|
 White Plains, NY - A leader in Holocaust education, a foundation that helps Westchester nonprofits more easily obtain financing and the New York AARP will be honored at the 17th annual Golden Harvest Awards breakfast on Oct. 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown.
The prestigious awards are presented by the Westchester Public/Private Partnership for Aging Services to recognize outstanding and lasting contributions by individuals and corporations to Westchester seniors.
Lee Katz, PhD., from Rye, vice chairman of the Westchester Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center, will receive the Humanitarian Award. She is also national executive vice president of American Associates at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel, where she works with grass-roots organizations toward achieving coexistence between the country’s Arab and Jewish citizens.
The Westchester Community Foundation, which connects philanthropic individuals with organizations that support the causes important to them, will receive the Corporate Award. WCF also participates in the Westchester Nonprofit Loan Fund, which maximizes the financial capacity of nonprofit organizations by offering them debt financing they typically could not access or afford from commercial lenders.
AARP New York, part of the giant nationwide advocacy organization for seniors, will receive the Jim Curran Leadership Award. AARP represents the interests of millions of older Americans in areas that range from political issues to financial concerns and health care. In Westchester, AARP New York has been a strong supporter of the county’s Livable Community Connection project – most recently through its “walkability” survey.
Proceeds from the breakfast will support the Public/Private Partnership, a unique partnership of government, business, and voluntary service agencies that have joined forces to develop resources and services so that seniors can remain independent and active members of the community. Funding raised will go toward programs and services that support transportation and home-delivered meals for seniors.
The partnership has raised more than $5 million over the years to benefit programs for Westchester seniors. Much of the money is raised through ads that it sells for its Golden Harvest directory.
County Executive Andy Spano said the honorees are to be applauded for their exceptional contributions to help seniors over an extended period of time.
“They set an example for other individuals and corporations in the county about how to make a difference,” Spano said. “It is fitting that we recognize their achievements in this special way.”
Commissioner Mae Carpenter of the Department of Senior Programs and Services said this year’s proceeds will help fund transportation for the department’s home-delivered meal program and provide rides for seniors to various educational and social events.
Carpenter also said that providers of services to the elderly that rely on transportation report that they recently have had to significantly decrease the number of trips they are able to make due to higher fuel costs. A recent survey found that more than 73 percent of agencies providing these services have indicated that it is also difficult to recruit and retain volunteers due to fuel costs.
“Transportation to various events is so vital for seniors to sustain a quality of life in the community,” Carpenter said. “It’s the link that reduces social isolation.”
Also, the contributions of the late Richard Biondi, who passed away on Aug. 27, will be recognized at the breakfast. Biondi, a long-time business leader in Westchester and advocate for many of the county’s nonprofit organizations, was a former vice chairman of the Public/Private Partnership.
Janine Rose, news director of Channel 12 News Westchester, will be master of ceremonies.
The breakfast will include an AARP video for the well elderly who are able to use public transportation.
For ticket costs and more information about the Golden Harvest Awards Breakfast, call the partnership at (914) 813-6435.
 |
