Yorktown's YOUnited Officials to Create Community Foundation

Community leaders in town are discussing how to create a Community Foundation to serve as a resource to Yorktown organizations, provide funding and help them work better.

Yorktown Organizations United (YOUnited) is an outgrowth of the Community Affairs initiative, which by town supervisor Michael Grace. It brings together a diverse range of organizations and community organizers who discuss various initiatives and events, from which the community could benefit. 

Grace and YOUnited chairman Bruce Apar said during the monthly meeting, held last week, the foundation would create a partnership between the town and the businesses. 

Building the business community is the best way to get the economy back up, Apar said. At the same time, he wants to encourage business owners to also give back to their community, who essentially help them make a living.

The planned Community Foundation would not take away or replace funding given to any organization in town, but add to it and act as a resource, Apar said. In addition, it was discussed the possibility of a rewards card program for volunteers at "acknowledged" organizations. 

Grace stressed the Foundation would not interfere with any of the already existing organizations. He said he hopes over the next few years, Yorktown will see a business development and redevelopment that is going to benefit the town and bring a sense of community. 

Bringing a sense of community to the town is exactly what the idea behind the creation of YOUnited was, he said. Businesses, government and the local non-profit organizations should all work together in order to achieve the sense of community, he said. 

"We need that partnership between businesses and facilitate that relationship," Grace said. "We need to do as much as we can."

Here is a breakdown of what other community events are going on around Yorktown, as discussed by representatives of the non-profit organizations in town:

• Alliance for Safe Kids will host the Taste of Yorktown on Saturday, May 12 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at . If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, exhibitor, or entertainer, please visit their link.

• The  Fundraising Committee is offerring all not-for-profit organizations in Yorktown a partnership in the "Bricks Are Us" program. The fundraising initiative is for the upcoming , which will feature depicting a European-American, Native American and one black soldier. The bricks can be used for a number of special occasions such as birth announcements, dearly departed, anniversaries, birthdays and almost anything else someone wishes to remember. The bricks are placed in eternity and will remain forever. for more information.

• The third top fundraising event in all of New York and New Jersey, according to Monica Carrigan, is the Relay for Life in Yorktown. The event is set for June 8 at the Jack DeVito field. The town will be "painted purple" on May 4th and the largest fundraising event, prior to Relay for Life, is . It will be held on May 4 at 7 p.m. at Ceola Manor.

• The is still fundraising for its Children's Room makeover. to read more. 

• Supervisor Michael Grace said he plans to create an annual Christmas or holiday parade to "put all organizations on display."

• Jim Rathschmidt from United for the Troops said the organization has sent more than 5,000 packages for the troops serving overseas. For more information, visit their website.

• The was established in 1899. For the next few months, there are several events planned – animal rescue group tag sale in May, car and truck show in June, flee market in July. For more information, click here.

• The Special Olympics NY Miles for Medals Walk will be held on April 29 at . The event will benefit all 3,500 Special Olympians in the Hudson Valley Region. Click here for more information. 

• 's. The store is located at 3565 Crompond Rd, in Cortlandt Manor (in the Parkside Corner Plaza on Route 202). On Saturday, April 7, Love in Action is hosting a car wash fundraiser at the Shell gas station, on Route 202 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Yorktown Lions Club's summer concerts for 2012 have been announced. Each concert is free and will be held at the Jack DeVito field from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the following dates: June 17, July 1, July 15, July 29, Aug. 12, Aug. 26. If you are interested in supporting these performances by becoming a Major Sponsor or placing an advertisement in the Concert Program, please contact Denise D’Amico, 914-962-5876 or twobklyn@msn.com. for more.

• students are creating postcards to send to students around the world, to support , a non-profit organization which provides student-created picture books and educational supplies to children around the world. For more information, visit www.ktki.org. 

To "like" Yorktown Organizations United (YOUnited) on Facebook, click here.

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