The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

help

Local Residents Help with the Refugee Crisis & Resettlement Needs

by

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARY REFLING

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.

Jackie Tarascio

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

by

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

by

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.”

To find out more about the organization, visit www.hourchildren.org.

Feeding Westchester Celebrates 30th Anniversary

by

& Launches Mobile Food Pantry in Partnership with Pace University This Fall

It’s been a busy fall for Elmsford-based nonprofit Feeding Westchester (formerly known as the Food Bank for Westchester). The non-profit just celebrated 30 years with their fundraiser “An Evening in Good Taste” this past October. The event featured cocktails and cuisine from more than 30 Westchester-based chefs including local favorite Beau Widener, the Executive Chef at Crabtree’s Kittle House Restaurant & Inn.

Beau Widener Executive Chef at Crabtree Kittle House Restaurant and Inn and staff delight fundraiser attendees with their delicacies at “An Evening In Good Taste” Photo by Stacey Pfeffer

This fall also saw the introduction of a new Mobile Food Pantry in partnership with Pace University. Pace President Marvin Krislov attended the first mobile food pantry event on September 27 and spoke with student volunteers who participated by passing out produce to students and local residents.

Noelani Rivera, a first-year student at Pace said, “It was a really great experience to be able to help others, especially people so closely tied to our community.”

Tyler Kalahar, program coordinator at Pace’s Center for Community Action and Research in the Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, said the new mobile food pantry was in keeping with Pace University ‘s position as a leader in economic mobility in higher education. “Addressing hunger with the mobile food pantry program is simply another way to give students, particularly our first generation and students from low-income families, the resources they need to succeed in college,” Kalaher explained.

The mobile pantry visited the Pace campus on Halloween and November 27th. The next visit is scheduled for December 13th from 12:30-2:30 p.m. The program hopes to provide nourishing, stigma-free food in a location that is accessible to both students and the wider Westchester community.

The mobile food pantry is located at Pace University, 861 Bedford Road, Pleasantville, entrance 3, North Hall parking lot.

(L-R): Cornell Craig (Assistant Dean and Director, Multicultural Affairs and Diversity Programs at Pace), Zikomo Barr (Coordinator, Leadership Programs at Pace), Olivia Wint (Pace student volunteer), Natalie Holguin (Pace student volunteer), Marvin Krislov (Pace President), Tyler Kalahar (Program Coordinator, Center for Community Action and Research at Pace), Nicole Dobson (Feeding Westchester), Noelani Rivera (Pace student volunteer)
PHOTO COURTESY OF FEEDING WESTCHESTER

The Power of Feeding Westchester

1 in 5 Westchester residents do not know where their next meal is from.

Feeding Westchester provided:

  • 8.4 million lbs of food = 7 million meals
  • 2.2 million lbs of food provided to nearly 200,000 people through mobile food programs
  • Distributed over 432,000 lbs of food to over 3,000 seniors through their Senior Grocery Program
  • Grew local produce at 13 farm sites through their Food Growing Program
  • Partnered with more than 290 agencies across Westchester to feed the hungry

Source: Feeding Westchester 2017 Annual Report

Sad Outcome Follows Bet Torah’s Rally To Bring Home Armando Rojas

by

Photos by Joanna Segal

For over 20 years, a smiling face, a helping hand, a high-five for preschoolers. Kind, sweet, friendly, and unassuming. And then, simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, he was gone.

On November 16, the Bet Torah community received the heartbreaking and devastating news that their longtime and beloved custodian Armando Rojas lost his final appeal for asylum with his case returned to the Department of Homeland Security “for removal of the alien.” As Rabbi Aaron Brusso stated in his email to the congregation, “Armando Rojas is father of Ulises and Armando Jr. He is husband to Silvia. He is a member of our synagogue family. He is a human being with hopes, dreams, loves and a track record of gentleness and kindness. What he isn’t is an ‘alien.’”

On the evening of October 16, in advance of his final asylum hearing, the Bet Torah and local communities gathered on the synagogue steps in Mount Kisco to rally in support of Armando, suddenly deported earlier this year following a mistaken arrest. Preschoolers to retirees, as well as local clergy, community leaders,  and Armando’s sons Armando Jr. (26) and Ulises (15), spoke of Armando’s contributions, presence and being part of the Bet Torah family, which sang, with love, “Bring Armando Home.”

A New Home, A New Life

Armando entered the United States from Mexico over 30 years ago at the age of 18, crossing without inspection, to escape dangerous circumstances and gang violence and seek a better, safer life, according to Rabbi Brusso. With little Immigration and Naturalization Service interior enforcement at that time, he was permitted to apply for and receive a social security number. Armando was hired as a custodian by Bet Torah, where he worked for over two decades, becoming more than a valued employee; he was a member of the synagogue family, knowing almost every member–certainly every child–by name.

