Holiday Work Begins for Yonkers Students

The holiday season kicks off at Stew Leonard’s in Yonkers with Christmas tree sales. The store hired about 700 high school students from Yonkers Public High Schools to help with selling tens of thousands of trees.

Yonkers’ High School Hiring Fundraiser program employs hundreds of students, as well as makes additional donations to each school. These donations are incentives for workers to earn money not just for themselves, but also to better their learning community.

“We’re really happy to continue to offer this program, as well as grow it from 2015, into what it has become today,” says Human resources manager, Frank DeSantis.

Iris, who chose not to give her last name, is someone who participated in the seasonal program in 2017, and was rehired as a part-time worker in the frontend department. She also received experience in other departments such as grocery and catering. She is currently in school, pursuing a career as a veterinary technician.

“With all these skills I’m able to not just bring them to work, but also, even a school environment,” she says.

Vice President Cristian Cruz says the high school employees who have been hired through this program will help sell trees until Christmas. The students later have the opportunity to be rehired during one of the store’s busier seasons.