being
diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Given that Dr. Laitman is a runner as well and has run in 68 marathons, it’s no surprise his fundraising events focus on running. He likens the cross-country terrain at Byram Hills High School with its sometimes rocky twists and turns to the long, rough road back to recovery from mental illness. “It’s hard, but you can’t give up. You have to run the course. You have to do the work,” says Dr. Laitman. Raising awareness to help dismantle the stigma surrounding mental health issues is an important undertaking for the Laitman family. Their son, Daniel Laitman, was diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 15. Over the years, the family has raised between $150,000 to $200,000 for various mental health organizations. In 2014, Rob and Ann Laitman officially formed their nonprofit organization, Team Daniel Running for Recovery from Mental Illness, and have held four 5Ks, including Miles for Miles where they raised $17,000. “We have a long way to go to reach our goals, but slow and steady wins the race,” says Ann Laitman.

After the long battle to stabilize their son on the right medication, it became abundantly clear to the Laitmans that their main goals were for “Daniel to have a robust recovery and lead a full life.” No doubt, the Laitmans have realized their goals. Daniel Laitman, now 24, recently graduated from SUNY Purchase with a 3.41 GPA. He majored in screenwriting and playwriting and is currently pursuing his passion for stand-up comedy. “Robust recovery should be the norm, not the exception, for those struggling with mental health challenges,” states Rob Laitman.

It’s interesting to note that Ann Laitman is a general internist and Rob Laitman is a general internist, nephrologist, and gerontologist, but after their son developed schizophrenia, Rob Laitman read voraciously and has expanded his medical practice to include psychiatric internal medicine. Over the past six years, Rob Laitman has become expert in the medical management of clozapine. On their website, Rob Laitman writes passionately about seeing the person/patient as a whole, even when it comes to mental health challenges. The Laitmans found that along with internal medicine, integrating behavioral health (regular exercise, healthy diet, etc.) was an important component that factored into their son’s mental health equation. To read more about the Laitmans and Team Daniel, please visit their website, teamdanielrunningforrecovery.org.

Janine Crowley Haynes of Chappaqua is a freelance writer & author of My Kind of Crazy: Living in a Bipolar World.

* Mental health organizations present at Miles for Miles:

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention www.afsp.org, AFSP funds research, creates educational programs, advocates for public policy, and support survivors of suicide loss.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK (8255)) suicidepreventionlifeline.org provides free, confidential support to individuals and/or family members in crisis or emotional distress. Lifeline provides a list of warning signs for someone at risk for suicide. However, if somone is in immediate danger of attempting suicide, call 911.

NAMI of Westchester namiwestchester.org, whose latest mental health initiative involves setting up programs in middle schools and high schools throughout Westchester County.

Brain & Behavior Research Foundation bbrfoundation.org raises funds for research and awards grants to leading scientists around the world. 100 percent of funds raised for research are invested in grants leading to advances and breakthoughs in brain and behavior research.

Armonk Resident Joins fifth Annual Lustgarten Foundation NYC Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk

April 17, 2015 by The Inside Press

Armonk resident Debbie Heidecorn to join annual walk on Sunday April 26th to raise awareness and funds for the Lustgarten Foundation funding pancreatic cancer research.

Armonk resident Debbie Heidecorn will join fellow New York and tri-state area residents in honor of her father by participating in The Lustgarten Foundation’s fifth annual New York City Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk. The walk will be held on Sunday, April 26, at Pier 84 in Manhattan’s Hudson River Park.

The Lustgarten Foundation is the nation’s largest private foundation dedicated to funding pancreatic cancer research. Due to Cablevision’s support of The Lustgarten Foundation, 100 percent of every dollar that Debbie and her fellow walkers raise will go directly to pancreatic cancer research.

In 2007, Debbie and her family were shocked to discover that her 84-year-old father Sidney had pancreatic cancer. A routine scan for his heart condition had revealed a shadow on his pancreas. Despite being caught at the earliest stages, they struggled to find a doctor willing to treat his condition due to his age, but eventually a successful pancreatectomy gave her father eight more years of life. To celebrate, Debbie wanted to find a way to give back, and once she found out about The Lustgarten Foundation’s New York City Walk in 2013, she immediately joined with her family as Team “Big Sid.” Sadly, her father passed away in October 2014. But Debbie and her family are passionate about returning to the walk this year to help advance research for an early detection test.

