WPCNR MAIN STREET LINE. From Rick Ammirato, The Mayor's Office. October 15, 2003: Throughout the month of September, the residents of White Plains, NY took the advice of Mayor Joseph Delfino and Real Simple magazine by cleaning out their cluttered closets, overstuffed garages and messy basements in a unique community-wide fund raising effort to help get organized for their own good and to benefit a good cause – Family Services of Westchester.

ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, THE COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER on the streets of downtown White Plains to celebrate getting organized and shop for some bargains from among the nearly 10,000 items collected from the community.  And shop they did.  The campaign raised $50,000 to benefit Family Services of Westchester, a non-profit organization that has been serving the Westchester community for 50 years.  Specifically the funds will be used to renovate and modernize the client services waiting area of FSW’s White Plains office and turn waiting time into productive time. Official City of White Plains Photo By Rick Ammirato, The Mayor's Office.

HANDING "THE HANDLE" ON OVER: Grant Schneider of White Plains, Associate Publisher, Marketing, Real Simple Magazine presents a $50,000 check to Tom Sanders, President, Family Services of Westchester. L to right are Scott Hancock, Advertising Manager, Palm Inc.; Anne Martin, Marketing Director, Westpoint Stevens; Casey Preist, Vice President Marketing, The Container Store; Grant Schneider, Tom Sanders, President, Family Services, and "America's Favorite Mayor," Joseph Delfino. Official City of White Plains Photo by Rick Ammirato, The Mayor's Office.

"We appreciate the support of Mayor Delfino and are honored to be the beneficiary of Real Simple magazine’s Get Organized America,” said Tom Sanders, President of Family Services of Westchester.   “Just like Real Simple magazine and Mayor Delfino, our organization is dedicated to improving lives.  This contribution will go a long way to help a lot of people.”

Residents shop in one of the big tents on Main Street last weekend. Official City of White Plains Photo by Rick Ammirato of The Mayor's Office.

Real Simple magazine’s Get Organized America made it easy for residents to donate their clutter.  The month-long donation drive offered house calls; drop boxes for small items and a manned donation center.  To give residents the tools and know-how, Real Simple and its sponsors, The Container Storeâ, MasterCardâ, Martexâ, Volkswagen and Palm Inc., distributed free organizing kits and hosted a series of free organizing seminars.

For more information visit WWW.GETORGANIZEDAMERICA.COM  or call 1-866-4-DECLUTTER (1-866-433-2588).