WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. September 26, 2006: Joe Torre, the Manager of the New York Yankees, and a man who grew up in a home marked by domestic violence announced his  Joe Torre Safe At Home Foundation is contributing a approximately $350,000 to open four "Safe Rooms," he calls Margaret's Place counseling rooms to Westchester County for the first time. The safe rooms,  named in memory of Mr. Torre's mother, are known as Margaret's Place (s). One of the Margaret's Places will be opened in the White Plains High School adjacent to the high school cafeteria and will be staffed by the Westchester Jewish Community Services organization.

Joe Torre, with Allan Trager, of Westchester Jewish Community Services introduces four Margaret's Place locations in Westchester County, expanding his program of education and counseling young persons concerned and are victims of domestic violence,  to Westchester for the first time. Photo,WPCNR News

At a news conference, Mr. Torre, County Executive Andy Spano  and Alan Trager, Executive Director/CEO of Westchester Jewish Community Services, introduced Mr. Torre's initiative in Westchester establishing Margaret's Place(s) in WPHS, the Pelham Middle School, Emerson Middle School in Yonkers and the Louis M. Klein Middle School in Harrison. 

Ivan Toper, Principal of WPHS, told WPCNR that the White Plains Margaret's Place will be open in a couple of weeks. He said there will be a private number for students to call to speak to a counselor, and that anonymity will be preserved. Protocols, he said are still being established at this time. Photo, WPCNR News

Mr. Torre, drawing candidly on his own experience, in response to a question by Victor Brady, (a WPHS student attending the public part of the progarm) , asking what were the goals of Margaret's Place, said the purpose is to allow children living in a domestic violence, or violent boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, to talk about it,  to feel they are not alone and know they have a place they can go where they are comfortable. He said he felt Middle School was a key place to reach out to children living with domestic violence because the situation in his household, growing up in Brooklyn made him feel it was his fault that his father was being violent to his mother, and that it affected his own self-esteem growing up and does, he said,  to this day.

County Executive Andy Spano left, said "No child should have to live in a world of domestic violence, and being able to go to a safe room at school will help ensure that they don't. Margaret's Place has been incredibly successful in New York City (Mr. Torre's Safe at Home Foundation has established six centers in the city), and we are so pleased that the Torre Foundation is bringing the program to Westchester. Photo, WPCNR News