Community Corner

Community Center to Mark 20 Years of Helping Neighbors

Last year the center served 1,800 families from Katonah, Bedford Hills and beyond through its food pantry and clothing shop.

"The tall tale goes that during the 1992 recession, one man in the neighborhood received a pink slip, and a group of neighbors rallied to help him—and the center was born." 

That's what Sherry Wolf, executive director of the , said when asked about the organization's beginnings. She said the mission of helping neighbors who need it hasn't changed in the last 20 years.

Rather than just a hand out, they provide a hand up.

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"We help people get back on their feet," she said. "This is a different recession—and the number of people we serve is ten times the number who came to us 20 years ago—but the stories are the same."

Because the center is supported by 29 other religious, civic and educational organizations, some local residents who are involved know that it provides a food pantry, clothing, shoes, linens, social services and English and career skills classes to those in need.

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But the facts about who the center serves may be surprising to others.

So far in 2012, over 300 families from Katonah and Bedford Hills have visited the food pantry. And 264 families from the same towns have visited the clothing shop. The center's geographic reach stretches from just north of I-287 to Peeksill, from the Connecticut line to the Hudson River. Last year 1,800 families from 30 communities received service from CCNW.

Wolf said she has in the past received calls from former donors who now need help from CCNW.

"Those calls take your breath away. I can't sleep the night after I get a call like that. There are a few striking examples of who we serve. They are you and me," she said. 

Wolf said they keep their clients information confidential and do all they can to restore individuals and families to self-sufficiency.

In 2010 they expanded their offerings to include computer training, and career counseling. In partnership with the Sesame Workshop, they also offered nutrition sessions on stretching family budgets and making healthy food choices.

They do it all in three floors inside a converted house at 84 Bedford Road. Every inch of space is used to serve their clients, from the basement food pantry to the first floor clothing boutique and client processing office, to the third floor conference and computer room, a handful of offices and a hallway that is now converted into the

There are five staff members—including Wolf, Noya Guerrero, assistant director for client services; Clare Murray, assistant director for operations; Manuel Mendez, program manager and Paige Poe, communications manager.

They work as a team to run the center's operations and help to manage the hundreds of volunteers who keep the place humming, said Wolf, for her dedication to CCNW.

"It's an incredibly generous community," said Wolf, of the support the center receives from Northern Westchester residents. To that end, they have planned a number of community events to celebrate the center's history and its spirit of giving:

  • Art competition for kids up to age 13: Youth are invited to design a celebratory logo for a tote bag to help celebrate the Community Center’s 20th Anniversary. Drawings should illustrate the caption "Helping Neighbors for 20 Years!" Details here.  
  • Antioch Baptist Church Choir: The choir will perform a benefit concert on April 22 at 4 p.m.at the
  • Anniversary Celebration April 28: This outdoor event will be from 1 p.m - 4 p.m. at the center and will feature local Puppeteer, Peter Linz, a bouncy castle, games and crafts and a tree planting to honor Ralph Van Sicklin, who helped save the center's current building from demolition.

For more information on the center's operations, to donate or to volunteer,


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