Kids Kloset

The Best Volunteer Opportunities: Where to Lend a Hand Locally in 2020

December 1, 2019 by The Inside Press

COURTESY OF (914) CARES

Planning on making a New Year’s Resolution to give back to your community? Have a teen who would like to volunteer? We sat down with (914) Cares’ CEO, Jessica Reinmann to put together a list of the top 10 volunteer opportunities in Northern Westchester.

1. Kids’ Kloset – Pack a “Bag of Love” for a child in need.

Kids’ Kloset provides underserved Westchester County children with donated clothing, books and related items. For more information, go to www.914cares.org/kids-kloset.

2. Baby Bank – Stock the shelves with donated baby items.

Baby Bank provides basic necessities and essentials for babies, 0-2. The mission is to help local families in need keep their babies clean, healthy and happy. For more information, go to www.914cares.org/baby-bank.

3. Coachman Family Center – Host a holiday celebration for children.

Located in White Plains, the Coachman Family center has over 60 homeless children in their youth program at any given time. Create a fun-filled afternoon with food, activities and games. For additional information, contact angela.damore@westhab.org.

4. Neighbors Link – Cook dinner for Family Night.

Neighbors Link’s mission is to strengthen the whole community through the healthy integration of immigrants. Every other Friday, an evening workshop is offered to Neighbors Link families and a buffet dinner is needed. For more information, please contact mpalomino@neighborslink.org.

5. DonationDrives – Collect urgently needed items.

DonationDrives helps individuals and groups coordinate and manage collection drives for those in need. For more information, go to www.914cares.org/donate-things.

6. JCY-Westchester – Read to a child.

Help kids become life-long readers at one of the 26 programs run by JCY-Westchester Community Partners. Programs are run during the school day, right after school and over the summer. For more information, please contact mfinesmith@jcy.com.

7. Ossining Schools – Sort donated books.

The Ossining School District is committed to making sure every student has access to books at home. Sort through donated books so we can help create these home libraries. For more information, please contact info@914cares.org.

8. #FilltheVan – Help gather diapers and wipes for babies in need.

#FilltheVan is a community-wide diaper and wipe drive that helps struggling families. Participants will receive flyers, program brochures and collection boxes and on February 14th, we will pick up all of the collected donations. For more information, please go to www.914cares.org.

9. Cottage School – Host a Lunch Bunch.

The Cottage School helps abused, neglected and traumatized children heal physically and emotionally through compassionate, quality care. Lunch bunch occurs once a month, during the week for adults and on the weekends for teens. For more information, please contact rosenthals@jccany.org.

10. Volunteer at your local Food Pantry.

21% of Westchester residents are food insecure and your local food pantry provides essentials to those in need. For more information, please contact your local food pantry or send an email to info@914cares.org.

Discovering (914) Cares: Helping Neighbors

November 13, 2019 by The Inside Press

(914) Cares focuses on helping our Westchester Neighbors who struggle to meet basic human needs: Food, Clothing, Shelter, Education and Medical Care, with the ultimate goal of eradicating poverty throughout the County. To do this, (914) Cares partners with other local non-profits to support placement of volunteers and coordination of donation drives. Its key programs include: Kids’ Kloset, Baby Bank, Empty Bowls Westchester and Donation Drives.

Kids Kloset provides under-served children donated clothing and related items. Eligible children receive Bags of Love with clothing packed into properly sized and well-coordinated outfits free of rips, stains and missing buttons.

Baby Bank provides basic necessities and essentials for babies, 0-2. The mission is to help local families in need keep their babies clean, happy and healthy.

Empty Bowls raises both money and awareness in the fight to end food insecurity with the ultimate goal of eradicating hunger throughout Westchester County.

Donation Drives helps individuals and groups coordinate and manage collection items for those in need.The goal is to have new or gently used items quickly and efficiently get into the hands of those who can most use them.

