October 28, 2015
Rye Y members rallied to support families throughout Westchester County during a recent children’s clothing drive for The Sharing Shelf in Port Chester. Organized by the Y’s Togetherhood Committee, the project gave members the opportunity to donate seasonal clothing for babies, children and teens and to volunteer during a day of service at The Sharing Shelf’s warehouse.
The Sharing Shelf is a program of Family Services of Westchester. The volunteer-run organization collects new and gently-used children’s clothing for ages 0-17 and distributes it at no cost to children in need through social service agencies, teachers and others. Togetherhood is a national YMCA social responsibility initiative that engages Y members in community service.
“Like the Rye Y, the Sharing Shelf makes a real difference in the lives of families and children,” remarked Kat Doyle, chairperson of the Togetherhood committee. “This project brought families together in service, raised awareness about The Sharing Shelf’s important work, and demonstrated our Y’s commitment to the communities we serve.”
From October 13-18, Rye Y members repeatedly filled two large boxes in the Y’s lobby with fall and winter clothing. By the end of the drive, the Y had collected everything from baby’s shoes to winter jackets, from boy’s jeans to girls’ dresses, filling three large SUVs with the donations.
On the morning of Saturday, October 17, a group of Rye Y members—12 adults and 8 teenage girls—arrived at The Sharing Shelf’s warehouse ready to roll up their sleeves and help sort and organize the vast amount of donated clothing that passes through the facility.
Togetherhood Committee member Patty Mosher led the project. She observed “We’re grateful to all of the Y members who donated clothing, promoted the drive and gave their time and energy to help others. They embodied the true spirit of Togetherhood.” For more information about the Rye Y’s Togetherhood program, contact Denise Woodin at 914-967-6363 or denisewoodin@ryeymca.org.
For more information about The Sharing Shelf, contact Deborah Blatt at thesharingshelf@fsw.org
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