We are pleased to announce that on Tuesday, February 24th, 2015, Family Services of Westchester (FSW), along with more than 100 local dignitaries, supporters and guests celebrated the culmination of a goal set years ago–to bring a state-of-the-art intergenerational facility to White Plains–with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the new Lanza Family Center for All Ages.

We are so grateful for your generous support in our capital campaign, which enabled us to reach this exciting moment.

Several speakers addressed the crowd prior to the ribbon cutting, including White Plains Mayor Tom Roach, Deputy County Executive Kevin Plunkett, Susan B. Wayne, President/CEO of FSW and Nick Wolff, Chairman of the Board of Directors. Also on hand were Rebecca Lippel, FSW’s Director of the Lanza Family Center for All Ages, other FSW staff and Board members as well as many of our new neighbors, who graciously welcomed us to the community.

Following the official ribbon cutting, guests were given an opportunity to tour the facility, including the The Marjorie and Richard Dammann Youth Wing, named after the founders of FSW, and The Sperling Family Adult Wing. Those in attendance, including many of the donors whose support enabled this project to succeed, were impressed by the care that was taken in designing a facility to meet the unique needs of each population. As Susan Wayne remarked at the event, “Our only regret is that Pat Lanza, whose $1 million challenge grant enabled us to embark on this project, did not live to see her vision become reality.” Mrs. Lanza passed away in March 2014.

The Center, modeled after My Second Home, FSW’s award-winning intergenerational program in Mt. Kisco, will bring children, teens and seniors together at one site to participate in programs, share experiences and benefit from one another, just as they would in a family setting. Programming at the center will include adult day services with caregiver support, early childhood education, and a home base for FSW’s many youth development programs. Importantly, the Center will include spaces where the diverse age groups will interact during planned intergenerational activities as well as through informal encounters throughout the day. Together, children, teens and older adults will enjoy gardening, sharing meals, singing songs, cooking side-by-side, and participating in special events that allow them to break down age barriers and form lasting impressions and enrich each other’s lives.

The Ribbon Cutting ceremony was also the perfect time to launch the latest phase in our fundraising efforts, the Buy-A-Brick Campaign. We welcome you to visit our website for detailed information about the campaign and encourage you to invest in FSW’s path to the future by purchasing a piece of the path to the Lanza Family Center for All Ages.

Now that the ribbon is officially cut, we invite you to come visit the new Center for All Ages! We are happy to arrange a private tour and would love for you to see our incredible new space. To arrange a visit please contact Courtney Rabb, Vice President for Development and External Affairs, at 914-305-6836 or crabb@fsw.org.