George Latimer Launches Annual Holiday Gift Drive

WESTCHESTER – Westchester County’s 17th Annual Holiday Gift Drive is underway.
The drive, which helps provide holiday gifts to children in the County’s foster care, homeless and other child services programs, was kicked off by County Executive George Latimer at special event Thursday afternoon in the County’s Michaelian Office Building in White Plains.

Drop boxes for unwrapped gifts appropriate for ages from newborns to 21-year-olds will be located in the lobby of the building at 148 Martine Avenue in White Plains, as well as at Department of Social Services District Offices in White Plains, Yonkers, Mount Vernon, and Peekskill through December 14. A full list of address is below. Please, no stuffed animals or violent toys.

Monetary donation are also accepted in the form of gift card, Zelle or checks made payable to Westchester Child Welfare Holiday Fund.

The County cares for more than 900 children through various programs including 280 in foster care and nearly 400 in the County’s homeless programs, as well as children receiving protective and preventive services. Donated gifts will be distributed to children in these programs at the end of the drive.

Latimer said, “We all know from our own lives when we were children how much we enjoyed on Christmas day going under the Christmas tree and seeing a present with our name on it that made us feel special, made us feel happy this time of year. Every child deserves that opportunity.”

Department of Social Services Commissioner Leonard G. Townes said, “I want us to be inspired to think about how we can make the lives of children extremely happy. When you’re little, you look forward to a gift; when you’re older, you want to give. It brings joy to your heart, and it brings smiles to our youths’ faces.”

Barbara Sabater, DSS Program Coordinator of Constituent Affairs and founder of the Gift Drive, said, “We have wonderful people in Westchester County. I want to give a shout out to CVS who is sponsoring 90 of our children’s wish lists, but that’s only 10 percent of the kids that we want to get gifts for. Please reach into your heart this season and think of these children, because it feels really great to give.”

Drop Off Locations: 148 Martine Avenue, White Plains; 112 East Post Road, White Plains; 100 East First St.; 750 Washington St.; 85 Court St.; and 131 Warburton Ave.

Monetary donations are accepted in the form of gift cards, Zelle/cash or checks made payable to: “Westchester Child Welfare Holiday Fund.”

Donations may be mailed to: Barbara Sabater 112 East Post Road, Room 637, White Plains, New York 10601.