Tradition of Helping Those in Need Continues
While the global pandemic has put a damper on holiday celebrations around the country, those who are hit the hardest are the less fortunate. While everyone makes do with a smaller gathering, there will still be meals to enjoy and gifts to mark the most bizarre Christmas we have ever experienced. For many of the less fortunate across Westchester County, COVID is devastating on many levels: overall health, food availability, mental health, and so much more.
Westchester’s Christmas Dinner (a 501(c)3 organization) operates year round, usually culminating with a Christmas celebration for approximately 300 replete with a full meal, gifts, entertainment, and lively company to those who need it the most. Working with shelters and Community Centers across Westchester County, NY, Christmas is made special due to the continuous work of a team of volunteers collecting donations of food, gifts, and gently used clothing along with hundreds of volunteers on Christmas Day who help cook and serve the food, “elves” that discover and grant wish lists, singers, and of course, a visit from Santa Claus.
In 2020 the look of the Christmas Dinner will be a bit different but the spirit is the same: make Christmas special for those who need it the most. Working with the Northern Westchester Community Center to identify guests who would benefit from a home visit, the team got to work calling guests, asking for a wish list, shopping (albeit remotely), and organizing food, which will be provided by Village Social in Mt. Kisco. On Christmas, drivers will deliver the food and gifts to each guest safely (masked and gloved) and leave at their door for the most memorable celebration possible.
“Our guests look forward to attending the dinner every year. In a wholly devastating year, it’s critical to make sure our guests are taken care of and that meant bringing the holiday celebration to them. Although we can’t see all 300 guests, we are able to deliver cheer to 60 families and 20 homebound seniors around the area chosen by the Northern Westchester Community Center,” explains Jamer Breene, Board President. Lauren Torre, Board Vice President states, “We expect to be back next year operating on our regular schedule. This pivot has demonstrated how caring our Westchester community is with a record number of donations and volunteers from all over the county. It’s humbling and inspiring.”
On Christmas Day beginning at 10:00 AM volunteers will line up at St. Mary’s school in Katonah, NY to load up with gifts and food and deliver them to the families. Each family will be called upon arrival and the delivery will be complete. The guests have expressed pure joy and gratitude, “This is so amazing that you didn’t forget about us,” – Merla, Bedford Hills. “You can not imagine how this is helping our family,” Lizette, Ossining. “I can’t believe I was chosen to receive a meal and a coat. God bless you,” Ana, Armonk.
“We knew as soon as Covid hit that the Dinner would look different this year. But we also knew that we would be making a difference in people’s holiday and continuing to spread joy throughout the season,” says Ben Harvey, Board Treasurer.