Debbie believes that participating in the walk is an uplifting way to honor her father’s memory. And for Debbie, it is also fulfilling to know that 100 percent of all money she raises goes directly to pancreatic cancer research.

“Debbie’s incredible determination is shared by the many participants who join with the Foundation to walk each year in support of raising awareness and funding for pancreatic cancer research,” said Lustgarten Foundation Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer Kerri Kaplan. “We’re all walking together in the spirit of unity and hope that with more research, we will find a cure.”

The Lustgarten Foundation’s New York City Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk at Pier 84 in Manhattan’s Hudson River Park (between 43th & 44th Street and the West Side Highway) will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 26, with registration starting at 8:00 a.m. For more information about the walk and to register, please visit www.curePC.org.

About Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is swift and silent, often undetected until it’s too late. The overall five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is seven percent and most with advanced cancer die within a year. There are no early detection tests, no effective long-term treatments and, unless the cancer is surgically removed in its earliest stages, no cure. It is the fourth-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. For more information about pancreatic cancer, please visit: www.curepc.org/infographic.

About The Lustgarten Foundation

The Lustgarten Foundation is America’s largest private foundation dedicated to funding pancreatic cancer research. Based in Bethpage, New York, the Foundation supports research to find a cure for pancreatic cancer, facilitates dialogue within the medical and scientific community, and educates the public about the disease through awareness campaigns and fundraising events. The Foundation has provided millions of research dollars and assembled the best scientific minds with the hope that one day, a cure can be found. Due to the support of Cablevision Systems Corporation, a leading media and telecommunications company, 100 percent of every dollar donated to the Foundation goes directly to pancreatic cancer research. The Lustgarten Foundation and Cablevision are also partners in the curePC public awareness campaign in support of the fight against pancreatic cancer.For additional information, please visit www.curePC.org.

20 Years of Supporting our Schools: 20th Annual Benefit

March 7, 2014 by The Inside Press

Come and support public education in Chappaqua at the Chappaqua School Foundation’s 20th Annual Spring Benefit  at Trump National Golf Club in Briarcliff Manor on Friday April 25 at 7 p.m. Join your friends and neighbors for a casual evening (yes- you can wear jeans!) featuring a fabulous and informative showcase of grants in action presented by students and faculty, extensive silent auction, raffle, great food and great company. As an added bonus, your Benefit ticket purchase also provides you with an all-access pass to Spring Madness–more than a month of discounts and special offers from a large number of participating local merchants.

The annual Spring Benefit is CSF’s biggest fundraiser. Bring your friends and be part of a special evening in support of our schools.

About CSF

The Chappaqua School Foundation was founded 20 years ago with a simple mission: to enhance the education of Chappaqua’s students by funding meaningful initiatives beyond the scope of the school budget. Since that time, CSF has funded over 200 grants providing nearly $2 million in resources to support innovative programs spanning all curricular areas and all grade levels in all six schools. CSF continues to build a strong partnership with our school district to ensure that there are exciting possibilities for long-term innovation and improvement in teaching and learning, while also allowing our District to maintain its foundation of academic excellence. This collaboration between our school district and CSF fosters innovative projects, such as the iLab, that might not be possible elsewhere without such strong community support. CSF also remains committed to working with teachers with creative educational ideas by funding learning programs that engage our students while increasing their potential for intellectual curiosity and academic excellence and which impact your children’s learning every day.

CSF’s fundraising efforts make it possible for Chappaqua schools to continue to undertake innovative programming and to pilot new teaching tools and methods in classrooms despite the financial pressures impacting our school budget. As our District continues to wrestle with hard decisions necessitated by challenging financial times, our community needs to ensure that our schools and our students have access to cutting edge learning technology and educational innovation. Now more than ever, CSF and the continued generosity of our community are critical to maintaining the quality of education our Chappaqua students deserve.

For a comprehensive list of CSF grants to the schools  and more information about the Spring Benefit and  Spring Madness, please visit the CSF website at  www.chappaquaschoolfoundation.org.