(914) Cares is proud to offer “one-stop shopping” for those members of any community who want to help those in need. To volunteer your time, donate funds or goods or otherwise find a way to incorporate philanthropy within your family, visit 914cares.org.

Courtesy of (914) Cares

Kids’ Kloset Fashion Show Gala: A Fun-Filled Evening of Glamour Filled with Generosity

April 18, 2019 by Stacey Pfeffer

Models Sam Berk, Olivia Berk, Marissa Senzon and Kayla Roth

There they were sashaying down the red carpet clad runway–a nattily dressed toddler strutting his stuff in a stylish sweater, a tween decked out in a tulle skirt with on trend sunglasses. A DJ played the latest hits as these mini models advanced on the catwalk while Lindsay Brooke Weiss from Coco in Cashmere, an Armonk stylist and fashion blogger gave quick bios of the models.

Only this fashion show held last month in Harrison at the Willow Ridge Country Club had a higher purpose than just showcasing the latest spring styles for kids. All of the 80+ child models representing towns from across the county were donating their clothing immediately after the show to Kids’ Kloset, a nonprofit that provides under-served Westchester County children with donated clothing and related items.

Since Kids’ Kloset was created in 2011, the volunteer run organization has provided more than 17,000 “Bags of Love” containing clothing, footwear, diapers and other baby essentials to local children. Formerly under the auspices of Westchester Jewish Community Services, Kids’ Kloset recently became a division of (914) Cares and opened up new headquarters in North White Plains this past fall. Michael Slomsky, a Vice Chairman of (914) Cares and Chappaqua resident whose daughter Megan was in the show, said the new North White Plains spot is an ideal location with ample space to showcase the clothing with low overhead.

Top Left (L-R): Jessica Reinmann Founder (914) Cares, Diane Katz (honoree) and Stephanie Roth Founder Kids’ Kloset. Top Right (L-R): Nathalie Joseph, Viola Regis and Tamar Joseph. Middle: Lindsay Brooke Weiss with her children, Colette and Steele Weiss. Bottom Left: Models Marley Gellert and Caitlin Samkoff. PHOTO BY LAUREN GELLERT Bottom Right: Models Emery Zipper, Emily Attar, Abigail Pfeffer. PhotoS BY Jamie Kaplan
except where noted

Although Kids’ Kloset has held fashion shows in previous years, this year’s event was the largest turn out to date, according to Jessica Reinmann, chairperson of (914) Cares and a resident of Chappaqua. “I really think the partnership between (914) Cares and Kids’ Kloset is what made this year’s event such a success,” said Reinmann. The event raised more than $100K as of press time and Reinmann hopes that next year’s event will have attendees from every zip code of Westchester.

The event honored Diane Katz, a longtime Kids’ Kloset supporter and White Plains resident. During the show, attendees also learned of the dire need for essentials that some 51,000 families in Westchester face with annual incomes of less than $24,000. An attendee from Armonk, Michele Zipper was happy to have her daughter, Emery participate as a model in the show. “It’s great that she can do something with fashion that helps others,” said Zipper.

Viola Regis, a Mount Vernon resident was an attendee and her daughters, Lily and Izzy, who also graced the runway have been the recipient of Kids’ Kloset’s “Bags of Love”. She donated $100 to the organization at the gala as a way to show her appreciation for Kids’ Kloset. For several summers, her daughters have attended sleep away camps on scholarships and Kids’ Kloset has outfitted them for the experience. One attendee remarked that many children who receive camp scholarships actually turn them down because the families can’t afford the many camp essentials. “My children always have a smile on their face when they go to Kids’ Kloset and I know they help not just my family but so many others,” said Regis.

Kids’ Kloset founder Stephanie Roth was also excited at the gala to announce the launch of a “Baby Bank” this spring which will provide not only essentials like supplies of diapers for six months but also other items such as pack and plays. This “Baby Bank” and the evening’s gala illustrates just how much progress the organization has made since Roth decided to start the organization after a young mom in her community who couldn’t afford a stroller showed up at Roth’s doorstep a decade ago.

