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Community Corner

'SHOP 'TILL YOU DROP' for the Westchester Coalition for the Hungry and Homeless

Shoppers looking to share special gifts with loved ones, friends, and co-workers can now simultaneously shop and help the hungry and homeless in Westchester County, thanks to an exciting shopping event “Shop ‘till You Drop” being spearheaded by the Westchester Coalition for the Hungry and Homeless (WCHH), a leading organization advocating for Westchester’s neediest residents. The special shopping event will be held December 5, 2013 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Chappaqua Crossing, 480 Bedford Road, Chappaqua, New York. A portion of the proceeds will fund operations and programs provided by WCHH, many of which were gutted by government funding cuts.  A dozen vendors from leading shops and boutiques like Neiman Marcus will be selling some of the season’s hottest gifts.

“This special holiday sale is a wonderful way to simultaneously address both holiday shopping and to help the neediest families in Westchester County,” says Jeanne Blum, executive director of WCHH. “Our goal is to help make holiday shopping fun and to make holiday giving effortless,” she adds.

In Westchester County, the rise in unemployment and underemployment among the middle class has become a serious issue. Middle class families, who are stuck in homes they can no longer afford, have too many assets to qualify for food stamps, eviction prevention programs, and other safety net programs like Medicaid. Even though Westchester County now has more children in homeless shelters per capita than New York City, safety-net funding was slashed by the Federal Government in 2013.

Food pantries are seeing steady increases of families and individuals who are either hungry or “food insecure.”  The pantries are now regularly feeding families from affluent areas like Bedford, Chappaqua, Scarsdale, and Briarcliff Manor, according to the Westchester County Department of Social Services.

“Many families from affluent communities are accessing food pantries in other parts of the county or in the cover of night, to avoid the embarrassment of being seen by their friends and neighbors. We’re here to tell them that it’s OK and help is on the way, thanks in part to the efforts of this special holiday sale,” says Bonnie Koff, the popular realtor and WCHH Board member spearheading the shopping event.

A dozen vendors—including Neiman Marcus—will be displaying some of this year’s hottest gift items at the December 5 sale. Koff says shoppers can pick up everything from the latest fashion accessories, to the hottest gift items.  A $15 admission fee applies and refreshments will be served.

“We know that just about everyone holiday shops. This year, we just ask that you shop with us to help the WCHH help the neediest in our communities,” adds Koff.

DETAILS:

Special Holiday Sale Benefitting WCHH

Thursday, December 5, 2013 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Chappaqua Crossing - 480 Bedford Road - Chappaqua, New York

$15 entrance fee. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the WCHH.

The Westchester Coalition for the Hungry and Homeless is a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit organization serving as an advocacy and fundraising arm for its more than 150 member shelters and food pantries in Westchester County, New York.  Additionally, WCHH provides funding and technical assistance to shelters and pantries throughout the county.  Individuals and families seeking assistance or those wishing to make a tax-free donation, should visit WCHH’s Web site www.westchestercoalition.org.



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