The Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester (BGCNW) announced it has received a $275,000 grant from the Mother Cabrini Foundation. The grant will be used to provide mental health and wellness services in afterschool programming for up to 200 children ages 4 -12, and up to 200 youth ages 13-18 from low-income families.
By implementing a nationally recognized prevention and education curriculum; continuous expert training for staff, and having qualified mental health counselors on site, the Wellness Center program improves mental health for children and
youth, identifies red flags for those needing intervention, and provides age-appropriate, on-site counseling for the highest needs.
The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of New Yorkers, bolster the health outcomes of vulnerable communities, eliminate barriers to care, and bridge gaps in health services. Named after a tireless advocate for immigrants, children, and the poor, the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation funds programs and initiatives across New York State that either provide direct healthcare services or address the social determinants of health. For more information, visit cabrinihealth.org
“The Mother Cabrini Foundation is proud to support the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester in expanding access to high-quality mental health and wellness services for children and teens,” said The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation. “By embedding mental health supports into trusted afterschool environments, this program helps ensure young people—especially those from underserved communities—have the tools, resources, and relationships they need to thrive emotionally, socially, and academically.”
A key factor that sets up the program for success is infusing it in an environment where youth already feel safe and supported every day. The Boys & Girls Clubs are nationally known for their excellence in programming for children and youth. Over 90% of the BGCNW staff are Club alumni so there is a unique factor of trust, and the organization is celebrating its 85th year of serving the community.
The program uses a 3-pronged approach to infuse mental health services throughout its afterschool programs serving up to 400 children, youth and junior staff. This includes staff training in trauma-informed practices, onsite mental health clinicians, and use of the nationally recognized prevention and education curriculum SMART Moves (Skills Mastery and Resilience Training) which uses interactive, age-appropriate methods to build social-emotional skills and promote healthy decision-making.
Last year, the Wellness Center celebrated a successful two years of programming.
Director of Wellness, Dr. Alana Pudalov, who oversees the Wellness programming, says “Our wellness team supports our four PreK classrooms throughout the day and during after school; we provide counseling and wellness activities, groups, events, and sessions to over 120 students weekly. Over the past two years, our counseling and wellness services and support have had a meaningful impact on our students and families. We’ve created spaces for healing, resilience, growth, and learning. It is a privilege that we have funding through the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation to continue our essential clinical work in the year ahead while also expanding learning opportunities for student internships.
Ebube, an intern in the Wellness program reflects on the importance of what it does not only for the children but for the staff “My school schedule has been quite hectic, but having this hour at the BGC Wellness Center gives me some time to just relax and reflect on my week and the Friday to come. Being able to be present and available for the children in Wellness makes me feel like I am a part of the community. It also makes it easier for me to deal with my emotions, thoughts, and feelings. Being a responsible role model for children is so important to me. Being at the BGC helps me truly understand the responsibilities and values of a caregiver. I am learning my strengths and skills while also giving back to a community that has been there for me.”
“We are deeply grateful to the Mother Cabrini Foundation for this generous grant that allows us to provide these vitally important mental and wellness services to our community,” said BGCNW CEO Alyzza Ozer.