Youth Community Fund Awards Two Grants to Local Organizations
By Spencer Blumenreich
May 19, 2021: On Sunday, April 18, the Youth Community Fund of Bronxville, Eastchester, and Tuckahoe (YCF), a program for high school students to participate in local philanthropy, held its annual grant award meeting. YCF participants raised $8,000 during the school year to provide two $4,000 grants to local non-profit organizations serving youth in the local communities. Five grants were presented and voted upon by YCF members. The winning applications were the Bereavement Center of Westchester's Tree House program and Bundles of Joy.
The two organizations awarded grants provide unique and important services to children in our local community. The Bereavement Center provides counseling to help families grieve after the death of a loved one. The Tree House program focuses on helping children talk through their trauma and has been in existence since 1995. The program's goal is to ensure that each child works through their grief and heals.
Anne-Marie Conlan, Executive Director of The Bereavement Center, stated, "BCW Tree House program is so grateful to be the recipient of the BET Youth Community Fund grant. It was such a pleasure to have the opportunity to explain our program and organization to these poised and professional young adults. Thank you for choosing the Tree House program and for your commitment and diligence throughout the process."
Bundles of Joy's mission is to provide essentials to babies, toddlers, and new parents in critical need. Through community drives and donations, Bundles of Joy helps low-income parents adapt to parenthood by providing clothing, diapers, and other necessities for their children. It provides those in need with these supplies for no cost. The program has had a great impact on those struggling to provide for their children.
Regarding their YCF grant, Adrienne Harper, Founder & Executive Director, stated, "Bundles of Joy depends on its surrounding community to not only take an interest in our mission but to actually put in the work, and that's what the Youth Community Fund does. We are incredibly grateful that the committee sees value in our purpose and is interested in sticking around to make great things happen. We couldn't have asked for a better partnership."
This is the second year of the YCF, a branch of the long-running Community Fund of Bronxville, Eastchester, and Tuckahoe. The YCF's motto is "youth serving youth." Currently, the YCF has over 100 high school-aged members from the BET community who participate in community service and fundraising.
The Evaluation chair, Spencer Blumenreich, along with co-chairs Molly Stoltz and Connor Huang, solicited local agencies in the Bronxville, Eastchester, and Tuckahoe area who provide services to youth to submit grant applications. Once the grant applications were submitted, students from the YCF Leadership and Evaluation teams met with a member of the non-profit over Zoom. The students conducted an interview and reviewed the application to decide if the grant was worth funding.
They looked at several factors in their evaluations, including how the $4,000 would be used, what kind of impact the grant would have, and if the organization was "reliable." They also examined if COVID had negatively impacted the organization or if the program was new. Each group then presented its findings to the entire YCF at the April meeting. The YCF then voted on which two organizations would get grants.
YCF members expressed that the overall experience was "a great one." One member said, "We learned about needs in our community, and each one of us helped to have an impact. Every member of YCF played a different role at some point during the year, which ultimately led to this successful year. We encourage any high school student who resides within Bronxville, Eastchester, and Tuckahoe to visit www.thecommunityfund.org to apply to join for the 2021-22 school year!"
Pictured: Members of Youth Community Fund and Bundles of Joy
Photo courtesy Youth Community Fund
Editor's note: As a public service, MyhometownBronxville publishes articles from local institutions, officeholders, and individuals. MyhometownBronxville does not fact-check statements therein, and any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the thinking of its staff.
Community Service Organizations Directory
Bronxville Beautification Council
Organized in 1982 and incorporated in 1993, the Bronxville Beautification Council (BBC) is a not for profit organization administered by a Board of Directors. Its mission is to enhance and maintain the natural and man-made beauty of Bronxville Village, with emphasis on the downtown business district of Bronxville. The BBC uses the dollars raised in its annual spring solicitation letter to residents to fund the mum, tulip and summer flower plantings downtown and at traffic intersections, as well as the summer hanging baskets. Every few years the group spearheads such major endeavors as the renovation of Leonard Morange Square on the west side of the railroad tracks and the beautification of the Lawrence Hospital traffic circle, which included the addition of plants and the building of the fountain that now makes a gracious western portal to our town. The BBC also works with other civic groups to monitor the aesthetics of retail signage, the consistency of sidewalk materials, and litter and graffiti. During Beautify Bronxville Week, the BBC sponsors a poetry reading and works with Scout groups on the annual village clean-up.