For more information about Kids’ Kloset, visit 914cares.org.

(914) Cares Opens New Headquarters

October 24, 2018 by Ella Ilan

Dedicated volunteers and Westchester County elected officials gathered together for a grand opening ceremony on September 20th to celebrate the new brick and mortar location of non-profit (914) Cares and hail its adoption of Kids’ Kloset. County Executive George Latimer cut the ribbon, marking the official opening of the new site at 901 North Broadway in North White Plains.

(914) Cares, formerly Chappaqua Cares, supports local non-profits that focus on basic human needs, including food, clothing, shelter, medical care and education. The organization was founded in 2014 by Chappaqua residents CEO Jessica Reinmann and Vice Chairman Dawn Greenberg. The two founders believed that there were many people interested in helping others and there were a myriad of charities in need but the missing piece was someone to put them together. They began working with four local organizations and have expanded to partnering with over thirty non-profit groups. (914) Cares places volunteers, coordinates donation drives, and helps local non-profits with fundraising.

(L- R): Stephanie Roth, Jessica Reinmann and Dawn Greenberg

(L-R): Dawn Greenberg, North Castle Town Supervisor Michael Schiliro, Deputy Supervior Stephen D’Angelo and Jessica Reinmann

(L- R): Dawn Greenberg, County Executive George Latimer and Jessica Reinmann

“Twenty-five percent of Westchester residents live at or below the poverty line,” says Reinmann. “There are families that cannot feed their children and although they get breakfast and lunch in school through government subsidy, these kids don’t get dinner or anything on the weekends and during school breaks.”

Through their Empty Bowls project, they have raised over $300,000 to fight hunger in Westchester County. At an Empty Bowls event, volunteers create hand-painted bowls. Guests are invited to a simple meal of soup and bread. In exchange for a monetary donation, guests keep the bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world.

“It’s hard to wrap your arms around the fact that so many local children may not have dinner tonight. It could be the opposing soccer team of your kid. I think when people get it, they are generous,” says Mary Rosewater, (914) Cares board member and Kids’ Kloset volunteer.

The Kids’ Kloset program, founded by Executive Director Stephanie Roth, provides underprivileged local children with donated clothing and related items. Since its inception in 2011, Kids’ Kloset has provided over 16,000 bags of clothing, footwear, diapers and more to local children. Volunteers sort donated clothing and pack “bags of love” with appropriate items that are not ripped or stained. They fill orders received from referring partners on the front line that can identify children in need, such as social workers, teachers, or houses of worship. Bags contain about a week’s worth of clothing and are packed based on the child’s size and when possible, color and style preferences.

“We pride ourselves as being somewhat of a first responder to these schools and organizations,” says Volunteer Coordinator Sandee Levinson.

“The mission is not just: here’s a bag of clothing because you’re in need, but rather: here’s a bag of clothing that’s going to make you feel good and give you a greater sense of self- esteem,” explains Roth.

“While we have specific operating hours, there’s not one single one of us who if we got an emergency call that a child is now homeless and needs clothes for school due to a catastrophic fire, who would not jump out of bed to make that happen,” says Rosewater.

“We have so many underserved kids here,“ says Westchester Chairman of the Board of Legislators Benjamin Boykin. “This is a wonderful organization. If you have clothes that your kids have outgrown and you no longer need, bring it in,” he urges.

The adoption of Kids’ Kloset was the impetus to open the current space. Kids’ Kloset had lost its previous location in White Plains. Friends of the organization worked together to locate a new space that was centrally located. White Plains Attorney Seth Mandelbaum, a land use and zoning specialist, provided pro bono services to shepherd them through the approval process in the Town of North Castle.

