WJCS-Westchester Jewish Community Services hosted our annual Gala on April 5th, 2022 at Brae Burn Country Club in Purchase, New York. Attended by more than 200 philanthropic, community, and political leaders from throughout Westchester County, the evening marked a triumphant return to in-person events after two years of virtual galas. The money raised will provide much-needed funds for our agency’s 80+ programs that serve 20,000 Westchester residents every year.
“It was wonderful to have so many members of our community together to celebrate this year’s honorees—New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and WJCS Board President Mariquita Blumberg, two individuals who work tirelessly to improve the lives of Westchester residents,” said Seth Diamond, CEO of WJCS. “Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins is an outstanding State leader and someone who epitomizes the spirit of Tikkun Olam, “repairing the world,” a mission that drives our work at WJCS every day. Just as WJCS helps people of all ages and backgrounds who are struggling with major life challenges, Andrea Stewart-Cousins has dedicated herself to improving the lives of families in Westchester and all of New York State.”
Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins has been a game changer and trailblazer, passing transformative legislation on issues relating to mental health services, universal child care, funding education at all levels, affordable housing initiatives, criminal justice reforms, women’s rights, and the LGBTQ+ community. She shattered the glass ceiling, becoming the first woman and African American woman to lead a New York State legislative conference in 2012. “After a long day in Albany, Senator Stewart-Cousins has met with the young people of WJCS Center Lane LGBT+ Center, letting them know she is proud of them and will fight for legislation to help them. She has given inspirational talks at our Mary J. Blige Center, encouraging the young girls to reach for their dreams. It has been an honor to salute her work and commitment to the people of Westchester and the entire Empire State,” said Diamond.
“I’m proud to receive this honor from WJCS,” said New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. “For as long as I have been in public life, WJCS has been a safety net for Westchester residents. Their initials are synonymous with helping those who struggle, face challenges, or hardship. Whether it is community mental health, senior care, or youth development, their programs support, care for, and inspire 20,000 Westchester residents each year. This was especially true during the COVID pandemic, and it underscores just how important WJCS is to our county. I thank WJCS CEO Seth Diamond, the Board, and all connected to this wonderful agency, and congratulate my co-honoree WJCS Board President Mariquita Blumberg.”
WJCS’s Gala honoree Mariquita Blumberg is an executive coach, organizational consultant, and Scarsdale resident who has served as President of the WJCS Board for the past three years. “Mariquita has provided strong, uplifting leadership at a time of tremendous challenge. Her skills as a technology leader, executive consultant, former Board Treasurer and previous member of numerous WJCS Board committees were just the right combination to helps us navigate during the dark and difficult days of Covid,” said WJCS CEO Seth Diamond. “The people of our community will always be grateful for and remember her leadership.”
“It has been my greatest pleasure to work with Seth, the WJCS team, and our incredible WJCS board so closely over the last three years,” said honoree Mariquita Blumberg. “I’m humbled by this honor and share it with the hundreds of WJCS employees who have helped the thousands of WJCS clients in our county. Thank you.”
Westchester County Legislator MaryJane Shimsky and our partners at UJA-Federation were among the Gala attendees and recognized for their support of WJCS.
The Give for Good Auction included four videos in which WJCS clients shared their personal stories of how WJCS helped them overcome youth and adult mental health challenges, deal with the difficulties of being an aging Holocaust survivor, and train teens to identify serious emotional problems in themselves and their peers and get access to appropriate help.
Honoree Mariquita Blumberg received a Proclamation from Westchester County by Westchester Legislator Mary Jane Shimsky.
Honoree Mariquita Blumberg with WJCS Seth Diamond
Honoree New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins told the WJCS Gala audience, “It’s hard to think of Westchester County without WJCS.”
WJCS CEO Seth Diamond, Chief Development Officer Susan Lewen, Event Chairs Rikki and Barry Lewen with UJA partners Eric Goldstein, Mark Medin, and Audrey Stein
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR HONOREES!
MARIQUITA BLUMBERG
Mariquita Blumberg has been engaged in supporting the Westchester community since moving here thirteen years ago. Introduced to WJCS by her husband’s aunt and fellow Board member Louise Albin, she quickly became involved in several projects and was delighted to join the WJCS Board ten years ago. Mariquita has been President of the WJCS Board for the past three years and, before that, was Treasurer of the Board and a member of our Children, Youth & Family and Technology Committees. Mariquita was honored to receive the UJA Agency Trustee Leadership Award in 2018 for her work at WJCS.
Mariquita served as President of the Board of the Greenburgh Library and is currently a member of the Edgemont Board of Education. Professionally, Mariquita is an executive coach and organizational consultant, supporting executives in small and mid-sized companies as they scale their business, their organization, and their executive team.
Mariquita earned a B.A. in economics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Masters Degree in Organization Development from American University. Mariquita is forever indebted to her husband Matt and her three patient children, Casey, Wilson, and Elyse for their understanding over the last three years as she served as WJCS Board President. She is also so thankful to her parents and siblings for modeling and encouraging a fulfilling life in service.
NYS SENATE MAJORITY LEADER ANDREA STEWART-COUSINS
Andrea Stewart-Cousins is widely recognized as a trailblazer in local and state government who has advocated for the underserved and championed the needs of working families. In her first year as Senate Majority Leader, she led the most productive legislative session in state history. Senator Stewart-Cousins has overseen the passage of historic and transformative legislation on issues, including voting reforms, gun safety, women’s rights and health care, immigration and DREAMers, the LGBTQ community, the justice system, and sexual harassment in the workplace. Under her leadership, the Senate Majority passed the most comprehensive and aggressive climate change legislation in the nation and the strongest tenant protections and affordable housing package in state history. In 2019, she shattered the glass ceiling when her peers elected her as Temporary President and Majority Leader of the State Senate. She became the first woman, and African American woman, to lead a NYS legislative conference in 2012.
When serving as a Westchester Legislator, Senator Stewart-Cousins authored and passed landmark legislation, including the first human rights laws in the County. Before elected to office, she was the first African American to serve as Director of Community Affairs for Yonkers.
Andrea Stewart-Cousins earned her Bachelor of Science Degree from Pace University and her teaching credentials in Business Education from Lehman College while raising her children. In 2008, she earned her Masters of Public Administration from Pace University. Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins resides in Yonkers, was married to the late Thomas Cousins, and has three children and six grandchildren.
