Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins’ Angel Project, an annual holiday gift drive for grandparents serving as primary caregivers for their grandchildren, brought festive cheer to a record 207 families this holiday season. The initiative, now in its ninth year, continues to honor the tireless efforts of these grandparents by spreading joy and appreciation during the holidays.
At this year’s Angel Project holiday luncheon, held at Yonkers’ Castle Royale, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins shared, “The Angel Project is our way of showing gratitude to the unsung heroes in our communities—grandparents who selflessly step up to raise their grandchildren. This small gesture of thanks reflects the immense appreciation we have for their love and dedication. It’s truly heartwarming to witness so many ‘angels’ come together to make a difference.”
Senator Stewart-Cousins added, “This luncheon celebrates all our ‘angels’— both those who give of themselves every day as caregivers and those who generously bring holiday cheer to families who might otherwise go without it.”
The Angel Project was founded by Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins to fill a gap in holiday programs, which often focus on children but overlook the grandparents who sacrifice so much to provide for them. Many of these grandparents live on fixed incomes and prioritize their grandchildren’s needs above their own. This year, 151 generous “angels” fulfilled grandparents’ holiday wish lists, providing much-needed gifts and holiday spirit.
“It’s great to be here with other people in your situation, to know you’re not the only one facing these challenges, and get this recognition for what we are going through,” said grandparent Alejo Torres of Yonkers. “Thank you so much to Sen. Stewart-Cousins for this event, and for all you do.”
“This is our third year participating in the Angel Project but our first time coming to the luncheon, and it’s been wonderful,” said donor angel Jeanne Newman. “My husband and I are grandparents ourselves, and we wanted to support other grandparents who are raising their grandchildren. We can’t imagine not doing what these grandparents do – if we ever found ourselves in a similar situation, we would do the same for our family.”
The success of this year’s Angel Project was made possible through the invaluable support of partner organizations. Family Service Society of Yonkers, Family Ties of Westchester, New Rochelle Housing Authority, Westchester County Department of Social Services, and the Yonkers YWCA all collaborated with Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins to identify grandparents in need and ensure the timely distribution of gifts.
