Every Child Healthy, Safe And Prepared For Life's Challenges

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Please check back with us soon to see what events are on the horizon.

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Recent Events

2010 Advocacy Dinner

Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Honoree: Dr. Eileen Santiago

More than 200 members of the WCA family came out  to support our efforts on behalf of Westchester's children at the 2010 Advocacy Dinner at Tappan Hill Mansion in Tarrytown. This year's recipient of the Edith C. Macy Award was Dr. Eileen Santiago, Principal of the Thomas A. Edison School in Port Chester, NY.  The Award is named in honor of one of the Westchester Children's Association's founders, and is given in recognition of extraordinary contributions to children's wellbeing.

View Photos | Join WCA Mailing List



5th Annual “Let's Take the Kids to a Show”

All children need the same things: Love, guidance, a safe place to grow and... they need FUN!  Generous donors allowed more than 100 foster kids to attend a performance of TAO on March 26th at the Performing Arts Center at Purchase College.  Donors' contributions also continued to help WCA advocate for the needs of foster kids and other children and youth in our County.


2010 Advocacy Breakfast

Thursday, March 18, 2010 - 8:00 AM
Tarrytown, NY
"Disparities in Child Health: A Policy Response"
Guest Speaker: Anne C. Beal, MD, MPH
President, Aetna Foundation

We continued this year in our tradition of bringing together cross-disciplinary stakeholders who are interested in advocating for Westchester's children and youth.  Who attended? Elected officials, Parents, Policy makers and civic leaders, Physicians and other health providers, Mental health professionals, Child welfare staff, Child care providers, Family service providers, Educators, and Students.

Presentation Slides (PPT) | Video (coming soon) | Join WCA Mailing List


WCA Co-Sponsors a Workshop on June 2nd, 2009:
“Improving Education Outcomes through Community Advocacy”

In follow-up to the AAMW Education Forum “Breaking the Pipeline from School to Prison,” the Westchester Children’s Association and the African-American Men of Westchester co-sponsored this workshop to include:

▪ Presentation of local information on youth and education
▪ Training on the basics of organizing for change
▪ Discussions of local concerns and resources

This event, supported in part by the Elias Foundation, brought together parents, educators, young people, and interested citizens from across the county. The workshop included two presentations available here: Improving Education (PDF) and Advocacy 101 (PDF). 


2009 Advocacy Dinner

Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Honorees: African American Men of Westchester

The Westchester Children's Association hosted its annual Advocacy Dinner at Tappan Hill Mansion in Tarrytown. The highlight of this event, attended by over 175 supporters, was the presentation of the Edith C. Macy Award to the African American Men of Westchester. The Award is named in honor of one of the Westchester Children's Association's founders, and is given in recognition of extraordinary contributions to children's wellbeing. Richard Kind, an actor well-known for his work in television, theater and film, served as MC of the event.

Members of the African American Men of Westchester

Top Row: Eddie Beltran, Richard Kind, Michael Boatman, Jesse Krasnow, Melvin Burriss
Bottom Row: Betsy Steward, Cora Greenberg, Myrna Forney, Maris Krasnow


The African American Men of Westchester, Inc. (AAMW) was founded in 1987 by 23 Westchester County residents of African American descent to capitalize on the vast talents of our community. One of the AAMW's primary goals is to focus attention on social issues which have a disproportionately negative impact on the African American community (e.g. underemployment, inadequate/unaffordable housing, crime, inadequate health care, poor quality education and substance abuse).



Teen Advocates Check Out "Children By the Numbers"

   
  Limarie Cabrera, Semarley Jarrett,
Frank Marte, Laura Achkar

On April 8, 2009, WCA enlisted the help of the Westchester County Youth Council (WCYC) to conduct quality assurance testing on the online version of "Children By The Numbers." The Westchester County Youth Council consists of teen representatives from demographically diverse areas who lead advocacy efforts on issues affecting teens and provide a youth perspective to government and community policy makers.

