The National Council of Jewish Women, Greater Kansas City Section, (NCJW) has completed a successful “Light Up A Life” fundraising campaign.
“We can’t say thank you enough to our members and the Kansas City community,” said NCJW fundraising co-chairs Lynn Schweig and Sharon Mallin in a joint statement. “The money we received through ‘Light Up A Life’ is the backbone for all our programs throughout the year.”
Despite inflation and increased prices for supplies, NCJW staff say that the fundraiser has created a “solid foundation” for work in the coming year.
Contributions from the fundraiser will help fund the following programs and overhead:
- Back to School Store — providing underprivileged elementary school children with backpacks, school supplies and clothing. Volunteers shop throughout the year for goods, set up before the event, and shop the “store” for each child.
- Baskets 4 Babies — providing layette items to mothers at Operation Breakthrough or area shelters. Volunteers shop for, assemble and deliver baskets during the year.
- Birthday Bags — providing birthday gift bags filled with an age-appropriate book, toy, toothbrush and toothpaste to children in low-income schools.
- Mother’s Day Jewelry Project — helping low-income elementary school children “shop” for a Mother’s Day gift for their special person. Volunteers set up and staff the “store,” arrange tables, and help the children select the gift.
- Period Project — donating and distributing menstrual products to meet the needs of middle and high school students in our community.
- Scholarships — awarding new and ongoing scholarships to area high school and college students.
- Stacey’s Closet — providing elementary school children with essential clothing throughout the school year. Named in memory of NCJW’s beloved Stacey Bell, this new program was created as an offshoot of its Back to School Store.
- Suitcase to Start — helping youth aging out of the foster care system by providing them with brand-new household supplies (linens, pots/pans, dishes, cleaning items, etc.) to help teens set up their first home.
Those interested in becoming a member of NCJW or contributing can go to kansascity.section.ncjw.org or send a check to 5311 W. 75th St., Prairie Village, KS 66208.
