Non-Profits

The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer through research, education, advocacy, and service. With more than two million volunteers nationwide, the American Cancer Society is one of the oldest and largest voluntary health agencies in the United States. More than two million volunteers carry out the Society`s mission of eliminating cancer and improving quality of life for those individuals facing the disease. These dedicated volunteers donate their time and talents to further cancer research; educate the public about early detection and prevention; advocate for responsible cancer legislation in the local, state, and federal governments; and serve cancer patients and their families as they manage their cancer experience. American Cancer Society, 2 Lyon Place, White Plains, NY 10601; To locate an American Cancer Society office in your area or for cancer information call 1.800.ACS.2345 or visit www.cancer.org

The American Heart Association is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is: “Building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.” The association`s impact goal is to reduce coronary heart disease, stroke and risk by 25 percent by 2010. Progress toward the goal will be measured according to these indicators:  Reduce the death rate from coronary heart disease and stroke by 25 percent, Reduce the prevalence of smoking, high blood cholesterol and physical inactivity by 25 percent, Eliminate the growth of obesity and diabetes.  American Heart Association, Northeast Affiliate, 3020 Westchester Avenue, Purchase, NY 10577. 914-640-3275, www.heart.org.

The American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization led by volunteers and people, guided by its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross Movement, provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. 106 North Broadway, White Plains, NY 10603. Call (914) 946-6500 x450 or email grimaldia@usa.redcross.org for more information. Web Site Address: westchestercounty.redcross.org/

Andrus Children’s Center is a private non-profit community agency offering prevention, assessment, educational, treatment and research programs that help children and families achieve healthy, stable lives. Andrus provides annually a broad network of supports to over 2,500 vulnerable children and families of all backgrounds and means. Andrus serves more than 140 seriously emotionally disturbed children, grades K-9, in three treatment programs and a Blue Ribbon school on its lovely, 110-acre campus. Our mental health programs help to provide counseling to young children with mental health needs in locations throughout Westchester County. www.andruschildren.org.

Arc of Westchester empowers children, teenagers and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities to achieve their potential based on choices, abilities and interests.  Programs include:  Early evaluation for infants,  toddlers and their families, A preschool program, Transition planning for young adults, Vocational training and job placement, Respite care for families, Recreation and the arts, Guardianship services for older adults.  For more information, please contact Anne Sweazey, Executive Director, Arc of Westchester Foundation, 265 Saw Mill River Road, Hawthorne, NY 10552, (914) 495-4625 or visit www.westchesterarc.org.

The Children`s Hope Chest has just completed its second year of providing hope to children in need, children who face despair and suffering on a daily basis in the tri-state area. We create programs that encourage the participation of children in an effort to create social change. We offer hope to those in need by linking with established organizations that help families. Our organization is comprised of concerned individuals who wish to promote volunteerism and goodwill in order to lift despair. The Children`s Hope Chest partners with the following agencies to reach out to children who are suffering. Andrus Children`s Center: Provides assessment, treatment, education and preventative services for children who have or are at risk for developing behavioral health problems. Carver Center: mission is to provide educational programs and services to help at risk children maximize their potential for growth and self-sufficiency. Friends of Karen: Giving financial, emotional and advocacy support to families of children with life-threatening illnesses. My Sisters` Place: Offering shelter, education, and advocacy for battered women and their children. Neighbor to Neighbor: Providing essentials (i.e. food and clothing) to over 250 Fairfield County families each week. YMCA of Greater NY: Building strong kids, strong families and strong communities through the values of respect, honesty, responsibility and caring.  For more information on how to get involved please visit our website www.childrenshopechest.com or contact us at (914)696-1176.

Established in 1992, the not-for-profit Community Center of Northern Westchester provides supplemental food, clothing, and other resources to those in need in Northern Westchester County. The Center is sponsored by 28 churches, synagogues, schools and civic groups and operates with substantial volunteer support from the northern Westchester community. The Center is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm and its services are available to all.  The Community Center of Northern Westchester, 84 Bedford Road, Katonah, NY 10536.  Visit www.communitycenternw.org for more information.

We serve overwhelmed, stressed parents throughout Westchester County helping stop a generational cycle of child abuse and neglect. Using a home visiting model we have an 85% success rate. We provide support; teaching new discipline skills and anger and stress management. We offer volunteers an intensive 12-hour training program and on-going individual supervision. Contact Linda Paver, MSW, CSW our Volunteer Coordinator at (914) 997-2642 for more information and a volunteer packet.

