When Kid”™s Kloset needed a hand, George Constantin came calling.
Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS) honored Constantin with its Corporate Hero Award Nov. 20 for providing space at 4 Gannett Drive in West Harrison to Kid”™s Kloset after it was displaced due to a fire.
Constantin runs Heritage Realty Services L.L.C. and Heritage Realty Investment Management L.L.C., both based in New York City.
“Mr. Constantin”™s generosity of spirit has been a tremendous blessing,” said Stephanie Roth, Kid”™s Kloset director. “WJCS is more than grateful that he recognized the void Kid”™s Kloset fills in the community and provided us with a way to continue our mission.”
Kid”™s Kloset, at 170 E. Post Road in White Plains, is a service of volunteer drivers who pick up donations at people”™s homes. The service was started in September 2011 and has provided a week”™s worth of clothing to more than 2,000 children in need.
Six weeks ago, a fire started in the air conditioning unit at Kid”™s Kloset”™s space in White Plains, making the space uninhabitable. With nowhere to turn, Constantin offered the vacant office space.
“The success of Kid”™s Kloset is totally reliant on the generosity of others ”“ people who donate children”™s clothes, people who contribute time to sort and redistribute those items and people like Mr. Constantin who provide us with the all-important base of operation,” Roth said. “He is truly Kid”™s Kloset”™s hero.”
Constantin, who was also recognized by Deputy County Executive Kevin Plunkett, said he was speechless upon receiving the recognition.
“There is something very special about Westchester,” Constantin said. “There is a sincere spirit of community. Westchester has been very good to us. It”™s sad to see such great people in need. People need help and I am glad I can help.”
Constantin said that in an affluent area like Westchester, people don”™t realize that there is poverty and people in need, and organizations like Kid”™s Kloset perform a valuable service.
“I was taken aback by the volunteerism that exists here,” Constantin said. “It”™s very special.”
Kid”™s Kloset expects to be back in its original space in a few weeks. That space was donated by WJCS board member Roy Stillman, who runs Stillman Development International.
