Get to know the JCCA, the organization that acts as Westchester’s stalwart protector of victimized and at-risk kids.
Who They Are: JCCA (formerly the Jewish Child Care Association)
What They Do: JCCA houses, protects, counsels and heals abused, challenged, and at-risk youth. They currently oversee at least 40 diverse programs in the Greater New York area, each dedicated to the fulfillment of their mission.
When They Arrived: Founded in New York City in 1822 to care for needy and neglected Jewish orphans, JCCA broadened their outreach in the 1960s to include children of all backgrounds. Their Westchester facilities were launched in 1912, making it the first residential program of its kind in the US.
Where They Are: With sites throughout the New York–Metro area, their 150-acre Westchester campus is located on the grounds of the Cottage Schools, at 1075 Broadway in Pleasantville. The site is the headquarters for several key JCCA programs, including:
-Pleasantville Cottage School, home to emotionally troubled boys and girls ages 7–16
-Gateways, an intensive, specialized residential program for girls ages 12–16 who have been victims of commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking
-Edenwald Center, a center for boys and girls facing cognitive and behavioral challenges
-START, a premier provider of short-term assessment and treatment services for children
On the Horizon: JCCA is preparing to launch their brand-new Center for Healing Sexually Abused and Exploited Children at their Pleasantville facilities in 2016.
What You Can Do: Make a donation, become one of the 500-plus JCCA volunteers or attend their annual “A Tree Grows in Pleasantville” gala on January 9. Get more info at www.jccany.org.
In Their Own Words: “I am genuinely excited about 2016 at JCCA,” says Executive Director Ronald E. Richter. “In February, we will launch our new Center for Healing, when the center’s executive director comes on-board. Our innovative work on behalf of commercially sexually exploited children and children who have been sexually abused will reach more young people and become a national model.”