Friends of Karen (F.O.K.) was founded in 1978 by Sheila Petersen, a family friend of Karen MacInness, a 16 year old diagnosed with Lafora`s Disease. Sheila, respecting Karen`s parents wishes to keep Karen at home for her final months, appealed to the community and raised the necessary funds to allow her parents to care for Karen in their own home.  Currently, Friends of Karen helps families in the New York metropolitan area care for their children (aged 21 years and under) who suffer from terminal or life threatening illnesses. F.O.K. works to ensure the financial and emotional well-being of families coping with the extraordinary demands of their child`s illness. Social workers work with the families to assess the family`s needs and help families to obtain assistance from insurance plans, government programs and community agencies, while maintaining contact with the family through home and hospital visits.  Friends of Karen also provides direct financial assistance and help with needs related to the child`s illness, including: household expenses, transportation to medical treatment, in-hospital expenses such as telephone, TV, parking, and meals for the parents, childcare for siblings while the parents are with the hospitalized child, living expenses for parents who must travel to get needed treatments, funeral arrangements, bereavement support, and private counseling referrals.  Friends of Karen relies on individuals, corporations, foundations, schools, community and employee groups to contribute the needed dollars and in-kind gifts and volunteer time to give our families what they need to care for their children though their difficult illnesses.  For more information about Friends of Karen, visit www.friendsofkaren.org or call 914.277.4547.

Furniture Sharehouse collects your gently-used furniture and makes sure it gets directly to needy Westchester families who are moving out of homeless shelters, escaping domestic violence, reuniting after foster care or recovering from personal or natural disasters. Since 2007, they have distributed over 21,000 items free of charge to over 4,200 individuals, half of them children, helping them fill their empty apartments and stabilize their lives.  The need is great, and the waiting list for an appointment is six-weeks long, so please consider donating your furniture and/or making a monetary donation to help us “make a house a home” for these Westchester families.  Visit www.furnituresharehouse.org

The mission of Gilda`s Club Westchester is to provide a place where men, women, and children with cancer and their families and friends join with others to build social and emotional support as a supplement to medical care. Free of charge and non-profit, Gilda`s Club Westchester offers support and networking groups, lectures, workshops and social events in a nonresidential, home-like setting. Funding is solicited from private individuals, corporations, and foundations. Gilda’s Club Westchester is a community of people whose lives have been touched by cancer…all types of cancer. It’s a community of people who have found strength, comfort and inspiration by sharing their experiences. It’s women, men and children. It’s friends and family. It’s volunteers and donors. It’s a place where we can all come together –FREE OF CHARGE—to renew our spirits and our souls. You won’t find medical care here. Here is where you and your family will find emotional support as a supplement to medical care. Here is where social support, information, fellowship, laughter, hope and inspiration meet. Inside the cozy rooms of our White Plains Clubhouse you’ll find lectures, workshops, support & networking groups, social events and more. All for FREE! Join Us.  Gilda`s Club Westchester, 80 Maple Avenue, White Plains, NY 10601, 914·64478844, www.gildasclubwestchester.com

The Guild Home for Aged Blind is a residential health care facility for elderly people with a broad range of vision loss. It offers comprehensive medical, nursing and rehabilitative services for long-term residents as well as persons requiring short-term rehabilitation. Professional staff members, including medical doctors, registered nurses, certified social workers, nutritionists, rehabilitation specialists and staff psychiatrists provide assessment, consultations and counseling services. The primary focus of the Guild Home is to help individuals maximize their potential while enabling them to live as independently as possible.  The Guild Home also includes two additional facilities, each a unique center for specialized care: The Newman Center for Alzheimer Care and the Felkay Center for AIDS Care. The Newman Center for Alzheimer Care is a 26-bed skilled nursing center providing a therapeutic environment with an emphasis on dignified living for people with Alzheimer`s Disease or a related dementia.  For more information, please call 914-220-8611 or e-mail alzheimerinfo@jgb.org.  The Felkay Center for AIDS Care is a 20-bed skilled nursing facility for persons with HIV illness. For more information, please call 914-220-8532 or e-mail info_home@jgb.org.

Hospice Care in Westchester and Putnam is the area`s largest non-profit provider of home care to patients facing life threatening or advanced illness. The goal of Hospice Care is to enhance comfort, support, and dignity while preserving the quality of life of the patients they serve. Hospice is for families too, supporting them in managing stresses and coping with a loved one`s illness. We enable our patients to remain at home with quality of life and physical comforts. Hospice coordinates all services for our patients, including hospital care, 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Hospice is also using a special type of therapy, available free-of-charge, called The Healing Arts, which uses Therapeutic Touch, Shiatsu Massage, Acupressure, music and art therapy to help promote pain management, relaxation and reduce anxiety.  An affiliate of the VNA of Hudson Valley, their services are offered to all residents in both Westchester and Putnam County. For more information please call (914) 666-4228 ext 211 or check out our website at www.vnahv.org.

