Grace Community Center
"Whole Foods Volunteers Assist Grace Church Community Center in Preparation for Renovations"

White Plains, NY – July 1, 2005

Ten to fourteen volunteers from the White Plains Whole Foods store will assist Grace Church Community Center (GCCC) Day Care staff in the packing of all Day Care supplies and equipment for temporary storage in preparation for summer renovations of its facility. Renovations will include the installation of a new elevator, air conditioning and new windows, as well as a general face-lift. The move takes place at the Grace Church Parish Hall, 33 Church Street, on Wednesday, July 6th from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  

GCCC Day Care, which serves low-income families who live or work in White Plains, temporarily closed on May 27th after graduation ceremonies for students moving on to kindergarten. It is scheduled to re-open in the fall; thirty-one children are already on the waiting list for admission.

Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (wholefoodsmarket.com) is the world’s leading natural and organic supermarket with more than 168 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Local Whole Foods stores are encouraged to initiate and participate in volunteer work within the communities they serve. Whole Foods donates at least five percent of its annual net profits to not-for-profit or educational organizations.

Employees from Whole Foods Market in White Plains have helped raise funds for Gilda’s Club of Westchester, worked on Habitat for Humanities projects and walked for March of Dimes. Whole Foods makes a weekly donation of food to Open Arms, the men’s shelter operated by GCCC. The store recently donated a gift basket, which was auctioned off at GCCC’s “Salute to Our Stars Brunch,” an outdoor celebration honoring the center’s volunteers and donors. The brunch took place at the West Harrison home of Doctor Richard E Graham and Regina Taylor-Graham on Sunday, April 10th. Congresswoman Nita Lowey and Major Joseph Delfino attended the brunch, which raised $11,000 in support of GCCC’s eight programs.

GCCC, a non-sectarian, non-profit organization, is the largest social services agency in Westchester. Its mission is to serve the county’s neediest and most at-risk residents, particularly those who are not served by other resources. In 2004, GCCC assisted over 5,000 individuals, which included providing over 120,000 meals through its Soup Kitchen and shelter programs. In addition to the soup kitchen and shelters for men and women, GCCC operates a summer camp for children, a drop-in center for developmentally disabled adults, home health care for the elderly and housing services to prevent homelessness and eviction.

For more information about Grace Community Center and its varied programs, please visit its Web site at gracecommunitycenter.org.

Back To Top | Back To News & Events | Want to Help?