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Recent News

Grants of $356,600 to Westchester Organizations
Westchester Community Foundation has made seventeen grants totaling $356,600 to local agencies.  “We are so proud to be able to fund programs at these wonderful agencies,” said Catherine Marsh, WCF’s Executive Director. “A key goal of the foundation is to bring together philanthropists and organizations that serve the community—the vetting process in awarding these grants assures our donors that their support is being used in the best way possible.” In early 2009’s economic downturn, the Westchester Community Foundation’s Board of Advisors voted to direct any funds possible (those not restricted by donors) to critical needs in the county, notably food, shelter, and safety.
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Stephanie Crispinelli Fund Established
The family of Stephanie Crispinelli has established the Stephanie Crispinelli Humanitarian Fund in her memory. Stephanie was one of a group of students and faculty from Lynn University of Boca Raton, Florida, who had just arrived in Haiti when the earthquake struck on January 12, 2010. The group was there to participate in the "Journey of Hope" program with the nonprofit organization Food for the Poor. This Fund will continue Stephanie's legacy of caring and giving by supporting charitable, educational and scientific projects.  Donations may be made to: The Stephanie Crispinelli Humanitarian Fund, Westchester Community Foundation, 200 North Central Park Ave, Suite 310, Hartsdale, NY 10530.
 
2010 Grants Opportunities
The Competitive Grants Process for 2010 has been announced.  Click here for more details.
 
Crossing the Digital Divide: Infusing Technology in the Everyday Life of Older Adults PDF Print E-mail
The United Hebrew Geriatric Center in New Rochelle has a new computer lab designed, installed, and maintained by students at Westchester Community College. Here older adults, each with his or her own instructor, learn how to use the computer with the help of college students enrolled in Pace University’s Intergenerational Computing course.

With patience and understanding of seniors’ unique sensory challenges, the Pace students teach their elderly charges how to send and receive emails, use Google searches, and research topics of interest in the vast landscape of the internet. The Pace students gain first-hand knowledge of the challenges of growing older, as well as an introduction to the emerging field of gerontechnology.

But the computer classes serve another purpose: While the seniors learn practical computer usage, they also experience brain exercises designed to help researchers understand how technology can improve cognitive functioning in the elderly. Current research is supported through a grant from the Westchester Community Foundation to The Westchester Alliance of Academic Institutes for Aging Related Studies and Workforce Development, a program of the Westchester Public/Private Partnership for Aging Services. http://westches2.ipower.com/index.html.

On December 1, 2008, the program learned it had received the American Society on Aging’s MetLife MindAlert Award for the General Mental Fitness category. The MindAlert Award program recognizes innovation in mental fitness programming for older adults. http://www.asaging.org/asav2/mindalert/

The Westchester Community Foundation congratulates all of the senior learners, the Westchester Community College, and Pace University students, who are participants in the program, as well as Professor Jean Coppola of Pace University, Professor Barbara Thomas of Westchester Community College, Linda Forman of United Hebrew Geriatric Center, and Colette Phipps, Research Analyst with the Public/Private Partnership for Aging Services.