The Katonah Museum is a non-collecting institution dedicated to encouraging the enjoyment, appreciation and study of the visual arts by visitors of all ages. 2004 marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Museum, which each year presents a series of changing exhibitions that span a wide range of cultures, media, historical periods and social issues. The Museum offers lectures and symposia by noted artists and scholars; tours of private collections, special exhibitions, and regional museums; children and family workshops and community festivals; free summer jazz concerts; and volunteer opportunities.  The Katonah Museum of Art is located on Route 22 at Jay Street, Katonah, New York 10536. For more information, call (914) 232-9555 or visit www.katonahmuseum.org.

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality. We fund programs of research, community services, education and advocacy to save babies. Today, the March of Dimes is one of the largest voluntary health agencies in the country. We have a 60-year track record of breakthroughs that save babies, including neonatal intensive care units, surfactant therapy, fetal surgery and folic acid education. Seventy-five percent of funds spent go to research and programs. The March of Dimes has launched a major new campaign to develop a coordinated national response to the tragic and growing problem of premature birth. March of Dimes, 1275 Mamaroneck Ave, White Plains, NY 10605, Telephone: 914-997-4465, www.modimes.org.

The Miracle League of Westchester is a nonprofit organization created to give Westchester children and adults with disabilities the opportunity to play baseball as a team member in an organized league. The league was founded in 2005 by J. Stephen Madey. What makes the Miracle League unique is our Miracle Field, specially designed with rubberized, cushioned turf, at Ridge Road Park in Hartsdale. The Miracle Field was funded with a legacy grant from  Westchester County and opened in the fall of 2006. As a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, the League survives on the generosity of donors who believe as we do that every child deserves the chance to play baseball. If you’d like to make a donation, volunteer, or get involved, please visit our website, www.mlwny.org.

Mount Kisco Child Care Center is a licensed 501c(3) non profit child care center in Mount Kisco, New York, providing child care to children from 3 months to 10 years old. Children come from a wide range of family backgrounds. Fifty percent of families enrolled are fee for service families and fifty percent receive scholarship or county subsidies to attend. This allows for a wonderfully diverse environment, both ethnically and economically.  As well as the diversity of children at the Center, MKCCC works in partnership with an adult day program, allowing for intergenerational programming for students and older adults, and a “Feed Me Fresh” nutrition education program which includes the growing and harvesting of their own organic food for students’ consumption during the school day.  The Child Care Center also has a strong commitment to supporting the literacy of the students and presents monthly “Literacy Adventures” in the community.  To find out more about how you can help, contact Dottie Jordan, Executive Director, at 914-241-2135 or e-mail djordan@mkccc.org  Volunteer opportunities for everyone are possible – teens, stay at home moms, retired grandmas, working parents – there’s a little something for everyone! For more information please visit our website at www.mkccc.org.

For more than 35 years, My Sisters’ Place (MSP) has worked to end violence in intimate relationships and combat the effects of domestic violence on women and children throughout Westchester County.
MSP has evolved from a grassroots task force and drop-in center into a cutting edge leader and resource in the field of domestic violence advocacy, shelter and legal services and education and prevention. Based on the tenet of taking a holistic approach and addressing the root causes of family violence, MSP is continually expanding in order to effectively respond to the increasing and changing needs of individuals in crisis. MSP’s mission is to engage each member of society in our work to end domestic violence, so that all relationships can embrace the principles of respect, equality, and peacefulness.
MY SISTERS’ PLACE, One Water Street, White Plains, NY 10601.
Phone:  914.683.1333, 24/7 hotline: 1.800.298.SAFE (7233), or visit www.mspny.org.

Neighbors Link is a community-based organization dedicated to helping impoverished Hispanic families in our area. Our mission is to strengthen our community by actively enhancing the healthy integration of Latino immigrants. Working to Educate, Empower and Employ, we offer programs in education, job assistance and more. We teach English every day of the week, targeting the special needs of women, day laborers, and families. We also house and help sustain the Headstart early childhood education program, preparing 33 non-English speaking children for kindergarten annually. Our job assistance efforts include the operation of a hiring site for day laborers, a job bank for referrals and job training programs such as our sewing workshop and computer classes. We offer legal clinics, health screenings, and workshops with mental health professionals. A Spanish-language alcoholics anonymous group meets twice weekly at Neighbors Link. We also operate an in-house, self-sustaining café offering a non-alcoholic setting to socialize for 400 clients weekly. The café is managed by former day workers and serves food and non-alcoholic beverages at below market rates. Our hope is that by reaching out to these newest and often most vulnerable members of our community, we can help them find a place in our society and enrich all our lives. To find out how you can become involved, please contact Carola Bracco, executive director, at 914-666-3410, ext. 12, or visit www.neighborslink.org. We`re always looking for volunteers.