North Castle Town Supervisor Mike Schirilo and Deputy Supervisor Stephen D’Angelo were both instrumental in the town approval and glad to have been involved. “It’s an incredible organization and it speaks volumes about the people who are behind this and gives you continued faith in society. With all that noise around us, there are still great people like this doing great things and it reaffirms the goodness in our culture,” says Schirilo.

“This coming together represents what makes Westchester great, not the government of Westchester, but the people of Westchester… who are willing to give their time with no compensation or glory,” says Latimer.

The Mount Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry, which is supported by thirteen different congregations, is one of (914) Cares’ partners. “The values that we all hold so deeply from every religious organization, regardless of the brand name, are truly living out their faith in this and it’s extraordinary,” says Mount Kisco Mayor Gina Picinich.

“Often Westchester can be characterized as a place that doesn’t need help but the reality is that there are folks struggling here just like everywhere else and we want them to be part of the fabric of our communities and so we have to make sure we have services available for them,” says State Assemblyman David Buchwald.

“For someone who wants to help but doesn’t know how, (914) Cares is one-stop shopping,” says board member Haley Ferraro.

For more information on how you can get involved, go to www.914cares.org

New Name & New Charitable Initiatives for: (914) Cares

February 21, 2018 by Inside Press

Editor’s Note: (914) Cares drew our attention recently and we learned of its numerous charitable efforts in Westchester. These began with Dawn Greenberg and Jessica Reinmann who together are the founders of ‘Chappaqua Cares, Chappaqua Shares.’ Launched in 2014, it intended to “introduce our neighbors to lesser known local nonprofits and their needs. The goal was to channel donations of goods and volunteer hours to these organizations,” stated Greenberg and Reinmann.

What you need to know about (914) Cares

The two founders explain the name change, too: “Initially our focus was on food, clothing and toys and was limited to organizations in Chappaqua for whom we ran short-term drives. Our focus quickly grew into longer-term support for the pantries closest to Chappaqua with an annual fundraising event, Empty Bowls. In addition, as part of our goal to teach children the importance of volunteerism, we created events for families like card-marking for nursing homes and pajama/book collection for Project Night Night. Because our goals and mission have broadened over time to include nonprofits throughout the County and to involve communities beyond New Castle, in 2018 we updated our name to (914) Cares.”

Key Programs

Empty Bowls

Empty Bowls is part of an international grassroots effort to combat hunger with fundraising events reminding participants of the empty bowls throughout the world. Our organization has raised over $300,000 with annual Empty Bowls events in 2015, 2016 and 2017. In addition to providing financial support through these events to area pantries and organizations that combat hunger, we seek to educate our communities on the pervasive rate of hunger in our County.

Kids’ Kloset

Kids’ Kloset is a volunteer-driven program that provides Westchester County children and families in need with donated clothing and related items free of charge. Since Kids’ Kloset was opened in 2011, it has provided over 16,000 bags of clothing and diapers to local children. Children, newborn to 18 years of age, receive “bags of love” with clothing prepared into outfits free of rips, stains, and missing buttons. The bags represent more than clothing. We believe they boost the confidence and esteem of the youth, potentially helping to improve grades at school and reduce stress in the household. And parents can be assured their children have clean, appropriate, well-fitting clothing.

We assist our Community Partners with publicity and execution of donation drives for a variety of items needed for basic human needs including: clothing, food, diapers, toiletries, books, school supplies, toys and gifts. The focus is on new or gently used items getting quickly into the hands of those who can most use them.

Volunteer Drives are used to help area nonprofit organizations fill volunteer hours for both short-term and ongoing programs. We help provide volunteer hours for food pantry stocking and disbursement, sorting of goods from drives, fundraising events, reading mentoring, cooking and many other requests.

Family Support, Frequently we help provide local families with immediate short-term help including clothing, housewares, food drives and/or meal trains. We also provide referrals to agencies able to help with long-term support.

For more information, visit 914Cares.org.