Teens Tackle Tornado Relief; Birmingham's New Dream Team
ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE
The Birmingham Jewish Foundation is always thinking about the future. Today's Update reflects this. There are two stories dealing with young people and programs of The Foundation to enrich their future.
The first is on The Foundation's Teen Tzedakah project and highlights one more way that we are providing lasting growth experiences for our teens. The other is on The Foundation's new partnership with Camp Dream Street, MS, a unique program to provide kids with special needs summer enjoyment.
These initiatives are just two more ways that The Birmingham Jewish Foundation is reaching out, touching young lives and building a better future for all of us. For more information about The Foundation, contact Executive Director Sally Friedman at 205-803-1519 or sallyf@bjf.org.
TEENS TACKLE TORNADO RELIEF
It is more than six months since the devastating tornadoes hit Birmingham and other parts of Alabama on April 27th. On a recent Sunday, Birmingham's Teen Tzedakah group got to see up close and first-hand the extent of the damage, how much has been done and the tremendous and daunting task that still lies ahead.
Escorted by Phyllis Wyne, a resident of Pratt City and President of the Birmingham Board of Education, 18 teens toured Pratt City and saw whole blocks that still are in ruins. They also visited Scott School, which also is a tornado relief center.
Peaches Brown, Executive Director of Agape Loveline, one of the organizations involved, told the students about the first two days after the tornadoes when dozens of volunteers mobilized and hundreds of victims spontaneously showed up at the school looking for the basics -- food, shelter, clothes and baby needs. Community members helped their neighbors, who had lost everything. Scott School has served 2700 families and provided 10,000 food packs.
The teens listened raptly as Phyllis told her story of the first few hours after the storm when she searched for 10 family members living in Pratt City and only learned about her own home being destroyed when she saw it on CNN.
"Seeing it in person rather than in print made the damage and tragedy of the disaster seem much more real," said Teen Tzedakah member Rachel Fleisig.
The Birmingham Jewish Federation and Collat Jewish Family Services have been heavily involved in the tornado relief effort through the United Way. Claire Harris, a Collat Jewish Family Services social worker, told the teens about her work and the Birmingham Jewish community efforts to provide assistance.
At the conclusion of the program, the teens, with guidance from Phyllis and Peaches, discussed projects they could become involved in to help with the relief efforts. They have chosen to work on a Habitat for Humanity home and provide baskets of new household goods, such as sheets, towels, glasses, plates and small appliances, for those who lost everything.
RESPONSIBLE, KNOWLEDGEABLE
Teen Tzedakah, whose motto is "The Beginning of a Giving Future," is a joint project of The Birmingham Jewish Foundation and the Frank and Fred Friedman Family Foundation. Teens may open a fund in the Birmingham Jewish Foundation with $250 and it will be matched by the Friedman Foundation. Teens participate in a series of programs to educate them on how to be responsible and knowledgeable philanthropists and each year they are able to make charitable recommendations from the funds they have established.
Now, in its seventh year, Teen Tzedakah has 121 members. It began when Foundation Executive Director Sally Friedman, knowing of similar programs in other parts of the country, approached Brenda and Fred Friedman to help start such a program in Birmingham. "In seven years, we have touched the lives of more than 100 teens and I am deeply grateful to Brenda and Fred for their ongoing support," said Sally.
For more information on how your teen can participate in Teen Tzedakah contact Susan Lapidus at The Foundation at susanl@bjf.org or 205-803-1515. What better way to give them the beginning of a giving future!
BIRMINGHAM'S NEW DREAM TEAM
There are not many sounds in the world sweeter than children having fun at summer camp. For many children with physical disabilities, however, this once seemed out of reach.
Thanks to Camp Dream Street, MS, which takes place on the grounds of Union of Reform Judaism's Henry S. Jacobs Camp in Utica, Mississippi, children of all faiths and backgrounds who have physical disabilities can live that dream. And thanks to a new partnership between Camp Dream Street, MS, and The Birmingham Jewish Foundation this dream will continue for years to come.
At a recent meeting, the Camp Dream Street, MS board voted to partner with The Birmingham Jewish Foundation to build the Dream Street endowment. This means that The Foundation will help Dream Street grow its endowment, so that there is sufficient funding in the years ahead to provide children with special needs with these uplifting experiences. Over the years, many Birmingham teens and young adults have worked as volunteers at Dream Street (see below link), so it made the fit all the more natural.
Part of The Foundation's vision is to partner with other entities throughout the region, and create new models that advance common causes. Foundation Executive Director Sally Friedman initiated the discussions with Dream Street and worked with its board to cement this new arrangement.
"PRICELESS GIFT"
"Anyone who has had a child attend a summer camp knows what an incredible experience it is," said Sally. "For these children, it is even more so. This is something that can positively affect the rest of their lives and how they see themselves. For their families this is a priceless gift. We at The Foundation are so proud that we can work with Dream Street to make sure its vital work continues."
Camp Dream Street, MS is a project of the National Federation of Temple Youth-Southern Region in conjunction with Jacobs Camp. Campers are assigned their own counselor so that they get to enjoy as many of the regular camping experiences as they can -- swimming, crafts, sports and hanging with new friends. Not only the campers, but also the staff have benefited from this life changing experience. Children from throughout the Southeast attend free of charge and all the staff members are volunteers.
For more information on how you can participate in sustaining and expanding the dream of Dream Street, contact Sally at The Foundation at 205-803-1519 or sallyf@bjf.org, or Scott Levy or Ellen Alexander at 601-885-6042 or scott@dreamstreetms.org or ealexander@urj.org.
Photo is of Dream Street counselor Lillian Weinberger, of Birmingham, working with a Dream Street camper.
