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‘Ready, Willing and Able’ and Branching Out at the Sheptin Tutoring Group

May 31, 2019 by The Inside Press

Many of you know me and my company as academic support and test prep experts. I can say that my team is the best in Northern Westchester, bar none. From the Regents to SATs to ACTs to APs, we are ready, willing and able. And, as I write this article, I am planning an SAT program for students in the United Kingdom and opening registration for our well-received finals program for Greeley students.

In my practice, I wear two hats. Yes, Math is my superpower: Mrs. Goldberg, my 7th grade math teacher who recognized this talent, would be proud. But did you know that I have visited over 120 universities and colleges both in the United States and abroad? I am a professional member of the IECA, the premier qualifying organization whose members ethically guide students through all aspects of college planning. Our expertise is peerless. I am proud to be a card-carrying member. Mid-May will bring me to Chicago, where I will visit three schools and attend an annual IECA conference. After the frenetic first three weeks of June, I intend to visit five colleges in the Boston area.

After a tutoring session, the conversation often turns to college. Kids tell me schools they’ve recently visited and I try to offer some other interesting ideas. Too many of our students only consider a handful of schools that just do not have the bandwidth to accept everyone from our local schools. In my travels, I have encountered gems that are academically just as engaging and will provide unparalleled opportunities. Do a little digging or hire someone like me to do the legwork and you will be rewarded.

Since I have seen universities abroad (ask me about Uppsala University or the University of Bristol!) I’ve been asking my students and their families to put European universities on their list. Most European degrees programs are three years in duration –and some are free of charge–even to Americans! And classes are conducted entirely in English!

To wit: a three-year Bachelors Degree at the University of Amsterdam will set you back 30,000 Euros (for all three years!). You can’t even get that inexpensive an education at a SUNY.

While a full international education may not be an option for everyone, think about the advantages of an it, cost aside. Immersing your student in an entirely different culture, especially in our intertwined global economy, shows employers that a student can be independent, open and willing to take calculated risks. In most countries, international students with a student visa can work during the academic year and into the summer. It would make your child unique!

Perhaps the rah-rah of the Saturday football game is not available abroad, and Greek life is not a “thing.” However, every university I have ever visited has robust Student Unions, replete with societies (clubs) for everything imaginable under the sun. From Harry Potter Societies, to Jewish Societies, to Rowing Societies, you can find them all abroad.

So, if you see me, let’s talk about college. Whether you want to explore programs here in the US or abroad, to quote Frances McDormand, “I have something to say.”

Sheptin Tutoring Group, LLC

914-232-3743

alan@sheptin.com

Chappaqua: 175 King St., Chappaqua, NY

Manhattan: 157 E. 86 street, New York, NY

The Ossining Children’s Center: A Rich History of Celebrating Women

May 31, 2019 by The Inside Press

BY HOWARD MILBERT

Ossining Children’s Center has a keen eye on the future, but they are also celebrating their rich history–a history of women’s empowerment. The Ossining Children’s Center was founded by the women’s association of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in 1895 as the Christ Child Day Nursery and Bethany Home. At that time, Ossining was home to many widowed immigrant women who wanted to work to support their families, but “day care” did not exist.

The story of Ossining Children’s Center began nearly 120 years ago as a response to the needs of working immigrant mothers. It is now a crucial resource for all families, providing nurturing and educational care for children 6 weeks to 12 years old. Through the years, the community has generously supported our mission to keep high quality childcare affordable for working families.

We’ve aimed to support women of every socioeconomic status since our inception an we know that families and mothers have to make difficult choices regarding their careers and we do our best to provide an inclusive environment for all women.

OCC’s Fearless Females & Female Supporters

Edith Baker played a leadership role over the course of 60 years of involvement with OCC, in seeing the Center through difficult times and running pivotal projects in the Center’s history. She served as board president four different times. In 1948, Edith Baker was among the Board members who believed strongly that the childcare program was an important service to the community. Edith, herself, was a working mother and had served as treasurer of her father’s company for many years. When the existence of the child care program was threatened, Edith spearheaded the “Sponsoring Committee” which took over responsibility for running the child care center. A special campaign raised the needed funds, the Board of Education gave the use of space in Park School, and the Ossining Children’s Center was incorporated as a separate entity. Although Edith passed away in 2004, her legacy lives on.