During the "Bug Busting Party," held at the Port Chester computer training facility of Family Services of Westchester, youth council members competed for an iPod nano, which was awarded to the person who found the most bugs. It was a close competition, but Semarley Jarrett, a student from Mount Vernon High School, eventually won the prize.

The "Bug Busting Party" was not only an opportunity for WCA to test "Children By the Numbers" before it went live, but it also provided a unique opportunity for teen advocates to become more informed about Westchester County by allowing them to search and analyze the data.

Read The Journal News article about the event.



2009 Advocacy Breakfast

Friday March 27, 2009
Nurse-Family Partnership: A Panel Presentation

Guest Speakers:
Tamar Bauer, JD
Chief Policy and Government Affairs Officer
Nurse Family Partnership National Service Office
View Tamar Bauer's Presentation (PPT)

Deborah Kaplan, PA, MPH
Assistant Commissioner - Bureau of Maternal, Infant and Reproductive Health New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
View Deborah Kaplan's Presentation (PPT)

Clarissa Igle, RN
Nurse Manager
Nurse-Family Partnership, Visiting Nurse Service of New York
View Clarissa Igle's Presentation (PPT)

Nurse-Family Partnership® is an evidence-based, nurse home visiting program that improves the health, well-being and self-sufficiency of low-income, first-time parents and their children. Representatives from the national and local level discussed the challenges and rewards in implementing and sustaining the program.
View a video clip from the event.


WCA – Co-Sponsor & Presenter at African American Men of Westchester's 5th Annual Educational Forum

March 26, 2009
"The Plight of the Black Male V – Breaking the Pipeline from School to Prison."
WCA Executive Director, Cora Greenberg, presented local data on education and juvenile justice, noting disparities based on poverty, race and ethnicity. Keynote speaker Buruti Kefele, Principal of a Newark high school, spoke movingly about how young people can succeed when supported by adults with a clear vision of their possibilities and promise. He discussed the power of strong male role models for African American and other boys. Follow up community meetings will be held in Mt. Vernon and White Plains to focus on practical ways to advocate for local change. Journal News Article (PDF)
View the Presentation (PDF)


2009 Advisory Council Breakfast

Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Child Poverty: Local Solutions That Work
Guest Speaker: Elizabeth Burke Bryant, JD
Executive Director, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT

Elizabeth Burke-Bryant discussed collaborative strategies employed by the Providence, Rhode Island city govern-ment and child advocates to combat poverty.

WCA's Presentation on Child Poverty in Westchester - PPT
Elizabeth Burke Bryant - Part 1 - MP4
Elizabeth Burke Bryant - Part 2 - MP4
Elizabeth Burke Bryant - Part 3 - MP4



2008 Advocacy Breakfast

Friday, March 7, 2008
Teaching Parents to Parent: What Works for Child Welfare Involved Families

Guest Speaker, Richard P. Barth, BA, MSW, PhD
Dean, School of Social Work, University of Maryland

Dr. Richard Barth addressed over one hundred service providers, community members, County officials, and WCA Board and Advisory Council members at the Westchester Children Association’s annual Advocacy Breakfast, held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in White Plains. Dr. Barth’s speech, which marked the inauguration of WCA’s Kathryn Wasserman Davis Child Advocacy Lecture, focused on parent training programs for child welfare-involved families.

VIEW Dr. Barth's Presentation in PDF format
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2006 Advocacy Breakfast

March 24, 2006
No Time to Lose: Closing the Gap between What We Know and What We Do

Keynote Speaker, Jack P. Shonkoff, MD
Chair of the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child

In his speech, Dr. Shonkoff discussed the imperative of using scientific knowledge about early childhood development — social, emotional and cognitive — to shape effective public policies and programs.

VIEW Dr. Shonkoff's PowerPoint® Presentation
The presentation will appear in a new window. Use the arrow button at bottom of the window to advance slides.