get involved Archives - Westchester Jewish Community Services

20th Annual WJCS Have a Heart for the Holidays Luncheon
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20th Annual WJCS Have a Heart for the Holidays Luncheon

Miriam Arond2025-12-03T12:41:28-05:00November 20th, 2025|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, General|Tags: have a heart for the holidays luncheon, gift drive, have a heart, get involved, Linda Plattus|

Scarsdale resident and Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS) Board member Linda Plattus hosted her 20th annual luncheon, along with WJCS Board Members Sarah Kayle and Nina Ross; NextGen Council Members Yael Friedland and Samantha Stavis; and Host Committee Michelle Dinenberg, Poornima Eber, Allison Friedland, Fara Friedman, Jennifer Galeon, Jessica Levinson, Jessica Eckhaus Modell, and Robin Silk on November 19. The luncheon raised over $10,000 and more than 250 toys have been collected so far. Local community groups are expected to collect close to 1,000 more toys in the next few weeks. Gifts will be distributed to WJCS ...

April is National Volunteer Month
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April is National Volunteer Month

Miriam Arond2025-04-25T14:42:29-04:00April 25th, 2025|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal, General|Tags: volunteer opportunities, get involved, national volunteer month, volunteer|

April is National Volunteer Month. All of us at WJCS are deeply indebted to our amazing crew of over 200 volunteers, who help our programs and participants grow and flourish. On behalf of all of our WJCS staff, thank you for the time and effort you dedicate to volunteering for our agency. Our volunteer corps plays an essential role in ensuring that our agency fulfills its mission to help people of all ages and backgrounds overcome emotional, social, educational, vocational, disability, and spiritual challenges. Our volunteers play an important role in helping our clients lead lives with strength, resilience, and ...

Volunteering: An Antidote to the Epidemic of Loneliness
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Volunteering: An Antidote to the Epidemic of Loneliness

Miriam Arond2024-09-06T11:45:16-04:00September 6th, 2024|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage|Tags: get involved, loneliness, volunteer|

A recent article in the New York Times reported on the skyrocketing rates of loneliness, citing various studies, including one conducted by the American Psychiatric Association that found 25 percent of American residents are lonelier today than they were before the pandemic, as well as the decision by the World Health Organization to make loneliness an official global public health concern. The negative impact of loneliness is not just emotional. Studies have correlated feelings of loneliness with an increased risk of depression and, among seniors, loneliness has been linked with cardiovascular disease, dementia, declines in motor functions, and frailty. ...

Volunteer Spotlight: Murray Forseter
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Volunteer Spotlight: Murray Forseter

Miriam Arond2024-11-01T16:17:33-04:00August 23rd, 2024|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, General|Tags: murray forseter, meal delivery, get involved, volunteer, Westchester|

1,600 home-delivered meals to seniors! That is the astounding number of meals WJCS Murray Forseter estimates he has delivered to senior residents in Yonkers, Scarsdale, Mount Vernon, White Plains, and Hartsdale since he began volunteering in the WJCS senior food program 15 years ago. Murray began volunteering at WJCS after retiring from a successful career in publishing in 2009. Now, 75, he made his last food delivery on June 26th and marked the milestone by publishing a post, entitled “Delivering Food to the Greatest Generation,” on his blog called No Socks Needed Anymore. In his post, Murray shares stories ...

August is National Make-A-Will Month
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August is National Make-A-Will Month

Miriam Arond2024-07-30T12:59:41-04:00August 1st, 2024|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage|Tags: make a will, make a will month, legacy giving, estate planning, bequest, ways to give, personal giving, get involved|

This August we’re observing National Make-A-Will Month, and we invite you to create your own free will, and include a gift to WJCS. It’s a simple act of caring that protects your loved ones and continues your legacy of support to help the most vulnerable people in Westchester. In just 20 minutes of time, you can plan for your future, strengthen our programs and services for more than 20,000 people, and create a better Westchester for future generations. Click here for our free estate planning tool. Have questions about legacy planning? Please contact Jennifer Kaplan, Director of Development, at [email protected]; 914-761-0600 ...