Bronxville Beautification Council
PO Box 127
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-779-6123
Bronxville Boy Scouts
The village of Bronxville has a long tradition of scouting. “The troops and packs of Bronxville have maintained the finest scouting organizations and have taught the boys of the Bronxville area to be leaders and outstanding members of the local, national and global communities.”
There are several Boy Scout Troops in Bronxville, including Troops 1, 2, 4, and 5.
Bronxvillle Girls Scouts
The Girls Scouts is “the world’s preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls where, in an accepting and nurturing environment, girls build character and skills for success in the real world.” In Girl Scouts, “girls discover the fun, friendship and power of girls together. Through the many enriching experiences provided by Girl Scouts, they can grow courageous and strong.”
Bronxville Historical Conservancy
The Bronxville Historical Conservancy was founded in 1998 to further the understanding and appreciation of the history and current life of the village. The Conservancy furthers its mission through the presentation of programs, publications, lectures and special events that foster an awareness of the village's architectural, artistic and cultural heritage, and lends its support for projects designed to strengthen and preserve those legacies. Anyone who is interested in the Bronxville and its history can become a member; varying levels of membership are available.
Bronxville Historical Conservancy
PO Box 989
Bronxville, New York 10708
http://bronxvillehistoricalconservancy.org/
Bronxville School Foundation
The Bronxville School Foundation, founded in 1991, is a non-profit organization independent from the school with the sole purpose of supporting the school. The Foundation raises money each year through donations from school families, community members, and alumni, among others.These contributions fund grants that provide cutting-edge technology, innovative programs and curriculum and other resources that are beyond the scope of public school funding.
177 Pondfield Road
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-395-0515
https://www.bronxvilleschoolfoundation.org/
Bronxville Women’s Club
The Bronxville Women’s Club offers lectures, exhibits and concerts. It also has a beautiful clubhouse which is available for rental for events.
135 Midland Avenue
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-337-3252
www.bronxvillewomensclub.org
Bronxville Youth Council
The Bronxville Youth Council provides volunteer and leadership opportunities for high school students in the village of Bronxville.
177 Pondfield Road
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-395-0500 ext 1789
Counseling Center
Founded in 1971, the mission of the Counseling Center “is to provide a wide range of psychotherapeutic and counseling services to individuals, couples and families by a staff of highly trained, experience and dedicated psychotherapists.
The Counseling Center
180 Pondfield Road
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-793-3388
www.counselingcenter.org
Community Fund of Bronxville, Eastchester & Tuckahoe
The mission of the Community Fund is “to support broad social services in Bronxville 10708, Eastchester and Tuckahoe through grants and technical support to local agencies and community projects. All money raised here in our community stays here in our community.”
15 Park Place
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-337-8808
www.thecommunityfund.org
Friends of the Bronxville Library
The Friends of the Bronxville Library is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to focus attention on the “Library’s services, facilities and needs” as well as sponsor projects and provide materials that are beyond the reach of the Library’s regular budget and perform other services.
Junior League of Bronxville
The Junior League of Bronxville is “an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and to improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.”
Rotary Club of Bronxville
The mission of the Rotary Club of Bronxville is to “encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and to encourage and foster (1) the development of friendships within the community as an opportunity for service, (2) high ethical standards in business and professions, (3) the application of the ideal of service of each member to his personal and business and community life and (4) the advancement of international understanding, good will and peace through a world fellowship.”
Senior Citizens of Bronxville
Senior Citizens of Bronxville is a not-for-profit organization that provides services and programs to seniors within the 10708 zip code area. “Programs cover a wide range of activities from educational seminars and cultural enrichment, to community services, bridge classes and exercise.”
Community Service Organizations Recent Articles
Quick Links
Newsletter
MyhometownBroxnville reserves the right to monitor and remove all comments. For more information on Posting Rules, please review our Rules and Terms of Use, both of which govern the use and access of this site. Thank you.
The information presented here is for informational purposes only. While every effort has been made to present accurate information, myhometownBronxville, LLC, does not in any way accept responsibility for the accuracy of or consequences from the use of this information herein. We urge all users to independently confirm any information provided herein and consult with an appropriate professional concerning any material issue of fact or law. The views and opinions expressed by the writers, event organizers and advertisers do not necessarily represent those of myhometownBronxville, LLC, its officers, staff or contributors. The use of this website is governed by the Terms of Use . No portion of this publication may be reproduced or redistributed, either in whole or part, without the express written consent of the publisher.
Copyright © 2009 myhometownbronxville.com, All rights reserved.