The Neuberger Museum of Art is a major visual arts center and vital cultural resource. The Museum engages and inspires diverse audiences by actively fostering the study, appreciation, understanding and enjoyment of modern art, African art, and the art of our time. The permanent collection features major works by American and European modern artists, an extensive collection of African Art including masks and sculpture, and presents more than a dozen changing exhibitions each year dedicated to new forms of artistic expression.  Each year, the Neuberger Museum offers five special events for children and families and on the first Saturday of each month, they offer free admission to the permanent collections and temporary exhibitions, live music by Purchase College Conservatory of Music students, and hands-on activities in the Children`s Art Activity Center.  The Neuberger Museum is located at Purchase College, State University of New York, 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase, NY 10577-1400. Phone: 914-251-6100 Fax: 914-251-6101. Hours: Tuesday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Saturday & Sunday, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Closed Mondays and Major Holidays. Visit www.neuberger.org for more information.

The New York State Parent Education and Awareness Program of the New York State Office of Court Administration is an initiative of Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye, and is Chaired by the Hon. Evelyn Frazee, a Supreme Court Justice in Rochester. Parent education is offered by certified providers to help separating or divorcing parents better understand the effects of their breakup on their children and to give them information and ideas about how to make the new family situation easier and more livable for themselves and their children. We currently have 49 certified providers with a presence in all 62 Counties in New York State. Please check the website at www.nycourts.gov/parented for a list of certified providers. The Programs are certified through our Office, and can then accept orders or referrals from the Family Courts or the Supreme Court matrimonial parts. Parents can self refer and agencies can refer them too. Please tell everyone you know about this valuable resource.  Mailing address: New York State Parent Education and Awareness Program, 140 Grand Street, Suite 701, White Plains, NY 10601, Email Address: nyparent-ed@nycourts.gov, phone: (888) 809-2798.

Open Door Family Medical Centers has been serving Westchester County for over 36 years fulfilling its mission of providing high quality health care and human services at affordable prices to the community, particularly the economically disadvantaged. With four sizable centers and four school-based centers in Westchester, Open Door’s work in family medicine, diabetes, asthma, HIV/AIDS, pre-natal and pediatric care, dental services and women’s health, has been acknowledged nationally for its excellence. Over 36,000 people receive care annually at Open Door. www.opendoormedical.org

The Ossining Children`s Center was founded in 1895 to provide educational and enriching care to the children of immigrant women whose husbands were killed or disabled while working on the railroad or the Croton Aqueduct. From the outset, child care at the Center was stimulating and nurturing, rather than just custodial. Historically and today, the Center maintains a firm commitment to making the highest quality child care available to working families at every income level. The heart of the Center`s mission is its generous tuition assistance policy, supported by philanthropic gifts from the community and some government assistance. The Children`s Center might be more aptly titled, “The Ossining Center for Family Empowerment,” because support for the entire family unit has always been part of its mission. For example, helping immigrant families learn English and become part of the American educational system is a time–honored tradition of the Center. Special family activities and parenting workshops are held occasionally in the evenings. Furthermore, the Center runs an effective childcare and parenting program for teen mothers, enabling them to graduate from high school; the Center is the lead agency in the “Stepping Stones to Higher Education for Teen–age Mothers,” which is run in collaboration with Ossining High School, the Open Door Family Medical Center, and Westchester Jewish Community Services. The Ossining Children’s Center is a New York State licensed, not-for-profit child care center governed by a volunteer Board of Directors.  90-92 South Highland Avenue, Ossining, NY 10562, 914-941-0230, www.ossiningchildrenscenter.org

Pediatric Cancer Foundation’s mission is to cure childhood cancer. Since its establishment in 1970, members have worked diligently and raised significant funds to aid sick children and those doctors and researchers who treat them. Pediatric Cancer Foundation funds research, treatment, equipment and parent/patient care.  Since their overhead is minimal, since 1970, nearly 90% of every dollar raised goes toward our cause. Pediatric Cancer Foundation receives no federal funding so they depend on the generosity of people like you. Pediatric Cancer Foundation is a nonprofit organization that funds treatment, fellowships and equipment for pediatric cancer research. The Foundation supports several New York area hospitals and their satellite facilities including: New York Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital; Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York; Stephen D. Hassenfeld Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at NYU Langone Medical Center; and Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center.  For more information, visit www.pcfweb.org