Jessica Yanqui-Zhinin found herself pregnant at 17. She wanted to finish high school and to go college. When she was accepted to SUNY Binghamton, she did not anticipate she would be able to attend, but Jessica didn’t want to be another statistic. Fortunately, she found the Ossining Children’s Center. At OCC, she not only found a village but an extended family. When Jessica dropped her daughter Nube off in morning, she knew Nube was in loving hands. The caring teachers gave Jessica constant support helping with everything. The office door was always open offering more shoulders to lean on. Ossining Children’s Center gave Jessica the stability and support to earn dual masters’ degrees. She is now a teacher at Ossining High School.

Left to right at OCC to kick off the capital campaign: Assemblywoman Sandy Galef; OCC Executive Director Howard Milbert; OCC Board Member and Campaign Co-Chair Marilyn Wishnie; OCC Board Member Vanessa Pairis; Westchester County Executive George Latimer; and Capital Campaign Committee Member Richard Wishnie

The Future is Female

Child care is a vital factor in a woman’s ability to be a productive worker, and thereby being able to improve her family’s economic security. For more than 50 years, the Ossining Children’s Center (OCC) has been in the forefront of advocacy for public funding for child care.

Thanks to advocacy by Ossining Children’s Center families who spoke at the Northern Westchester 2019 Budget Hearing, Westchester County recently re-opened the “Title XX” Child Care Subsidy Program, which had been closed to new applicants since 2016. Title XX makes child care subsidies available to families who make slightly more than the income ceiling* for the Low-Income Child-Care Subsidy Program.

Currently, two Ossining families have applied for Title XX child care subsidies from the Westchester County Department of Social Services to help them to keep their children enrolled at OCC.

Last month, we announced a $17.8 million capital campaign to build a new child care and education center at 32 State Street. The Center, which has raise $12.8 million to date, is seeking support from the community to reach their campaign goal. This facility will serve an additional 50 children and bring all of the OCC’s programming to one central location. Over 75 of OCC’s Children participated in the choreographed dance in front of a large banner featuring a rendering of the new space. It’s a privilege to work in a town that truly values children and families. If you’d like to learn more about the programs and services offered by the Ossining Children’s Center, visit www.ossiningchildrenscenter.org

Dancing for Child Care!

More than 75 children from the Ossining Children’s Center (OCC) joined together on April 24 in a choreographed dance to kick off OCC’s capital campaign to build a new child care and education center.

The festive and exciting kickoff event, which was held at OCC’s current location at 90 South Highland Avenue, was attended by local, county and state officials including Westchester County Executive George Latimer, NYS Assemblywoman Sandy Galef, Ossining Town Supervisor Dana Levenberg, Ossining Village Mayor Victoria Gearity and friends and supporters of the Ossining Children’s Center.

The campaign, which is titled Our Children. Our Future. The Ossining Children’s Center Campaign, is seeking to raise $17.8 million. To date, OCC has raised approximately $12.9 million. Groundbreaking for the new facility is scheduled for later this spring.

“It is a privilege to work in a town that truly values children and families,” said Howard Milbert, Executive Director, Ossining Children’s Center.

“It is so exciting that the children and teachers will have a facility worthy of the high-quality work of the Center,” said Campaign Co-Chair Rebecca Samberg.

“This new child care and education center will be a game changer for the entire community,” said Campaign Co-Chair Marilyn Wishnie.

Last August, OCC unveiled plans for the construction of a new 27,000-square-foot building that will enable it to consolidate its programs under one roof. Centrally located in downtown at 32 State Street, the new center will replace operations currently housed at two 120-year-old buildings OCC owns on South Highland Avenue, as well as space it rents at a nearby church.

The new 2.5-acre site at 32 State Street was acquired for $1.8 million and donated to OCC by a long-time generous benefactor. An existing building on the site has been removed. The new building will house all of OCC’s current programs while meeting the growing need for infant, toddler, preschool and after-school care in Ossining. The projected enrollment for the new facility is 200-222 children. OCC’s current enrollment is 148.

