County Executive George Latimer, left, with DSS Commisioner Leonard Townes, Gift Drive Founder Barbara Sabater, Deputy County Exec. Ken Jenkins
You can help brighten the holiday season for some of Westchester’s most vulnerable children by taking part in Westchester County’s Annual Holiday Gift Drive.
The Drive, which kicked off Tuesday, November 14, provides holiday gifts to around 1,000 children in Westchester in foster care, in the homeless shelters and receiving preventive and protective services.
New, unwrapped gifts appropriate for ages from newborns to 21 (please no stuffed animals or violent toys), can be dropped off at six locations throughout the County. In addition, monetary donations may be made by check or via Zelle.
Gifts will be collected at drop boxes through Friday, December 15. At a special event on Tuesday, County Executive George Latimer joined Department of Social Services Commissioner Leonard Townes and Gift Drive founder Barbara Sabater in dropping the season’s first gifts into the donation box at the County Office Building.
County Executive George Latimer said: “A holiday gift is more than just a toy, it’s a message of love and support and caring. Every child deserves to know that they’re loved, especially during the holidays. A gift that lets children in foster care, homeless children and children in the child welfare system know that someone cares is more than a one-day gift. It’s a reminder that the world is not just a tough and challenging place, but a loving and welcoming one too. I urge everyone who is able to join in to participate in this Gift Drive.”
DSS Commissioner Leonard Townes said: “The Gift Drive is a special occasion that brings joy to the work we do. Bringing smiles to the faces of the County’s most vulnerable children is one of the greatest rewards of this work. For a child facing the stress of foster care or homelessness, unwrapping a holiday gift provides a moment of joy which reflects the true meaning and purpose of the season.”
Barbara Sabater, Program Coordinator of Constituent Affairs, Westchester County Departments of Social Services, who founded the Gift Drive in 2005, said: “The Gift Drive is a great opportunity for scout groups and school groups and civic organizations looking for a community service project who want to organize their own mini-drives to collect gifts they can donate. And if they don’t have time to get to one of our drop box locations, they can also make monetary donations.”