Pegasus Therapeutic Riding was founded in 1975 at the Ox Ridge Hunt Club in Darien, Connecticut by a group of volunteers who believed in the therapeutic power of horseback riding. Beginning with eight physically disabled students, they were determined to bring the benefits and joys of horseback riding to the disabled of their community. Today, Pegasus has become one of the largest and most highly regarded therapeutic riding programs in the United States, servicing some 200 students each year in programs at nine locations throughout Fairfield County, CT and Westchester County, NY. Our professional physical therapists and instructors provide riding therapy to students with such physical and mental disabilities as Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Spina Bifida, blindness, and Down Syndrome, as well as learning and developmental challenges. Supporting this work is a large group of dedicated volunteers. Some work as “sidewalkers” for students who need assistance. Others are trained as horse leaders and to assist in “tacking up” the horses for the day`s lessons. The rewards for performing these vital services for Pegasus are the very special friendships that volunteers develop with the riders. Our Therapeutic Riding teams are rounded out by hand-picked, specially trained horses. Riders are encouraged to know their mounts and understand the needs and behavior of their equine partners, and the horses seem to sense the special needs of their charges. For more information about programs or donations, call (203) 356-9504, or go to www.PegasusTR.org.

Support Connection is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization established in 1996 that offers free, confidential support services to people affected by breast and ovarian cancer. Our office is located in Yorktown Heights, but we offer support to people all over the country. Our mission is to provide emotional, social and educational support services to women, their families and friends affected by breast and ovarian cancer. The support enables women to help each other and empowers them to become their own health care advocates. Support Connection is about caring. Each person that reaches out for support is given personalized attention in a warm, compassionate atmosphere. Services are always free and confidential. Our Peer Counselors, support group facilitators are cancer survivors. It is our goal to assist people so that they make educated decisions about their health care. Once the connection is made, our services span prevention, diagnosis, treatment and recovery. We do not tell people what they need, rather, we offer multiple resources to help meet their individual needs. The services offered by Support Connection include: Breast and ovarian cancer support groups, including groups offered by teleconference; One-on-One Peer Counseling; A toll-free hotline for information and peer support (1-800-532-4290); Referrals to other agencies; Wellness classes (e.g. yoga and fitness); Workshops on health, healing and other topics to assist women living with cancer; Educational forums open to the public; A lending library. For more information and for a full calendar of programs and services, call (914) 962-6402 or 1-800-532-4290 or visit www.supportconnection.org.

Teatown Lake Reservation is a nonprofit, environmental organization with an 834-acre nature preserve and education center located in the Lower Hudson Valley in the Towns of Yorktown, Cortlandt, and New Castle, New York. Located in the heart of the Lower Hudson Valley’s Hudson Hills and Highlands bioregion, Teatown is the largest nonprofit nature preserve in Westchester County. Teatown Lake Reservation’s mission is to conserve open space and to educate and involve the regional community in order to sustain the diversity of wildlife, plants and habitats for future generations. We are devoted to conserving biodiversity, teaching ecology and promoting nature-friendly living.

The Bridge Fund of Westchester is an innovative program whose motto is Prevention is the Best Cure for Homelessness. Its operation is unique in that it combines financial assistance (interest-free loans or grants of up to $2,500 per household) with intense budget counseling to families on the verge of losing their housing as a result of a sudden crisis, such as illness or job loss. Our staff receives referrals of working poor families and individuals in danger of losing their housing. The Bridge Fund helps to stabilize families in their housing by offering a combination of financial assistance (generally interest-free loans), budget counseling, advocacy and referrals. 171 E. Post Road, Room 200, White Plains, NY 10601. For more information, call 914-949-8146, email lbuck@thebridgefund.org, or visit www.thebridgefund.org.

The Dorough Lupus Foundation is an independent not-for-profit organization. Our goal is to educate and make the public aware of Lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system turns against the body and harms healthy cells and tissues. The Foundation also provides financial assistance to organizations in order to help those who live with Lupus that cannot afford treatment. The Foundation`s greatest desire is to make our organization the most well-known and compassionate Lupus Supporting group, while helping those who are affected by this very serious disease.  For more information email Catbestbsb@aol.comor visit www.DoroughLupusFoundation.org.