Designed by KG&D Architects of Mount Kisco, the attractive three-story building will include nine classrooms, five toddler and infant rooms, four outdoor play areas, staff and administrative offices, a multi-purpose room, conference room and kitchen. There will be 22 on-site parking spaces for parents, staff and visitors. Additional parking will be secured at a nearby off-site location.

The new facility will make childcare available to all income levels helping parents to maintain steady employment. Having the facility downtown will help anchor the State Street neighborhood, bring increased economic activity, and create job opportunities.

A new modern facility will also attract more families from a wide variety of income levels, allowing children from throughout the community to grow together, and enabling OCC to serve more families in need. For more information about the programs and services offered by the Ossining Children’s Center, visit www.ossiningchildrenscenter.org

*Income ceiling for families seeking a “Low Income” child care subsidy: $50,200 for a family of four. Income ceiling for Title XX: $55,475 for a family of four.

Howard Milbert, Executive Director of the Ossining Children’s Center, has spent his career advocating for children and parents, especially low-income working parents who are striving to improve their families’ economic situation. He is known throughout New York State as a public policy expert on and advocate for high quality child care.

Local Residents Help with the Refugee Crisis & Resettlement Needs

April 18, 2019 by Anna Young

Four years ago, a photo of a Syrian boy’s lifeless body washed up along the Turkish shore went viral and enlightened so many to the plight refugees succumb just to have freedom, peace and safety.

The three-year-old boy, who was one of 12 Syrians who drowned in the Mediterranean Sea attempting to reach the Greek Island of Kos, encapsulated the determination and desperation refugees experience trying to escape the horror and danger they were born into.

That photo served as a catalyst for several residents and organizations throughout Westchester County to work together to support refugees overseas and aid in integrating and assimilating them as they sought refuge in the United States.

Armonk resident Jackie Tarascio said she was shocked by the image and felt an urgency to help refugees in anyway.

“When I saw it, I just felt like I had to do something. It was an awful image of these refugees seeking freedom,” Tarascio said. “It’s easy to go to dinner with your friends and have a day-to-day life, and then you become aware of what’s going on and you feel guilty for spending $5 on coffee, having a home, wearing a jacket or travelling through a border. These people can’t even cross a border to get to safety.”

Wanting to help those in need, Tarascio searched through social media for groups devoted to connecting refugees and volunteers, eventually joining several private groups on Facebook that serve both local families and those overseas. It’s a networking team that has been built up over the years and you learn the people you can trust, she said.

Tarascio noted many instances where her volunteerism assisted someone resettle locally, find a job, or acquire a doctor to perform an essential surgery overseas, adding that each individual and family is grateful to receive support. But while Tarascio is fortunate to help so many, she said it’s a highly emotional circumstance where some cases simply can’t be solved.

“Sometimes you need to come to terms with a family being unable to get out of their situation,” Tarascio said. “It’s a burden you expect, and it’s a weight on your shoulders and an awareness of what is happening. It took me seeing a news report to want to know more but if I can help get someone a stroller it’s heartwarming.”

Chappaqua resident Mary Refling, who started the Westchester Refugee Task Force in 2015, said she became aware of the violence in Syria after seeing the graphic photo in church one day. After learning there wasn’t a resettlement agency in Westchester, she said it was time to step up to the plate and help those seeking asylum.

“Most of the people in our group feel this real strong connection to this sense of civic responsibility that we are here and the privileges we enjoy as American citizens are due in part to our grandparents and our parents,” Refling said, noting how difficult it is for people to leave their life, and sometimes families behind, to emigrate to the United States with almost nothing. “We just feel like someone did this for us so it’s our turn to make it possible for the new generation of immigrants.”

Kathie O’Callaghan, president and founder of Hearts & Homes For Refugees (HHFR), felt similar discouragement after she launched her non-profit grassroots humanitarian group in 2015. O’Callaghan collaborated with several civic groups and faith-based coalitions to create the Westchester Refugee Initiative to broaden the scope of work they could do to resettle refugees. In the last two years, she said her organization has resettled 12 cases, or 100 individuals.

