Good Work From Backyard Sports Cares, Lifting Up Westchester, the UJA Federation and the Autism Science Foundation

Backyard Sports Cares held its third annual Basketball Tournament on Sunday April 19th at Purchase College with 30 teams participating. Attendees enjoyed appearances by Walt Frazier, Langston Galloway, and the Knick City Dancers.

The winning teams were:

• 35+ Category: Tommie Copper
• Rec Category: Metro North Transfers
• Open Category: New Rochelle

The Backyard Cares All Star teams, which included special needs players were assisted by teen volunteers played during half time.

Through the Hooping and Helping booth, participant families bought and autographed 20 basketballs that will be donated to Backyard Sports Cares programs throughout Westchester County.

This year BYSC introduced a new charitable project called Dunk Your Kicks which is a part of the Max Cure Foundation. 142 pairs of athletic footwear were donated and then collected by five 10th graders Leah Glucksman, Liza Brecker, Willow Malsch, Haley Sontag, and Jilly Mehlman who attend Scarsdale High School as well at Tripp Lake Camp. The Dunk Your Kicks campaign is intended to raise awareness of the fight against pediatric cancer while also helping the environment by keeping old "kicks" out of the landfills. The money raised through the resale of this affordable footwear helps low-income and military families living in the U.S. with a child battling this disease.

Lifting Up Westchester

Grace Church Community Center, the 36 year-old Westchester County social services organization, has announced its re-launch with a new, comprehensive brand identity and tag line: Lifting Up Westchester: Where Hope Takes Flight – One Person at a Time. The unveiling of the new brand took place at the organization's Oasis of Hope spring gala at Leewood Golf Club in Eastchester on April 17, with more than 200 patrons and supporters in attendance. A community-wide celebration open to the public is slated for late spring.

"This is a major milestone in our organization's long history," remarked Paul Anderson-Winchell, Lifting Up Westchester's Executive Director. "For 36 years we have been a hidden gem in this county. A more identifiable name is integral to increasing our impact in Westchester. That said, our mission remains intact: to restore hope to our neighbors in need." Chris Schwartz, Director of Development, added "Our vision is to continue our legacy of providing people in need with food, shelter and support and lift them to greater self-sufficiency with dignity and respect. Equally important is that we focus on the individual – helping one person at a time."

Lifting Up Westchester provides the following assistance to Westchester County's neediest and most at-risk residents:

· Homeless Individuals
For the 2,000 homeless in the county, services includes Grace's Kitchen which annually provides over 20,000 free and nutritious weekday and holiday meals, Samaritan House Women's Shelter and Open Arms Men's Shelter, in addition to housing services to prevent eviction and homelessness.
· Youth
For disadvantaged and homeless youth in the county, Lifting Up Westchester offers five weeks of summer day camp, an after-school mentoring program and college scholarships to help them to be the first in their families to get a college degree and the last to live in poverty.
· Seniors/Disabled Individuals
Lifting Up Westchester's Neighbors Home Care Services, a licensed home healthcare services agency, offers quality homecare to over 400 homebound seniors and disabled individuals annually.

Board member Linda Gallo, who spearheaded the rebranding initiative, noted that "The prevailing perception of the organization as a church and/or community center is inaccurate. Board executives, patrons and staff members expect the Lifting Up Westchester rebrand to change this perception and significantly boost awareness of our organization." In addition to the new name, tagline and logo, a year-long marketing program is underway with multiple public events to showcase the services provided by the organization in an effort to drive awareness, increased donations and volunteers.

For more information, please visit www.liftingupwestchester.org or contact Chris Schwartz at chrisschwartz@liftingupwestchester.org or (914) 949-3098.

UJA Federation Honors Shari and Joel Beckman of Scarsdale:

More than 350 guests joined UJA-Federation of New York's Westchester Region as it honored the Beckman family of Scarsdale and the Rieger family of Bedford. At this Westchester Celebration, Yoav Cohen of White Plains was recognized for his contributions as Westchester's first shaliach, or Israeli emissary, who serves as a cultural bridge between the local community and Israel.

The event took place on Tuesday, April 14, 2015, at Brae Burn Country Club in Purchase, where guests came together as a community to applaud the achievements of the honorees for their committed leadership in the Westchester Jewish community and to support UJA-Federation and its network of nearly 100 local and global nonprofits.

The evening's theme focused on the families' legacy of transmitting values — including commitment to their Jewish heritage, philanthropy, caring for those in need, and collective responsibility — and recognized the honorees for their dedication to making a difference through their actions.

"In the rich narrative of Jewish history, the Beckmans and Riegers continued the chain by passing these meaningful values to their children," said UJA-Federation's Westchester Regional Chair Martine Fleishman of Purchase. She encouraged guests to view an exhibit at the event, a colorful timeline that showcased UJA-Federation's response to the events that have shaped the Jewish community around the world.

"You'll see that UJA-Federation's history may very well mirror your family history in many ways," she continued. "For nearly 100 years, we've responded in times of challenge — during the Great Depression, the darkness of the Holocaust, and the Six-Day War — and in times of joy and opportunity, such as the establishment of the State of Israel and the opening of the Iron Curtain to Soviet Jews."

An interactive drumming experience kicked off the program and enlivened the evening.

Shari and Joel Beckman, who were honored with their sons, Steven and Jacob, have embraced the values of UJA-Federation for the past 30 years. Shari has served the organization in many capacities, including as Scarsdale area chair and as a member of both the Board of Directors and the Westchester Program Services Cabinet, which provides funding to programs that further the Westchester Jewish community's efforts to address needs and support new approaches to successful models. Shari's professional career as a college advisor to high school students has extended to volunteer opportunities, such as working with the Off the Street program, which is run by UJA-Federation beneficiary agency Westchester Jewish Community Services.

Co-founder of Greenbriar Equity Group, a private equity firm in Rye, Joel serves on the Board of Directors for UJA-Federation and the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty. A past board member of the Jewish Community Center of Mid-Westchester, he is vice-chairman of the Chordoma Foundation and active in other philanthropic organizations.

Benefit for the Autism Science Foundation:

On Thursday April 23 through Sunday April 27 the Golden Horseshoe and select stores will raise money for the Autism Science Foundation. There will be sales promotions as well as T-shirt giveaways at participating stores. The Scarsdale High School Autism Science Foundation club will be on site handing out literature and raising money.

Stores participating and running promotions and sales include:

All Good Things, Beginnings, Chefs Table, Cheers Wine and Spirits, Cheryl's Closet, Eye Q Optometrist, Infinity, Italian Village, Leah's Salon, Neil's, Platinum Drive Realty, Physique 57, Seven Woks