Children’s Enrichment Committee
All About the Children’s Enrichment Committee of Orange County
In 1911, noted philanthropist Ann Delano Hitch, aunt of future president Franklin Delano Roosevelt, donated $2,000 to the Newburgh (NY) Agency for Dependent Children. From this donation, the Children’s Enrichment Committee of Orange County was born. The Children’s Enrichment Committee is devoted to helping children, especially those in foster care, in Orange County, New York.
The CEC gives holiday presents to Orange County foster children, as well as helps pay for music and dance lessons, musical instrument rentals, summer camp, field trips, sports clubs fees, prom dresses, and class rings.
The CEC also sponsors the Emily Akers Scholarship Fund, which provides aid to Orange County students in colleges and technical schools of higher education.
There are no membership fees, and all are welcome to join us!
Image: Anna Delano Hitch, first woman member of The Lion’s Club, with her nephew Franklin Delano Roosevelt. “It is no wonder people in every walk of life in Newburgh loved her.”
Our Mission
“The CEC is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of foster children and young people in need by supporting educational, cultural, and social opportunities that contribute to their growth and brighten their lives.”
2025 Upcoming Meetings and Events
We sincerely welcome visitors and new members! Should anyone have questions about our organization, please feel free to contact us.
2025 Meeting Dates – All meetings are held on Mondays at the Thrall Library in Middletown at 2pm
- January 27 Budget Meeting
- March 10
- April 14
- May 12
- June: Luncheon – June 9 at Winding Hills Golf Club
- September 8
- October 14 (Note that this is a Tuesday due to the holiday on Monday)
- November 10
- December – Holiday Gift collection- date and location TBA
Read About our Recent Activity
- Holiday Season 2025 Update!
The CEC donation drive is now in full swing. CEC operates solely on the generosity of the community and appreciates every gift that is given . All funds are used to directly help our mission of aiding foster children and children in need. Please consider contributing by sending a donation to : Children’s Enrichment Committee , C/O Dispute Resolution, 210 East Main Street, Middletown, NY 10940
CEC will again hold its annual gift wrapping fundraiser. It will be held at the Galleria Mall in Middletown on December 20 and 21, 2025 where our members will happily wrap any gifts you have in exchange for a donation to our mission
Our six 2025 scholarships have all been presented to deserving students and we wish them success in their future endeavours. Applications for 2026 scholarships will be available in the spring. Please contact CEC at cec@drcservices.org for further information.
CEC would like to thank the Knights of Columbus for generously offering to provide new winter coats to our list of children in need. Handmade hats, mittens and scarves are being donated by the Yarntastices and Slate Hill quilters to go with the coats.
In 2024 CEC provided holiday gifts for 122 children and we are happy to report that we are on track to do the same in December 2025. Receiving information from DSS and NAFI, children receive multiple gifts from their wish lists as well as handknit hats, scarves, mittens and blankets. A sincere thanks goes to the Yarntastics, Slate Hill Quilters and the Newburgh Methodist Church for their generous donations.
Thank you to all who continue to donate their time and talents in running our ongoing activities of fundraisers, the toiletry program, yard sales and so much more. Extra hands are always needed. Please contact us to see how you can help.
- Board of Directors
The 2025 elections were held with the following people elected to the CEC board:
President: Liz Hrabowsky
Vice President: Linda Smith
Treasurer: Susanne Wasson
Secretary: Joanne Rose
Corresponding Secretary: Brenda Maxwell Presnal
- Holiday Season Update!
The 2024 scholarships have all been presented to deserving students and we wish them success in their future endeavours. Applications for 2025 scholarships will be available this spring. Please contact CEC at cec@drcservices.org for further information.
We are thrilled to share the news that CEC provided holiday gifts for 122 children this year! Receiving information from DSS and NAFI, children received multiple gifts from their wish lists as well as handknit hats, scarves, mittens, and blankets plus handmade quilts. A sincere thanks goes to the Yarntastics, Slate Hill Quilters, and the Newburgh Methodist Church for their generous donations. In addition, hundreds of new toys and stuffed animals were donated for this holiday program to supplement the requested wishlist items that CEC purchased.
CEC held another successful gift wrapping fundraiser at the Galleria Mall in Middletown in December. Thank you to all who volunteered to help and to those who supported the event.
Our annual donation drive is now in full swing. CEC operates solely on the generosity of the community and appreciates every gift that is given. All funds are used to directly help our mission of aiding foster children and children in need. Please consider contributing by sending a donation to: Children’s Enrichment Committee C/O Dispute Resolution, 210 East Main St, Middletown, NY 10940
CEC has begun a new program of providing toiletries to children in need. The Yarntastics generously donated attractive handmade cloth bags for CEC to fill with many necessary products such as shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste, deodorant etc. Perhaps a child is being transitioned to foster care, or is simply in need, these bags will be given for their personal use.
Donation of new toys and handknit items 
Donation of new toys and handknit items 
Delivery to NAFI - Thank you!
CEC thanks the Slate Hill Quilting Group for donating these handmade quilts to CEC to give to foster children.
- September 2024 News Update:
CEC is pleased to report that we have served more children this past summer than ever and we thank our tireless volunteers and donors for making this possible. The autumn months will begin even a busier season! Mark your calendars noting that the monthly meetings of CEC will resume 2PM, September 9 at Thrall Library in Middletown and watch for our upcoming fundraisers and holiday gift program.
In addition, CEC is excited to have started collaboration for requests with CASA and NAFI. Working with these agencies, along with continuing collaboration with DSS, expands our services to more children who are in need. We hope that our assistance will make their lives a bit brighter.
Read more about our 2021 and beyond activity here on our blog
The CEC Wishes To Thank The Following Organizations For Their Support:
- Boy Scouts Of America, NY Troop 62, Goshen NY
- First Congregational Church, Middletown NY
- First Federal Savings, Middletown NY
- First Presbyterian Church, Goshen NY
- J’s Place, Middletown NY
- Kiwanis Club of Middletown NY
- Kwik Stop Foods, Inc. Goshen, NY
- Mid-City Transit of Middletown Muddy Waters Players NY
- Orange & Rockland
- Slate Hill (NY) Quilters
- Stewart’s Shops
- United Presbyterian Church, Middletown NY
- Warwick Lions Club, Warwick NY
- Yarntastics (Newburgh , NY)
The Children’s Enrichment Committee is a program of DRC (Dispute Resolution Center)