The Guidance Center is an innovative community-based nonprofit organization that promotes the well-being of individuals and families across Westchester County. From young children to senior citizens, The Guidance Center’s caring professional staff helps members of our community overcome psychological, social and cultural hurdles. Since 1942, The Guidance Center has developed six interconnected areas of program expertise – early childhood education, school-based programs, substance abuse treatment, vocational training, supported housing and mental health services – to help people of all ages learn, work and thrive.  The Guidance Center’s main office is located at 70 Grand Street, New Rochelle, NY 10801.  Contact us at 914.636.4440 or info@TheGuidanceCenter.org  More information is available on our website www.TheGuidanceCenter.org

A 501c3 nonprofit, the Hope for Change Foundation (HFC) was formed in January of 2003 to promote awareness and provide funding for breast cancer research. Based on the principle that increased knowledge of the disease strengthens the possibility of finding a cure, HFC supports theatrical programming as a means of education and offering aid to the organizations dedicated to such vital research. Through our organization, young and old alike are using their dramatic talents to make a difference. They give freely of their time so that somewhere, a woman might receive the same gift from her doctor. For more information, contact Alex Malecki, (914) 206-9617, P.O. Box 36, New Rochelle, NY 10804-0036. Email: info@hopeforchange.org or visit www.hopeforchange.org.

MHA promotes mental health through advocacy, community education and direct services. Our priority is individuals who have the greatest need and are least likely to access services. MHA’s services reflect a comprehensive, flexible and individualized approach for adults, families, and children – addressing mental health needs through support, recovery-oriented services and treatment.  MHA reaches out to families and individuals by providing services in their homes, nursing homes, homeless shelters and other community sites.  Volunteer opportunities include the Court Appointed Special Advocates Program, Long Term Care Ombudsman Program and Holiday Outreach. For more information about how MHA helps or to learn about volunteer opportunities, visit www.mhawestchester.org or contact us at development@mhawestchester.org or 914-345-5900.

For over 50 years, The Nature Conservancy has acted on behalf of a clear mission: to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. Today, the Conservancy works globally, protecting land in all 50 states and 27 countries. The Eastern NY Chapter of the Nature Conservancy owns and manages ten nature preserves in Westchester County. Our vision for the county is to maintain the high quality f living found here while encouraging development that is compatible with environmental wellbeing. We seek to preserve the legacy begun over fifty years ago at Mianus River Gorge and strive to instill The Nature Conservancy`s values in a new generation of nature lovers.  The Nature Conservancy, 265 Chestnut Ridge Road, Mount Kisco, NY 10549, 914.244.3271. Contact Marie at extension 22 for a free preserve guide.

Since 1980 the Northern Westchester Shelter has provided caring services to survivors of domestic violence. All services are free and confidential and include: a 24-hour hotline, a 16-bed shelter residence, counseling, legal services, support groups, community education programs, a comprehensive children`s program and an award-winning teen education program. If someone you know is living in fear of their partner, you can make a difference by letting them know about us. Call our 24-hour Hotline at (888) 438-8700.  Please check our website: www.northernwestchestershelter.org for more information and upcoming events. Contact: Gloria Sgrizzi, Dir. Of Development & Community Relations, PO Box 203, Pleasantville, NY 10570, (914) 747-0828, gsgrizzi@northernwestchestershelter.org.

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America® (PDFA) is a non-profit coalition of professionals from the communications industry. Through its national drug-education advertising campaign and other forms of media communication, the Partnership exists to help kids and teens reject substance abuse by influencing attitudes through persuasive information. To contact the Partnership: 405 Lexington Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10174. 212-922-1560. www.drugfree.org.

The PKD Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit and is the only organization world-wide dedicated solely to finding a cure for polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and advocating for those who are affected by it.  PKD affects 1 out of every 500 people; 600,000 in the United States alone.  It causes cysts to grow on the kidneys leading to kidney failure in both children and adults, and can also cause hypertension, aneurysms, and cysts in other organs.  There is no treatment or cure yet, but the PKD Foundation is working to change that.  On a local level, the Hudson Valley Chapter offers educational and support meetings throughout the year addressing the needs of both ARPKD and ADPKD families, holds several annual fundraisers, and takes part in advocacy efforts relating to the needs of PKD patients.  For more information contact HudsonValleyChapter@pkdcure.org or visit www.pkdcure.org/hudsonvalleychapter.

The Pound Ridge Theatre Company will celebrate our 25th anniversary in September 2011. We have been your source for excellence in community theatre since local residents founded the group in 1987. Each season we present two main stage productions and our free SECOND SUNDAY PLAY READING series every other month. Our home is Conant Hall, 257 Westchester Ave., Pound Ridge, a charming former church, and seating is cabaret style. Here friends and families can eat together and watch one of our stellar performances! Visit our website for details about our current season: www.prtc01.org or email us with your suggestions and comments: prtc01@yahoo.com  WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS. If you have a few hours, days, talents to give, please contact us by email. Sherry Asch, President, PRTC.

