The YMCA at Tarrytown is initiating a very special project – they are trying to make the lives of the children of Abbott House just a little bit brighter!
The Y will be hosting between 40-50 children for a day of fun @ the Y with swimming, dance lessons and a pizza/ice cream party on June 9, 2019 3:30-6:00 PM.
Abbott House cares for refugee children who have come to the US without their parents. They provide temporary comprehensive residential care for children while they work towards reuniting them with a family member or sponsor.
The YMCA also hosted seven of the children (aged 12 and under) at their Annual Healthy Kids Day on Saturday, May 4th in Patriot’s Park, Tarrytown. They went on rides, played games, got their faces painted and won prizes. According to Lesa Dalton, Associate Executive Director, “it made my day to see all of their smiles knowing that for many of them it was the first time they got to experience what it’s like to be a kid!”
The Family YMCA at Tarrytown is also coordinating collection efforts of everyday supplies for these children and is asking the public’s support. Most of the children are teenagers who are in need of basic supplies as they arrive with just the clothes on their back. Donations needed include NEW and UNOPENED items such as:
- Flip flops – all adult sizes
- Toiletries – all kinds
- School supplies
- Duffel bags
- Backpacks
- Art supplies
- Socks
- Feminine hygiene products
The Family YMCA at Tarrytown is an independent local 501c3 organization; their funding is generated from membership fees, program income, donations and grants. Membership dues help to offset the cost of their
operational expenses but they rely heavily on support from the community to be able to fulfill their mission. The Tarrytown YMCA pays dues to the Y of the USA (national YMCA) but do not receive any funding from them.
At the Y, no one is ever turned away based on their ability to pay and last year they gave out over $500,000 to the families they serve!
