Greenburgh residents and businesses help struggling family with disabled children

“IT’S A WONDERFUL TOWN”

Every year at this time, I have the pleasure of watching “It’s a Wonderful Life,” a film released in 1946 which speaks to the ability of an entire Town to come together to support a family in need.

Prescient to the message in this great old film, the Friday before Christmas our community became aware of the plight of a struggling local family that was in severe crisis. The family had been struggling for quite some time to make “financial ends meet,” attempting to arrange critically required services for their two disabled children, ages 5 and 6. Their 6-year-old son had been diagnosed with severe developmental delays, autism, seizure disorder, medical, psychological, and behavioral issues and their 5-year-old daughter was also diagnosed as on the autism spectrum.

To make their situation even more difficult, the week before Christmas their only vehicle had the catalytic converter stolen, generating repairs costs of $3000.00, which were far in-excess of the family’s resources. At the same time, the family had been struggling to arrange adaptive transport equipment such as wheelchairs, adaptive strollers, and other ambulation equipment needed for the everyday life of their children. The family had clearly reached their breaking point!

At the urging of their caring neighbors, and with the assistance of Krista Madsen of our Town Supervisor’s Office, the family was able to set up a “GoFundMe” page. Paul Feiner published the story and the “GoFundme” link (noted below) on the Town GList, and immediately the community began reacting by donating funds to this family, in dire need. To this point, nearly $6,000.00 has been donated in support, by caring Greenburgh residents and businesspeople, who have never even met the family.

Further, generous members of our Town’s business community, specifically Christina Lyon, the wonderful new owner of the Sterling Optical store, located at 421 Central Park Avenue in Hartsdale, working with the Millwood Fire Department, arranged within 48 hours for a motorized wheelchair to be delivered to this family, without cost. In addition, Rob Bernstein, an Educational and Behavioral Therapist who resides in Greenburgh and specializes in the field of autism, donated his services, providing individual support for these special children. This outpouring of aid is just another example of the character of those who have chosen to make their lives and raise their families in Greenburgh.

On, a daily basis we are subjected to stories of how hate and intolerance have become the new normal. We are told how community members everywhere no longer trust, care, or love one another. This most recent outpouring of caring and support for a family in crisis, by our neighbors, and the myriad of events just like it which we have seen over these past, most difficult years, continue to be the norm for OUR Town. The actions of our residents and business community reinforce, that our respect for each other, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual preference, age, financial status, or physical ability, is what makes “OUR” Community EXTRAORDINARY.

In Greenburgh, Love Will Always Triumph Over Hate! We are a community woven and held together in a tapestry of mutual respect and caring: “We always were and always will be.”

Proud to be a member of this community, it’s a really Wonderful Town!

Hugh McAuley

Veterans Advisory Committee

“GoFundMe” Link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/supportgreenburghfamily?utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer