The Child Care Council of Westchester (CCCW) honored Robert Martin Company LLC, SUNY Westchester Community College, and CCCW Executive Director Kathy Halas at its annual Dream Big celebration in May drawing the largest crowd in the organization’s history.
Robert Martin Company, a leading real estate development and management firm based in Elmsford, received the Business Visionary Award. Recognizing that access to childcare is an essential component of a thriving workforce, the company incorporates childcare centers and after-school activity providers into its properties, making youth development opportunities available to hundreds of tenants and the thousands of employees represented by those critical businesses and organizations. The award was accepted by Greg Berger, president.
SUNY Westchester Community College received the Transformative Impact Award. Its campus is home to the Virginia Marx Children’s Center, an accredited five-star early learning center that serves infants, toddlers and preschoolers. The first center in Westchester to be “Freedom of Movement” certified for infants, Virginia Marx nurtures the whole child through play, discussion, art, music and other developmentally appropriate activities. It is integrated with the college’s Early Childhood Department where students are prepared for careers in a variety of settings working with children up to age eight and can earn their A.A.S. or an Early Childhood Certificate. The award was accepted by Dr. Belinda S. Miles, president.
Kathy Halas, a resident of White Plains, received the Lifetime Legacy Award. As executive director of the Child Care Council of Westchester for 21 years, Halas was recognized for her relentless advocacy for policy change and increased investment in childcare. During her tenure the Child Care Council tripled in size and launched many new critical initiatives to help improve the quality of early care and education available to families and better support early education professionals.
The Child Care Council of Westchester is a private, nonprofit resource organization founded in 1968, that champions the healthy development of children, families and communities by increasing access to quality early care and education. The council helps parents find childcare and access financial resources to make it more affordable. provides training and intensive assistance to childcare providers, advocates for increased public investment in childcare, and more.