The Rye Arts Center, the largest not-for-profit community arts center in Westchester, serves more than thirty communities. We offer high-quality classes for all ages in a variety of artistic disciplines, including painting, drawing, clay, digital photography, film, writing, jewelry, theater, cartooning, fashion illustration, and architecture, as well as specialized music lessons in seventeen instruments. Our gallery exhibitions are free and open to the public, and we present several low-cost performing arts events throughout the year. We have extensive need-based outreach programs, and we conduct art education initiatives in area schools that reach more than six thousand students. The Rye Arts Center is located at 51 Milton Road, Rye, New York. For more information about our wide-ranging classes and programs, please call (914) 967-0700 or visit www.ryeartscenter.org.

The Sharing Shelf is a nonprofit norganization affiliated with Family Services of Westchester, which collects new and gently used children`s clothing and other basic children`s items, such as strollers, school supplies and car seats.  We distribute clothing to children in need at no cost to the children or their families.  Agencies, teachers, social workers, religious leaders, and others serving low income families may register with The Sharing Shelf to access our supplies for their clients.  The Sharing Shelf seeks donations of clothing and basic essentials for newborn through age 18.  We accept new or gently used clothing, pajamas, shoes, baby supplies, strollers, pack-n-plays, high chairs, unopened toys/diapers/wipes, bedding/linens, sheets, towels, blankets, new school or art supplies and backpacks, new or gently used children books, and coats, boots, hats and gloves in the winter.  Items donated should be gently used, please no rips, tears, holes, stains, etc.  To get involved or to make a donation, call 914.937.2320 x 148 or email thesharingshelf@gmail.com.

The SPCA of Westchester is an animal shelter that takes in both abandoned and abused animals, returns them to their owners when possible or adopts them into new homes if not. While following the philosophy that no adoptable animal will ever be euthanized, the SPCA contracts with 18 different municipalities to accept delivery of stray cats and dogs. Also dedicated to Cruelty Investigation and Intervention the SPCA works with the state of NY to enforce laws related to animal cruelty. The SPCA stands firm in its belief that low-cost veterinary care is essential to decrease the incidence of unwanted animals. Through the Simpson Clinic, the public is offered low-cost spay/neuter surgeries and vaccinations. The SPCA`s Golden Outreach Pet-Therapy Program partners with 65 healthcare facilities and coordinates volunteer/dog pet therapy visits with patients to help prevent loneliness and isolation. In order to help increase its animals chance for adoption into a loving home, the SPCA`s Lead the Way Volunteer Program depends on its many volunteers to walk and train shelter dogs, help in the socialization of its cats, as well as give love and attention to all of its animals. For more information on how to adopt, sponsor, or foster an animal, to make a donation, or to volunteer your time with the SPCA of Westchester, please visit www.spca914.com or call 914.941.2894.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2012, United Way of Westchester and Putnam works with agency partners, government, businesses and community leaders to solve problems too complex for any one entity alone. All contributions go toward improving the education, income, and health of children and families throughout the two counties. United Way`s Hudson Valley Region 2-1-1, covering Westchester and Putnam as well as Rockland and four counties to the north, answers up to 500 calls and 1,000 online inquiries per day ranging from tax, heating and mortgage questions to childcare, basic needs, natural disaster and crisis calls. UWWP is at 336 Central Park Ave., White Plains, N.Y. 10606. It can be reached at 914-997-6700 or www.uwwp.org.

Do you want to volunteer but don`t know where? The Volunteer Center works with individuals and groups of all ages to identify meaningful volunteer service projects. The Center keeps a listing of over 650 volunteer opportunities in Westchester and Putnam Counties and works with over 500 nonprofit agencies. Trained Placement Specialists work with each person to help them find the best volunteer placement based on skills, interests, age and location. The Volunteer Center has worked with many parents who wish to spend time with their children while also teaching them about their community. 80% of adults who volunteer, say they learned about service when they were a child, usually from a parent. Find out what you can do with your kids and change their lives forever. For an appointment with a Volunteer Placement Specialist by phone or in person call 1-866-VOL-CALL or search for opportunities on our website www.volunteer-center.org.

Two River Theater Company is a professional not-for-profit regional theater company providing outstanding plays and educational programs for audiences of central New Jersey and beyond. TRTC was founded in 1994 by Robert and Joan Rechnitz and over the past 15 seasons has grown into one of the most vital and dynamic arts organizations in the region. The company received “Theatre of the Year” awards from the New Jersey Theatre Alliance in 2006, and from The Star-Ledger in both 2006 and 2008. Two River Theater Company is a member of LORT (League of Resident Theatres), Theatre Communications Group and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance. Please view our website at www.trtc.org for more information.

