The Community Fund and Backyard Sports Cares team up to serve special needs students ages 5-15.
APRIL 25, 2025 – The Community Fund of Bronxville, Eastchester, and Tuckahoe is pleased to announce that Backyard Sports Cares is now offering a six-week program at Anne Hutchinson School that brings a safe, and appropriately competitive athletic program, to special needs students aged 5-15. Designed to help them learn and enjoy team sports, this program develops athletic skills and fosters self-confidence while stressing the behaviors needed for optimal group cooperation.
The organization’s flagship program takes place at Purchase College, and also has been adapted for inclusion in half a dozen onsite after school programs, such as this one newly launched at Anne Hutchinson School in Eastchester, a center of excellence for innovative special education programs.
“Backyard Sports Cares is well-known for providing high-quality sports programming to young athletes with limited access to community programs. Their BYSC Plus program extends this expertise to children and teens with all types of differences, and ensures that they have fun in a supported environment. The Community Fund is thrilled to be able to extend support for this program series via a $3,000 discretionary fund grant,” said Shannon McDonough, The Fund’s Executive Director.
“Our commitment to providing sports and recreation to athletes with special needs at the Anne Hutchinson School in Eastchester would not be possible without the support of The Community Fund. We are forever grateful to Shannon and The Community Fund Board of Directors for their help in bringing this critical programming to these students, “ said Steve Tseckares, Executive Director of Backyard Sports Cares.”
This is the second time that Backyard Sports Cares has received grant funding from TCF; previously, they had been awarded a Youth Community Fund grant. They have also been delivering programming to ECAP participants for several years and continue to do so as part of their vast portfolio of programming across the county.
About Backyard Sports Cares
Backyard Sports Cares (BYSC) is the nonprofit 501(c)(3) division of Backyard Sports, the leading provider of community team sports programs for kids of all ages in Westchester County. Established in 2005, Backyard Sports is committed to replacing today’s “win at all costs” mentality of youth sports with an approach that promotes increased self-confidence and a lifetime love of sports while maximizing the athletic potential of each participant. Backyard Sports Cares was created to bring these ideals to children who have limited access to traditional youth sports programs, including children with special needs.
http://byardsportscares.org/
About The Community Fund of Bronxville, Eastchester, and Tuckahoe
Since 1919, Bronxville, Eastchester, and Tuckahoe residents have ensured that neighbors across the lifespan have access to what they need: nutritious food; opportunities for educational advancement; physical, mental, and social wellness programs; counseling in times of grief; recreation and enrichment; and rehabilitation and prevention services. The Community Fund of Bronxville, Eastchester, and Tuckahoe makes annual and discretionary grants to local agencies and nonprofits who form a cohesive network of support as they deliver services and programs to the most vulnerable among us.
https://thecommunityfund.org/