Grace Church Community Center
ABOUT GCCC
Grace Church Community Center (GCCC) is a non-sectarian, community-based 501(c) (3) organization
whose mission is to assist Westchester County’s neediest and most at-risk residents, especially those who are under-served by other resources.
GCCC is one of the largest social services agencies in Westchester County and has been providing shelter and support for individuals and families for over 27 years. The agency operates the following ten critical community programs:
Services for the Homeless and the Hungry:
* Soup Kitchen
* Open Arms shelter for homeless men
* Samaritan House shelter for homeless women
* Project Trust- a new daytime shelter for the chronically homeless
* Housing Services to prevent homelessness and eviction
Services for Children and Youth:
* Summer Day Camp for homeless and disadvantaged children
* Year-round Mentoring Program for homeless and disadvantaged children
* Day Care for low-income families
Services for the Elderly and Disabled:
* Neighbors Program home healthcare for the elderly and homebound
* Rainbow drop-in services for developmentally disabled adults
Without GCCC’s programs, many individuals in our community would lack the most basic of necessities and others would have to sacrifice their ability to maintain their housing or well being. Last year, over 3,000 individuals received assistance from GCCC. This assistance included almost 100,000 meals provided through our Soup Kitchen and other programs.
The agency has distinguished itself by directly providing services, as well as by coordinating programs with other agencies, making it possible for individuals to receive comprehensive support and direction. The total-casework-management approach to individuals and families with multiple problems has earned GCCC a well-deserved reputation as a service leader.
OUR HISTORY
In the early 1970’s, parishoners of Grace Church in White Plains recognized that many of their neighbors were in need of food, and they began to provide soup and sandwiches for members of the local community from their Parish Hall. Later, they expanded this outreach to include day care and summer camp for low-income neighborhood families and an emergency shelter. By 1979, these programs had expanded so substantially that it became advisable to incorporate Grace Church Community Center as an independent 501 (c) (3) organization with permanent staff, its own governing structure and an independent Board of Directors.
Grace Church still provides space for the GCCC Soup Kitchen, Day Care and Samaritan House women's shelter, as well as sleeping quarters for the overflow from the Open Arms men's shelter, in its Parish Hall located at 33 Church Street in the heart of White Plains. All GCCC programs are non-sectarian.
FUNDING
Funding for over half of GCCC’s budget comes from government contracts that help cover the basic costs of sheltering the homeless and providing housing assistance to individuals suffering from HIV/AIDS and mental illness.
GCCC relies on a variety of other funding to accomplish its mission. These sources include contributions from corporations, religious organizations, and foundations. Our donors have included the United Way of Westchester, the Westchester Community Foundation, MBIA Corporation, the Ginsburg Community Fund, the Gannett Foundation, the New York Life Foundation, the Frog Rock Foundation, the Junior League of Central Westchester, the Paul L. Newman Foundation, the Target Foundation, Con Edison , Hudson City Savings Foundation and Episcopal Charities of the Diocese of New York.
GCCC receives a $15,000 grant from Martin Ginsburg of the Ginsburg Community Fund for its Housing Services Program.
GOVERNANCE
GCCC's operations are headed by a full-time Executive Director, Paul Anderson-Winchell, and supported by a dedicated team of program directors as well as professional and administrative staff. The Center is governed by a Board of Directors.
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