We are pleased to announce that on Tuesday, February 24th, 2015, Family Services of Westchester (FSW), along with more than 100 local dignitaries, supporters and guests celebrated the culmination of a goal set years ago–to bring a state-of-the-art intergenerational facility to White Plains–with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the new Lanza Family Center for All Ages.

We are so grateful for your generous support in our capital campaign, which enabled us to reach this exciting moment.

Several speakers addressed the crowd prior to the ribbon cutting, including White Plains Mayor Tom Roach, Deputy County Executive Kevin Plunkett, Susan B. Wayne, President/CEO of FSW and Nick Wolff, Chairman of the Board of Directors. Also on hand were Rebecca Lippel, FSW’s Director of the Lanza Family Center for All Ages, other FSW staff and Board members as well as many of our new neighbors, who graciously welcomed us to the community.

Following the official ribbon cutting, guests were given an opportunity to tour the facility, including the The Marjorie and Richard Dammann Youth Wing, named after the founders of FSW, and The Sperling Family Adult Wing. Those in attendance, including many of the donors whose support enabled this project to succeed, were impressed by the care that was taken in designing a facility to meet the unique needs of each population. As Susan Wayne remarked at the event, “Our only regret is that Pat Lanza, whose $1 million challenge grant enabled us to embark on this project, did not live to see her vision become reality.” Mrs. Lanza passed away in March 2014.

The Center, modeled after My Second Home, FSW’s award-winning intergenerational program in Mt. Kisco, will bring children, teens and seniors together at one site to participate in programs, share experiences and benefit from one another, just as they would in a family setting. Programming at the center will include adult day services with caregiver support, early childhood education, and a home base for FSW’s many youth development programs. Importantly, the Center will include spaces where the diverse age groups will interact during planned intergenerational activities as well as through informal encounters throughout the day. Together, children, teens and older adults will enjoy gardening, sharing meals, singing songs, cooking side-by-side, and participating in special events that allow them to break down age barriers and form lasting impressions and enrich each other’s lives.

The Ribbon Cutting ceremony was also the perfect time to launch the latest phase in our fundraising efforts, the Buy-A-Brick Campaign. We welcome you to visit our website for detailed information about the campaign and encourage you to invest in FSW’s path to the future by purchasing a piece of the path to the Lanza Family Center for All Ages.

Now that the ribbon is officially cut, we invite you to come visit the new Center for All Ages! We are happy to arrange a private tour and would love for you to see our incredible new space. To arrange a visit please contact Courtney Rabb, Vice President for Development and External Affairs, at 914-305-6836 or crabb@fsw.org.

Yonkers, New York – January 24, 2013 –

Family Service Society of Yonkers (FSSY) and JCY-Westchester Community Partners (JCY-WCP) have announced the merger of their respective Yonkers-based nonprofit organizations. Building upon wide community support, FSSY and JCY-WCP are joining forces to expand their programs and serve an increased number of individuals and families throughout Westchester County. JCY-Westchester Community Partners will become a major division of FSSY.

“JCY-Westchester Community Partners, Westchester County’s leader in intergenerational literacy volunteer programming, and Family Service Society of Yonkers, a major provider of a range of human services, including home health care and diverse family supports, are coming together to build on the synergistic effect of their organizational strengths,” announced Stanton C. Selbst, Board President of JCY-Westchester Community Partners.

“Our two organizations, having complementary missions and having worked together for many years, believe that this important step will result in the increased impact of our respective programs, as well as in greater administrative efficiencies, among other advantages,” added Thomas J. McSpedon, Board President of Family Service Society of Yonkers.

“Every program currently offered by our two organizations will continue,” affirmed Seth Berman, Executive Director of FSSY. “In fact, it is anticipated that additional programming will be created as new opportunities and sources of support are identified.”

According to Janice Lubin Kirschner, Executive Director of JCY-WCP, each organization will retain its identity and programmatic leadership in their respective areas of focus, while combining their operations. JCY-WCP’s Holocaust Remembrance and other Jewish programs will continue as they have in years past. Importantly, JCY-WCP will remain the contact point for the Yonkers’ Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Jewish Affairs.

“Because our goal in joining forces is to strengthen existing programs and establish new initiatives, there will be no reduction in staffing,” stated Berman. “Furthermore, the Board of JCY-Westchester Community Partners will continue to provide oversight of programs and fundraising activities on an advisory basis. Two members of their Board will also become full voting members of the FSSY Board.”

“We’re very encouraged by the way community leaders and those who are providing financial support to our two organizations have responded to our decision to join forces,” said Lubin Kirschner. “They have been critically important partners in each organization’s success to this point, and we look forward to strengthening these relationships as the new structural arrangement is implemented.”

The staff of JCY-WCP will relocate to 30 South Broadway in Yonkers, the site of FSSY’s administrative offices, in the near future.

About JCY-Westchester Community Partners
JCY-Westchester Community Partners, which was founded in 1919, currently works to enhance the educational experience of children in Westchester County through effective learning initiatives and the engagement of volunteer mentors.

About Family Service Society of Yonkers
Family Service Society of Yonkers has served Westchester County for 130 years. Its mission is to be the premier provider of human services through a range of programs focusing on home health care, diverse family supports, guardianship and advocacy for individuals and families, which will enhance their quality of life.