Neighbors Link

by Silvia Taviloglu

Winter is upon us. Unpredictable. And, in more ways than one, unsettling. Among our many worries–heavy snow fall could bring down tree limbs, adding potential danger and injury to the many hassles that accompany winter storms. Yards, driveways and even our homes are potentially at risk. We know that, when the worst is finally over, we’ll need to reach out to our landscape/snow removal companies and/or handymen to help us with cleanup and repair. All too often, we then find ourselves waiting as, with so many in similar need, work schedules are overloaded.

Thankfully, there is an alternative. Neighbors Link of Northern Westchester, located in Mount Kisco, is a not-for-profit community organization that provides employment and education opportunities to more than 2,500 immigrant families. They work hand in hand with the police department and with local schools. Their mission is to create partnerships and integrate our side-by-side societies.

Carola Bracco, Executive Director of Neighbors Link, was raised by her Bolivian parents to know the importance of helping the community and working in the public sector. Bracco, who earned her MBA from Duke University, worked in the financial world for 12 years for companies including GE, Ford Motor Company and Time Inc. But she always wanted to do community work. In 2003, she started as a volunteer stuffing envelopes at Neighbors Link; a year later, she was named Executive Director. Bracco has since increased the organization’s revenue from $300,000 to $1.4 million this year, thanks to grants and individual donations from business and homeowners all across Westchester. This Westchester business powerhouse (and wife and mother of two) was honored with the 2013 Women in Business Award by 914INC. magazine (published by Westchester Magazine) for her excellence in the public sector.

More than a decade ago, Mount Kisco was a more challenging environment for immigrants. There was a great deal of prejudice and fear, many immigrants were not paid properly for their work efforts and the environments/job sites often had very little (if any) oversight. If accidents occurred (as they could and did), immigrants tell tales of being dropped off unceremoniously in unknown areas without medical care. Now, through Neighbors Link, their lives are safer and they have a comfortable place during harsh weather conditions to gather and find paid employment.

The Work Center has over 800 day laborers taking English classes, improving their computer skills, learning rules and discussing how to work more effectively in different situations in the local culture. Additionally, the Family Center has more than 300 parents and children attending after-school and summer programs including discussions on the importance of raising bicultural and bilingual children.

Neighbors Link offers a hiring site for general labor, and is a resource for finding that extra help we need for our yards, to paint a new room, get a thorough home cleaning, and perhaps even a well-cooked meal. The process of picking a generally-skilled day laborer is safe and easy. Each day at the hiring site, day workers register by signing an entry sheet (these workers have gone through a careful intake process and screening verification). When someone looking to hire help arrives, he/she simply provides job details so that a match can be made. The hourly rate is then discussed and established so there is an agreement in place for both parties.

If one needs a more experienced laborer (for example, someone specifically skilled in masonry or carpentry) or servers for private events or a housekeeper that has been trained and certified in Eco-cleaning, simply call in advance and ask for the on-site Job Bank. The Center is open 365 days a year from 7 a.m.-10 p.m.

While the organization is a great hand in hand “link” between homeowners/employers and workers, it is also a testament to those who reach out as volunteers. In fact, volunteers play a major role in both teaching and in changing the tone of the conversation regarding biculturalism in our community. Nearly 300 volunteers, from high-school-aged teens to adults, offer their time and expertise as either tutors (teaching English language, reading and computer skills) or helpers in the Family Center. The day laborers also volunteer, themselves, to help keep their town clean and safe; last winter, shoveling the fire hydrants ahead of our winter snowstorms.

When it comes to storms, no news really is good news! So let’s hope for a quiet winter season, and call upon Neighbors Link for help with the proactive projects on our to-do lists. Together we can make a positive impact in our community. For more information, to hire a laborer, to volunteer in ways described above or to become involved in fund-raising, contact Volunteer Manager Gayle Hudson at www.neighborslink.org

*Translation: Rumor or “check it out”

Silvia Taviloglu worked as a television writer in Mexico City before moving to Pleasantville where she lives with her husband and two young children.