Community Food Pantry – The Community Food Pantry began in 2009 and operates out of Christ Episcopal Church. It utilizes an all-volunteer staff to provide food, including fresh meat and produce, and household supplies to more than 250 children and their families on a monthly basis. Kids’ Club is proud to have given financial support to this vital community resource since then.
Community Wardrobe – In 2023, Kids’ Club added Community Wardrobe to its roster of grant recipients. CW is a joint effort of the Horsemen PTA and the Village of Sleepy Hollow, and operates out of 222 North Washington Street in Sleepy Hollow. It collects good donated clothing for men, women and children and offers them in a store-like setting at no cost to families and individuals in need. What makes CW extra-special is the time and energy put into creating a dignified shopping experience for clients. Volunteers spend many hours each month sorting the clothing onto well-labeled racks so that shoppers can easily identify the size and style of the items that they need. Two Kids’ Club grants have provided funding for purchases of new underwear, as well as start-up support to this important new initiative which clothed over 350 families in 2022 alone.
Horseman’s Harvest Neighborhood Pantry – A new food pantry opened in Sleepy Hollow in Fall 2023. It runs once a month out of St. Teresa’s Church on Beekman Avenue. Kids’ Club has awarded grants for the purchase of fresh produce and to help with start-up costs.
Open Door Family Medical Center – Kids’ Club has annually supported the clients of Open Door Family Medical Center Health in Sleepy Hollow by donating holiday gift cards to and providing publicity for their December toy drive.
RSHM LIFE Center – Kids’ Club has supported the RSHM LIFE Center each winter with funds that allow its clients to purchase winter boots, coats and other clothing. In the past, we also provided funding to enable the LIFE Center to make social work services available to families who needed them.
Safe School Ambassadors – Safe School Ambassadors is a new grass-roots initiative at Sleepy Hollow High School whose purpose is to inspire students to be active bystanders who look to create a culture that stops or curbs bullying in and out of school. 4o students in grades 9-11 are initially selected and trained for the program, with the plan for 40 more to be trained each year subsequently. But the expectation is that all students in the school then benefit from the new perspective these students bring to bullying prevention, an issue which a significant number of students have identified as increasingly problematic and a core need to be addressed at school. Kids’ Club has awarded TUFSD a grant to help pilot the program in 2024.
Teen and Youth Mental Health First Aid – In 2021, Kids’ Club awarded a grant to TUFSD for two programs designed to address the mental health needs of students in the school district. The first, Youth Mental Health First Aid, was offered to 140 TUFSD staff members, including teachers, athletic coaches, administrators, clerical staff and more. The course was led by trainers from Westchester Jewish Community Services, and included both on-line instruction and an in-person workshop. In addition, 200 Sleepy Hollow High School sophomores participated in Teen Mental Health First Aid, a peer-to peer training program specifically designed for this age group. This evidence-based program teaches young people how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders among their friends. It also empowers them with the skills needed to have supportive conversations with friends and get a responsible and trusted adults to take over as necessary.
TaSH Food Market – Kids’ Club has awarded grants to TaSH Food Market for its reinstated TaSH Tokens program. These tokens allow low income families to use redeemable tokens, provided upon proof of eligibility, to “purchase” fresh, local and healthy food at their outoor market, which operates from Patriots Park in Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow, as well as at their indoor market operating out of John Paulding School in the colder winter months.