Armando had also married an American citizen and had two sons, creating a life in the New York suburbs, reporting to work–sometimes seemingly seven days a week – and dutifully paying taxes and social security. In other words, a model “citizen” and role model for not only his own sons, but for the young children of Bet Torah whose paths he crossed daily.

In February 2018, Armando was celebrating with family at a Westchester restaurant when a fight broke out nearby and the police called. Likely because of his ethnicity, he was arrested along with others; Armando was quickly exonerated and released, but the arrest record was forwarded to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”), which identified him as a fugitive for not appearing at an immigration hearing over 25 years ago. Armando was detained without notice and promptly dropped over the Mexican border without identification, money or a cell phone, despite a superseding stay of deportation. He made his way to family in Mexico City, but once there received threatening phone calls from groups responsible for murdering family members long ago.

A Roller Coaster of Emotion

The Bet Torah staff and congregation quickly sprung into action to facilitate Armando’s return. Qualified immigration counsel was retained, a GoFundMe has raised over $40,000 to date, and his wife, sons and new grandson were assured that they would be supported throughout the efforts to have Armando granted asylum on the basis of “credible fear” upon deportation and brought home.

In June, Rabbi Brusso, together with Armando Jr. and congregants Linda Dishner and Mike Kraus, flew to Mexico and escorted Armando to the U.S. border to request asylum; a video (see link below) of the walk to the checkpoint, along with interviews of Armando, his son and the rabbi, was shared widely on social media and via Rabbi Brusso’s moving article in The Forward. Armando was accepted into ICE custody after a second attempt, first placed in detention in Arizona and then moved to an Albany County Prison wing for asylum seekers.

In early October, in discussions with Armando’s attorney, the hearing officer seemed to indicate that Armando had a strong “credible fear” claim for asylum, even under recently narrowed definitions promulgated by the U.S. Attorney General’s office, because of “participation of government actors – in the form of local law enforcement–with gang violence,” according to Rabbi Brusso; Armando had told ICE that local authorities allowed gangs to freely function. However, his claim for asylum was rejected without explanation, with one remaining appeal before an immigration judge before re-deportation.

Community Efforts Strived to “Bring Armando Home”

After consultation with Armando’s attorney and family, the decision was made to further publicize his plight to appeal to someone in the administration (beyond the many local and state politicians already involved) who might be able to help. Congregants and members of the wider community were urged to write directly to and petition the immigration judges, and almost 250 people attended the evening rally, covered by numerous New York area media outlets alerted to the event by congregants with public relations backgrounds and contacts.

Rabbi Brusso described the effort as a way to “come together to create a positive space, for positive, constructive actions around these issues without the rhetoric of ‘you’re wrong and I’m right,’” he added. “We can talk about the issues, and our values, from there. It’s important to show people that there’s a caring, nurturing place as real as the destructive place.” He said the rally offered an opportunity for the congregation and others to come together communally to express its loss, much as it does to celebrate happy events and mourn sad ones. “When Ulises said ‘I didn’t realize how many people loved my dad,’ it made it all worth it,” he said.

Bet Torah’s Rabbi Brusso addressing hundreds at the rally.

A Lesson in Compassion

“Bring Armando Home” also became a teaching opportunity for Bet Torah children, many too young to understand issues surrounding legal citizenship and immigration but able to develop compassion for someone they know. An email to the synagogue nursery and religious school communities, shared on Facebook, reminded them that “we are here for each other no matter what we are going through.” Rabbi Brusso addressed children directly at the rally, gently urging them not to be scared that their own parents would be taken away, but suggesting that “this imaginary fear teaches you to be sensitive to the real fears faced by others” and this “moral fear” teaches you how to be compassionate.

“I wanted to create a moral space that doesn’t exist elsewhere,” Rabbi Brusso explained, “to take it out of the political and make it focus on the personal.” He added that houses of worship are really the last places where people with diverse points of view, outside of their social media echo chambers, can gather and come together for a larger purpose without using the language built for argumentation often used in public discourse.

Rabbi Brusso is unsure of what the next steps may be, but spoke for all present on October 16: “Some of us are lucky enough to be born into wonderful homes, others have to search for them. Armando went on a journey to find his home. He found it here. And he is a blessing to his wife and his sons and to our entire community. We ask one thing: bring Armando home so that he can continue be a blessing to all of us again. Let’s bring Armando home.”