Community

CPW receives volunteer award

The BackPack Program works to provide children with nutritious meals during weekends and school vacations.

On June 1, Cerebral Palsy of Westchester, CPW, was recognized at the 12th annual Hunger Heroes Awards Breakfast. The Food Bank for Westchester awarded CPW with the Volunteer Award for its efforts in working to end hunger in the county.

CPW has partnered with the Food Bank for Westchester since 2016 as part of the BackPack Program, which is designed to help alleviate child hunger by providing hungry and at-risk children with nutritious, easy-to-prepare food on weekends and school vacations. CPW is the first off-site location to assemble backpacks. Each backpack has six meals and includes protein, milk, fruit, grain and vegetables. In the backpack, there is also a recipe with nutrition information in English and Spanish.

Vocational program participants and Port Chester High School students in transition assemble more than 200 backpacks a month. This provides participants with the chance to develop social and interpersonal communication skills, as well as employment readiness training. CPW’s Community Based Day Program then delivers the backpacks to children in need at local schools and community centers twice a month.

Cerebral Palsy of Westchester has worked with the Food Bank for Westchester since 2016 on the BackPack Program. Contributed photos

For more than 65 years, CPW has been the leading nonprofit organization in Westchester County, providing essential services to children and adults with all developmental disabilities including autism, neurological impairments, intellectual disabilities, epilepsy and cerebral palsy. It has always been our purpose to help people realize their goals, build brighter futures, and lead more independent lives as members of their community.

For more information about CPW or its programs, please contact Joan Colangelo, director of development, at 937-3800 ext. 215 or joan.colangelo@cpwestchester.org.