While O’Callaghan and Refling are proud of the work they are doing, both noted that the Trump Administration has made every effort to prevent refugees from seeking asylum in the United States. According to statistics from the U.S. Department of State, the number of new refugees in New York decreased from a high of 5,026 in 2016 to 1,281 in 2018.

With the number of refugees decreasing, O’Callaghan said her organization is focused on supporting recently resettled immigrants, citing that many of them have particular needs and run into obstacles as they integrate into the community. “The US has always been the country people look up to, and we’re not going to model the current behavior that this country has shown,” O’Callaghan said. “We’re not going to save the world by resettling refugees but it’s important that we make sure that we do our part. We’re not going to disappear.”

Ability Beyond Receives Grant to Help People with Disabilities Enter Workforce

April 18, 2019 by Amy Kelley

One in four Americans has a disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And while people with disabilities have a lot to offer the workforce, there can be obstacles to finding employment, for both eager employers and prospective employees.

Disability Solutions, a group within Ability Beyond, a non-profit with its New York headquarters in Chappaqua, seeks to help overcome these obstacles – and now, they’ve been awarded a $50,000 grant from the PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) foundation to help them do so.

Kristine Foss, managing director of Disability Solutions, said the money will fund efforts including a year-long series of webinars for “talent acquisition professionals and job seekers.”

“For 60 years we’ve been working with job seekers in New York and Connecticut and helping them find jobs,” Foss said of her parent organization. “We had employers reaching out to us, and from those conversations, Disability Solutions was formed to build a bridge between employers and job seekers.”

Job seekers with disabilities vary widely, Foss said. Some have developmental disabilities; others have physical disabilities due to aging or medical disabilities; still others are veterans with service disabilities.

Job seekers with disabilities may have questions as they try to find employment, Foss said. They may be unsure whether or not to disclose a disability to a potential employer; they may need guidance on “how to professionally follow up, make sure keywords are in their resumes, how to navigate the interview process” and even how to “dress for success,” Foss said.

“Some of it is great advice that anyone can benefit from,” Foss said. “But of course we target it to people with disabilities.” The first webinar for job seekers launched this past winter with several planned for the coming months. Just this past week, webinars to help employers prepare for a pay equity audit and to help jobseekers decide on disclosing if they have disability were launched. Six additional webinars are planned for May and June and additional information to register can be found at disabilitytalent.org/events-webinars.

Disability Solutions also offers information to talent acquisition professionals. Foss said that many companies really aim to benefit from hiring the many talented and hardworking people with disabilities, but may need help removing obstacles in their hiring processes. For example, an online application can have “unintentional barriers,” Foss said.

Ability Beyond clients receiving therapeutic services at the Chappaqua Crossing location. Photo courtesy of Ability Beyond

Foss’s group has helped large companies like Pepsico, American Express and Synchrony Financial hire thousands of people.

Shaileen Brighton-Ortiz, assistant director of programs and services in New York, works out of Ability Beyond in the recently opened Chappaqua Crossing location. About four years ago, Ability Beyond moved out of its former location on Kisco Avenue in Mount Kisco. “We’ve grown rapidly since then because we’ve been able to serve more people in the space we’re in now.”

“I oversee the day and work programs in New York,” she said. “Our New York office is located here in Chappaqua. We serve about 200 people in our work program and about 180 people in our day program.” Ability Beyond does fundraising, and receives funds from New York State and other government partners. “We do get grants but not enough of them,” she said.

It’s a continuum of services, Brighton-Ortiz explained. People with disabilities come into the program “mostly from transitional programs in the high schools.” They are then assessed and are either matched with an internship or a pre-vocational program, the aim of which is to hopefully prepare and transition each person to an internship if possible.

“Once they acquire skills that will help them be successful in competitive employment,” these individuals are then graduated, referred to a state agency and then work with an employment specialist (often called a job coach),” Brighton-Ortiz said.

