Junior League of Westchester on the Sound Aids New Rochelle's Providence House

Providence House is a organization which has provided support and shelter to homeless, abused, and formerly incarcerated women and their children for 35 years. This Spring, the members of Junior League Westchester on the Sound (JLWOS)’s Done in a Day Committee worked with Sylvia Samilton-Baker, Providence House Program Director, to provide much needed kitchen supplies to women who are transitioning out of the shelter to more permanent housing with their children. JLWOS Done in a Day Committee members Patricia Yoder, Angela Gill, Stephanie Pierce and Sarah Hammarley gathered kitchen essentials including cookware, cooking utensils, dishware, cutlery, basic tools and cleaning supplies valued at around $2500 and delivered bins full of these supplies to Providence House on May 12th. JLWOS President 2013-14, Joan Cornellier-Travers, was also on site, lending both her expertise and muscle power to the project.  

JLWOS provisional members, Kira Akulova, Andrea Barnard, Marianna Donnelly, Stacey Harvey, Catherine Hunt, Tara Meddaugh and Nancy Zang, put together bundles of supplies for the children to complement the kitchen equipment. By buying in bulk from IKEA to make the most of the $600 that JLWOS contributed, and bolstering these funds with generous donations from CVS, Trader Joe’s and Stop and Shop, they were able to provide high chairs, place settings, safety equipment, a range of healthy snacks, gift vouchers and toys, all stored in a useful under-bed toy box. They also put together a simple book of tried-and-tested recipes contributed by both the provisional members and the DIAD team. Everyone had great fun working on the project, with Marianna and Andrea’s children taking an active role in helping to choose, assemble and deliver the bundles! 

The efforts that JLWOS team made were much appreciated.  Sylvia Samilton-Baker remarked, “It is sometimes challenging to be in the spirit of generosity to those who have little, who struggle to provide for their families, who work for low wages and continue to get up every morning and do it over again to better themselves and educate their children. You all, from the Junior League, as women, really seem to 'get it' and step up to the plate to insure that young moms will have some of what they need to start their lives.”

About the Junior League of Westchester on the Sound

The Junior League of Westchester on the Sound (JLWOS) is a dynamic organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the Sound Shore communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. Founded in 1950, JLWOS is celebrating its 63 years of service to the Sound Shore community. JLWOS is comprised of women from Harrison, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, Port Chester, Rye and Rye Brook. If you are interested in joining or learning more information please visit www.jlwos.org.