Since 1914, Westchester Children`s Association has been the leading voice for our county`s children and youth. We find out what children need, make those needs known and see that they are met. Through research, public education and advocacy, WCA ensures that every child is healthy, safe, and prepared for life`s challenges.  Visit www.wca4kids.org for more information.

Imagine a unique learning space filled with creative, hands-on exhibitions and public programs where children can open their minds to the world around them.  The Westchester Children`s Museum will be a vibrant hands-on learning laboratory where children with their families, caregivers or teachers, can explore the history, arts, environment, and cultural diversity of their local and global communities, and most importantly, share experiences together. The Westchester Children`s Museum will be located in the historic landmark Bathhouses at Rye Playland. This unparalleled site, on the beaches of the Long Island Sound, provides 40,000 square feet of space for exhibitions, performances, public programs, and classrooms. The campaign to build the Westchester Children`s Museum is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create something of such lasting value for the children of this region. Your donations and your support will help turn this dream into a reality.  For information or to get involved, contact Patricia Hannum, Executive Director, office: 50 Main Street, White Plains, NY 10606, 914-421-5050, info@discoverWCM.org, or visit www.discoverWCM.org.

For more than 50 years, WIHD has played a critical role in the lives of children and adults with disabilities and their families. As one of only 67 University Centers of Excellence in the country, the Institute is committed to improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities and their families through research, education, and innovative services. WIHD programs focus on the development of children, the safety of vulnerable children, and the support of families and communities to promote the health and well-being of people of all ages.  Westchester Institute for Human Development, Cedarwood Hall, Valhalla, NY 10595, 914.493.8150, wihd@wihd.org, www.wihd.org

Founded just one year ago, The Westchester Italian Cultural Center is celebrating its one year milestone with a host of new art exhibitions; cooking classes, tastings and demonstrations; wine classes and tastings; language classes; film showings; and a full schedule of other public events and programs. Located at One Generoso Pope Place in Tuckahoe, NY in a majestic, neoclassical building – the Westchester Italian Cultural Center is open to the public daily and offers everyone a rare opportunity to “travel” to a charming Italian village without packing a suitcase.  Westchester Italian Cultural Center, One Generoso Pope Place, Tuckahoe, New York 10707, (914) 771-8700, info@wiccny.org, www.wiccny.org

Founded in 1988, The Westchester Land Trust (WLT) is dedicated to protecting open space and promoting responsible land use throughout Westchester County, New York. The WLT protects Westchester`s landscapes, communities, and natural resources by: protecting land in partnership with private property owners, helping communities create new public preserves, and fostering sound land use planning rules. The Trust accomplishes its mission by acquiring land and interests in land, by promoting land protection, and by educating the public in land use preservation approaches and issues. For more information, please go to our web site at www.westchesterlandtrust.org.

We build strong kids, strong families, and strong communities through a variety of programs and classes including fitness, aquatics, sports, camp, and child care services. As a charitable organization we welcome all people regardless of age, race, religion, or economic status. Our annual Strong Kid`s fund raising campaign helps us to offer our services regardless of the ability to pay. We are located at 250 Mamaroneck Ave. in White Plains, New York. Please call us at 914-949-8030, visit our website at www.ymca-cnw.org, or e-mail mgarcia@ymca-cnw.org for more information.

The White Plains Public Library provides varied services to the people of White Plains and Westchester County. Librarians with Master’s degrees help with research, reading suggestions and opportunities for life-long learning. The White Plains Library Foundation was incorporated in 1995 to raise funds to help meet the long-range goals of the White Plains Public Library. Following its amazing success with The Trove children’s library, White Plains Public Library is taking the next step and create distinctive space and services for teens (“The Edge”). The White Plains Library Foundation has agreed to raise 100% of the funding needed! To donate please visit www.whiteplainslibrary.org

The vision of the Yonkers Early Childhood Initiative is that young children in Yonkers will be born healthy, supported by their families and communities so that they maintain good health, enter school ready to learn, and achieve their developmental potential. Our mission is to increase community awareness about the needs of young children; and to enhance the well-being of children by building a community that provides support, safety and respect for its children and their families. 1156 North Broadway, Yonkers, NY 10701. 914-965-3700 ext. 1282(Lorelei Vargas) or 1250 (Tomia Wooten) or email lvargas@jdam.org or twooten@jdam.org. Web Site Address: www.andruschildren.org