New Location for (914) Cares, Kids’ Kloset Opens in No. White Plains
In 2014, Chappaqua residents Jessica Reinmann and Dawn Greenberg wanted to let the public know about some of the volunteer opportunities at several nonprofits in their community and surrounding towns.
They founded Chappaqua Cares, originally partnering with four non-profit organizations with the mission of helping local residents and families who may lack food, shelter, education, medical care or clothing.
But the need stretched well beyond the local communities, and it wasn’t long before they started receiving inquiries for help from one end of Westchester to the other. They now partner with more than 30 nonprofits throughout the county.
On Thursday, the transformation to a countywide resource was completed with the grand opening of a nearly 4,000-square-foot centrally located headquarters that the organization – now officially called (914) Cares – will share with Kids’ Kloset at 901 N. Broadway in North White Plains.
“When we started it, we really didn’t know the poverty,” Reinmann said. “It’s very easy for all of us to just stay in our bubble and really learning about the poverty as we expanded outward.”
Kids’ Kloset, founded more than a decade ago in New Rochelle by Stephanie Roth to provide new and gently used clothing to children of families in need, had most recently been operating out of a hard-to-maneuver basement space on East Post Road in White Plains. Earlier this year, the organization needed to vacate because the building had been sold and was going to be demolished.
Roth said the partnership and move to North White Plains will give Kids’ Kloset an even wider reach. She estimated that the organization has meticulously packaged and distributed more than 17,000 bags of donated clothing – called “bags of love” – since its inception and more than 3,000 bags last year. It provides about a week’s worth of appropriate and seasonal clothes for children from infants to high school age.
“It really will allow us to help more children in need,” Roth said of the move. “Before starting this, we had a limited space and a limited accessibility to really provide, so at this point what we’re doing is actually covering more territory and we’re actually going to help more kids per year.”
One county resident, Katherine Bonnet, said her four-year-old niece was provided a bag of stylish new clothing after her social worker told her about Kids’ Kloset. She said the service makes children from households in need feel special and confident because many feel ashamed when attending school or are with other children without good-looking clothes that fit properly.
“I know the work that Kids’ Kloset does is heaven sent and I know in my heart and my family’s hearts Kids’ Kloset will always have a special place in my heart,” Bonnet said.
The new location is also key because it is in the center of the county within two to three miles of many county agencies and nonprofit organizations’ offices, Greenberg said.
Roth said the organizations will benefit from more volunteers with the building having a parking lot with an ample number of spaces. In White Plains, volunteers would often stay for short shifts before leaving because they were required to feed meters on the street.
The grand opening, which followed the move into the space over the summer, was attended by County Executive George Latimer who applauded the efforts of (914) Cares for and Kids’ Kloset for helping so many.
“This coming together represents what makes Westchester great, not the government of Westchester but the people of Westchester and the fact that here you have voluntary activity by people who are willing to give their time, no appreciation, no glory,” Latimer said.
North Castle Supervisor Michael Schiliro said despite Westchester and many local communities having much affluence, it’s not hard to find families who need help.
“This is like a store where people can get the things they need for kids,” Schiliro said. “It’s right next to us. It’s all around us.”
Kids’ Kloset is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Wednesday from 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, call 914-458-5220.
For more information on the many other partners and services connected with (914) Cares, visit www.914cares.org.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/