Andrus Childrens Center - Northern Westchester

The mission of the Andrus Center for Learning and Innovation is to provide professional leadership on issues, practices and policies affecting vulnerable children and families.

A Yonkers businessman, Mayor and Congressman, John Andrus created the original Andrus Children's Home as a memorial to his beloved wife Julia who had been adopted as a young child by the Dyckman family. She grew up on the Dyckman family farm, now the 107-acre campus housing our corporate offices, Residential Treatment Program, Diagnostic Center and Orchard School. Mr. Andrus' belief that children should feel valued is reflected in the beauty of our grounds and the architectural details of the Tudor mansions he built specifically to be homes for children and staff. The attention he paid to quality, safety and nurturing care has continuously shaped our work. Throughout our history the Board and staff of Andrus Children's Center have taken pride in the programs we offer. We have been guided by a mission and core values that demand the highest quality of services. Since we know that the major challenges family's face require major solutions, we define our work to be more than service provision but to include research and evaluation, development of new models of care, teaching and training of other professionals and influence on public policy. In recent years, our efforts have included leadership of the Yonkers Early Childhood Initiative, a community collaborative of public and private partners invested in improving the quality of life for young children; the Andrus Center for Learning and Innovation, a site for training, research and best practice development; and "Sanctuary, " a trauma sensitive model for treatment.