Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS), one of the largest non-sectarian, not-for-profit human services agencies in Westchester County, and Family Service Society of Yonkers (FSSY), a human services agency with a 140-year history of serving the Westchester community, are proud to announce they have entered into a strategic affiliation, to take effect October 1st. This partnership will enhance the reach and depth of services provided to the residents of Westchester County. Through this affiliation, WJCS and FSSY will deliver a comprehensive and coordinated range of human services that will better support youth, the elderly, and families in Yonkers and the broader Westchester community, expanding the ability to improve people’s lives.
WJCS and FSSY have long histories of serving under-resourced Westchester communities. WJCS, founded in 1943, and FSSY, founded in 1883, share a common mission: to support individuals and families through a variety of significant life challenges, ensuring their well-being and success. “This affiliation agreement gives us the opportunity to expand the reach of both agencies and to create innovative programs to connect people to the additional supports they need for success,” said WJCS CEO Seth Diamond.
“Our agencies remain committed to delivering the high-quality services for which we have been known for over 140 years,” said Helen Frankel, Executive Director of FSSY. “We are confident that our partnership will allow us to build upon our past successes and create new opportunities that will have a lasting impact on Westchester County residents.”
WJCS and FSSY are deeply invested in providing after-school programming and geriatric care and will closely collaborate in these areas. In other areas, such as the behavioral health and substance use work done by WJCS and guardianship and housing work of FSSY, the affiliation will allow the agencies to offer a broader range of services to those enrolled in these programs.
“I enthusiastically welcome this affiliation,” said Bruce M. Freyer, President of the Board of WJCS. “This affiliation brings together the staffs and programs of two of Westchester’s major social services agencies and, in so doing, brings additional, vital programs to an ever-expanding population of need.”
Lynn Bagliebter, WJCS Board member and former FSSY Board member, said, “We, at FSSY, are excited and pleased to affiliate with WJCS and join forces to better serve our communities.” WJCS Board member and former FSSY Board member Hal Greenwald said, “I am thrilled to see FSSY and WJCS affiliate, and look forward to both organizations go from strength to strength, enhancing the lives of Westchester residents
As an affiliated entity of WJCS, FSSY will remain a separate 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization with its own contract and administrative structure
WJCS and FSSY remain committed to inclusivity and empowerment, ensuring that those struggling in the Westchester community have access to the support they need. This affiliation marks a significant step forward in our joint effort to create a more resilient and thriving Westchester County.