The day program has a site-based component and another component that is really “without walls,” Brighton-Ortiz explained, but the location in Chappaqua operates as a “hub.” From there, people may go out to internships, physical, recreational, or cultural activities. “There’s a blend of programming,” she said. “We don’t really believe in an adult day program. People are able to graduate when they’ve accomplished their goals. We partner with Disability Solutions and other agencies. It’s like graduating from high school to college – they have options.” Currently, about 40 percent of the people in Ability Beyond’s program are in the site-based program and 60 percent in the “without walls” component.

“I’m really excited to spread the word about this innovated and talented group of job seekers nationally,” Foss said. “Companies are looking for talent.”

Helping Children in their Hour of Need

December 2, 2018 by Shauna Levy

An oftentimes overlooked portion of the population exists mere miles away from the borders of Armonk. The Bedford Hills Correctional Facility is a maximum security prison that houses approximately 1,000 adult females. Armonk resident Joscelyn Read is working alongside organizations such as Hour Children to enhance the quality of life for the mothers within these walls and the children they’ve left beyond the bars.

Building Bridges Through Bars

Hour Children works to nurture relationships between incarcerated mothers and their children with the belief that a strong family connection maximizes a child’s stability and a woman’s chances of success upon reentry. The organization’s mission immediately resonated with Read, who acknowledges that it doesn’t always elicit that reaction, saying, “It’s a population that people don’t want to think about. They assume the prisoners did something bad and should be there. But, in truth, having met these women, many are lovely. They are human beings who often feel terrible about their actions. With a twist of fate, anyone could be in their position. I believe in second chances.”

Describing herself as someone who “likes to get in the thick of things,” Read makes good on those words by regularly opening the doors of her home to the children of women within the confines of Bedford Correctional. “I can’t imagine anything more difficult than having a parent in prison. For the past year and a half, I host two sisters four times a year for three to four nights while they visit their mom in prison from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.,” she explains. “It’s the only way for them to keep the connection with their mother alive. Beyond that, I get the opportunity to be a positive influence in their lives and it gives their guardian, in this case the maternal grandmother, a break during which they know the children are in a safe place.”

The Innocence of Children

Of her role, Read says, “The biggest question I get is whether I feel nervous about having these kids in my house. People would be surprised that despite the stark socioeconomic differences, these girls are just like every other kid. They love playing with Legos, watching Nickelodeon and going to the movies. They’re innocents. What sets them apart is their strength. To travel by van six hours or more to see your mom while staying at a stranger’s home is the definition of bravery.”

The sisters aren’t the only children benefitting from the experience. “My children, ages seven and eight, see the girls as friends and love when they visit,” Read says. “They’ve also learned that there are children who don’t have the material possessions and support system that they have. This past summer, we even picked the girls up for their visit early so that they could join us at Hershey Park. We are teaching that kindness is not the exception –it’s the expectation.”

“The biggest question I get is whether I feel nervous about having these kids in my house. People would be surprised that despite the stark socioeconomic differences, these girls are just like every other kid. They love playing with Legos, watching Nickelodeon and going to the movies. They’re innocents. What sets them apart is their strength. To travel by van six hours or more to see your mom while staying at a stranger’s home is the definition of bravery.” – Joscelyn Read

Though the Read family strives to fill these visits with fun and laughter, the true purpose is never far from the peripheral. “There’s excitement to see their mother, but also a sadness as reality hits that they haven’t seen her in three to four months. They cry thinking about continuing this pattern for another four years as she serves her sentence. The last day is always the most emotional. They want to keep seeing their mom and they like staying at my house where they not only have their own beds, but their own rooms as well–luxuries they don’t have at home,” Read states.

Paying It Forward

The statistics for the children of Hour Children are grim. Read reports that children whose mothers are in prison have a much lower college rate versus those whose fathers are in prison. She hopes to crack a dent in that rate, saying, “These girls have to go to college. I love to mentor because I know firsthand how strong an impact it can have on a child’s future. Growing up, I was a little sister in the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program. My mom wasn’t stable and my “big sister” was so important. We would do little activities like make dinner or go bowling. Just having someone show interest in my life was huge and formative. I will absolutely stay in touch with these girls beyond their time in the program. I will be there to make sure they keep their lives on track. I’m paying it forward.”