The White Plains ComicFest is a unique strategy that seeks to reach the many times quiet “geeks”, “nerds”, and young people of the pop culture who feel ignored and left out on the fringes of the popular youth groups. These youth are frequently the subject of ridicule and bullying despite being incredibly talented. The ComicFest taps into these hidden talents and allows them to blossom and find a place of comfort and understanding.

The City of White Plains Youth Bureau and the White Plains Public Library are proud to be members of this Coalition and partner with the Galleria at White Plains and the Rise Above Social Issues Foundation to host the growing 7th Annual White Plains ComicFest.

About the White Plains Youth Bureau

http://whiteplainsyouthbureau.org

The White Plains Youth Bureau is a municipal organization whose mission is to provide positive youth development activities during the after-school hours. The White Plains Youth Bureau is the largest youth bureau in the State of New York and offers over 50 programs for youth ages 6 years – 24 years. The majority of the programs are provided free of charge to community residents. The Youth Bureau serves approximately 2,000 youth each day. The White Plains Youth Bureau is the parent organization of the White Plains Cares Coalition and the Coalition for Living Wellness.

About the White Plains Cares Coalition

https://whiteplainscarescoalition.com

The White Plains Cares Coalition (WPCC) is a community-based organization that promotes protective factors to support positive youth and community development. The mission of the White Plains Cares Coalition is to identify the impact of individual, peer, family, and community risk factors on youth delinquency and to advocate for and provide timely and effective strategies for mitigating such risks

The White Plains Cares Coalition brings together more than 35 community partners representing each sector – schools, parents, youth, health, government, business, prevention & treatment providers, law enforcement, youth-serving organizations, religious institutions, civic & volunteer groups, and media. Representatives from these sectors meet each month to assess community needs and develop appropriate action plans and strategies to address these needs

Over the years, the White Plains Cares Coalition has been credited with a number of strategies that have resulted in positive outcomes for young people. Some of these strategies are:

• “Saving Our Sons” programs for young men of color
• White Plains Social Justice for Youth Program made of the community Youth Court and the RoseBuds Peer Advocacy Program for high-risk girls
• White Plains READS! Literacy initiative
• Red Ribbon Week Substance Abuse Prevention Campaign
• “Be The Parent” Positive Parenting Education & Campaign
• Community-wide Bullying Prevention Initiative