Community Connection: Helen Kaplan Center supports MOMMAS House
The holidays are a season of giving, and the community of self-advocates, families, and staff at Citizens Options Unlimited’s Helen Kaplan Center wanted to give back to their neighbors at MOMMAS House.
MOMMAS House, located in Levittown, provides housing and support for young mothers aged 18 to 24 and their children. To support them, the center’s community organized bake sales and an Angel Tree to collect supplies and toys.
“We’ve had some smaller drives, and this is really our big holiday drive because we wanted to do something for the community, and we’ve donated to MOMMAS House before,” said Inez McDannell, a Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professional (QIDP) at the center.
Once everything was collected, Michael Herskovitz, who recently moved to the center, helped Inez prepare the donations for delivery on Friday, December 19. The following Monday, Michael joined Gary Granate and staff for a trip to MOMMAS House to drop off the supplies.
Deirdre Trumpy, Executive Director of MOMMAS House, greeted Michael and Gary outside to receive the donated supplies that will help the young moms and children thrive.
“We need a lot of support from the community,” Deirdre said. “The community helps provide material donations so we can reduce our costs.”
The donation from the center, Deirdre explained, helps MOMMAS House meet basic needs to function day to day. “It also gives them a little bit of joy,” Deirdre said. “They are getting extra stuff too: extra gifts and things to fulfill their wants and wishes.”
Thank you to everyone at the center who made this wonderful act of kindness possible.