Greenburgh Collecting Fall, Winter Clothing For Asylum-Seekers

GREENBURGH, NY — Cooler weather is surely on its way, and to help asylum-seekers who are being housed in Westchester get ready for a change of seasons the town of Greenburgh is holding a fall and winter clothing drive.

Donations will be accepted from Friday, Sept. 15 through Friday, Sept. 29.

There will be a centralized drop-off location in the Greenburgh Town Hall at 177 Hillside Ave. from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday only.

Officials said that clothing items being sought are new or gently used fall and winter gear, including sweaters, sweatshirts, coats, hats, gloves, mittens, scarves and boots.

Greenburgh Supervisor Paul Feiner said the goal is to make sure the asylum seekers staying in the community have the best possible quality of life.

“Years from now I hope they will remember that the Ardsley/Greenburgh community made their stay here better,” he told Patch. “I think that many members of our community want to be of help. Many of the migrants have suffered enough.”

Currently, there are about 70 asylum-seekers residing at the Ardsley Acres Hotel Court. They are all couples and families including 14 children ranging in age from 5 months to 4 years old. In Yonkers and White Plains, there are about 130 asylum-seekers being housed.

More than a dozen local civic, educational and religious organizations have been donating gift cards, clothing, food deliveries, personal care items and other items and services. Hundreds of people from all around the county have made donations.

Ardsley Mayor Nancy Kaboolian said that many people have opened their hearts and wallets to welcome and support the migrants being housed in Westchester.

“We hope that Ardsley is a model for how this country should treat people seeking a better life here in the United States,” she said.

Many of the asylum-seekers arrived with just the clothing on their backs and aren’t prepared for New York’s fall and winter weather, Kaboolian said.

“Providing winter gear is an important humanitarian and person-to-person gesture that I’m sure many Westchester residents will be eager to support,” she said.

Town officials said volunteers are needed to help sort and deliver the clothing items. Anyone who is interested in volunteering should contact Feiner by email or calling 914-989-1540 or Kaooblian by email or calling 914-693-1550.