Bill Carter, who has served as Commissioner of the Theodore Young Community Center (Department of Community Resources)  since 2008, has passed away after a battle with cancer.

Bill always made everyone smile and laugh. He had a great personality. He made people feel good about themselves when he talked to them. But, he also made people smile because he improved the quality of life for many. The Jazz concert series (which was re-named in his honor shortly before his most recent hospitalization) brought to the town the highest quality musicians each summer.  Bill helped young people find employment and the programs he promoted improved the quality of life for lower income residents. He also enhanced programs --encouraging people from the entire town to benefit from the Community Center programs.  Indoor swimming, academic enrichment, arts and crafts, dance, music, technology, outdoor play, senior citizen programs, encouraging students to attend college all were priorities of Bill.

Bill is well known and respected in the community. Prior to his service has Commissioner for the town, he was well known county wide as an advocate for our youth. He  coordinated county funded youth initiative programming. He had been responsible for insuring contract compliance of youth services providers contracted by the county and facilitates all aspects associated with resource allocation of over 8 million dollars in youth development funding. 

Bill has also worked with the Educational Opportunity Center of Westchester and with the White Plains Youth Bureau. He currently teaches at Westchester Community College (Adjunct Professor) and worked at Hawthorne Cedar Knolls School and Family Service of Westchester. 

Bill had outstanding education credentials. He received his MSW from Columbia University School of Social Work and was the recipient of the Eveline Burns Scholar in Social Policy Fellowship. He graduated from Dominican College of Blauvelt (Summa Cum Laude), with a BS in Social Work. He had been invited to give presentations to colleges, educators around New York State and St. Lucia. 

He was active in African American Men of Westchester and hosted the annual Martin Luther King, Jr breakfast. He received his license from the State Education Department as an HIV Test Counselor.

Our town won't be the same without Bill. He will be missed by those who knew him and who benefitted by his leadership and friendship. He will continue to inspire....

PAUL FEINER