JCC of Mid-Westchester Plans A Day of Chesed (kindness), Service and Remembrance for September 15

The JCC of Mid-Westchester will welcome members of the community on Sunday, September 15, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., as part of the National Day of Service and Remembrance to mark the 12th anniversary of the 9/11 attack. This is a county-wide event and all members of the community are invited to come out and donate items for these drives and/or participate in numerous charitable activities taking place that day for people of all ages and interests.

A number of activities that will benefit more than 20 local agencies will take place; a bone marrow drive with the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation, a pet adoption and pet toys collection with PetRescue, a microwaveable meal/snack drive for AnySoldier, which sends packages to troops, hair donations for Locks of Love, a blood drive to benefit the blood bank at White Plains Hospital, a Sukkot Holiday Package program (DOROT Westchester), a children's clothing drive by Kids Kloset, a teen clothing/suitcase drive to benefit the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services (JBFCS), school- and art-supply collection to aid Jewish Child Care Association (JCCA), a pasta/cereal collection for Bronx Jewish Community Council, a canned tuna collection to benefit Hope Community Services, which provides meals for the hungry in New Rochelle, and new pillow donations for Life Haven Shelter.

As a day of service for families with children of all ages, there will be service activities for the youngest set, including Child-Friendly Tzedakah Art Projects, Chanukah Dinner Favor Making for Bronx Jewish Community Council Clients, Sukkot Decoration Making for Hebrew Home Residents, Caring Quilt project to create a "square of care" for a paper quilt for Ronald McDonald House, and Tzedekah Box Decorating.
The event is FREE of charge and begins at 10 a.m. At 12:30 p.m., there will be a community ribbon-cutting for the new Karen Spar Kasner Play Center for the JCC's Nursery School. A remembrance program will take place at 1:00 p.m., featuring elected officials and community leaders. There will also be intergenerational activities, which include organized sports activities from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., a family swim in the JCC pool from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m., and a concert by Westchester Klezmer Group from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. In addition to the age-appropriate art activities for young children, there will be teen service projects 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The Jewish Community Center of Mid-Westchester, a proud beneficiary of UJA-Federation of New York, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the community by providing cultural, social, educational and recreational/fitness programs, human services and Jewish identity-building opportunities to people of all ages and backgrounds without regard to race or religion. Visit www.jccmw.org for more information about the JCC of Mid-Westchester and class schedules.