Mitzvah Project Ideas

Description of Organization:
Family-to-Family is a non-profit hunger relief organization dedicated to providing food and other basic life necessities to profoundly poor, rural American families. We link families with "more" to families with much less. Each donating family is linked to a specific family in need, and each month either sends "their" family a box of food, or donates money for food to Family-to-Family, which then purchases the food for that particular family.

Bnai Mitzvah Projects or Volunteer Opportunities offered by the organization for children ages 11 - 13:
Through our Birthday Buddies program, kids can create shoebox sized boxes filled with birthday goodies (small gifts, goody bag, a gently used book, cake mix and a card) to be given to families in our receiving communities who cannot afford to celebrate their children's birthdays.

We also have a Books for Life program that involves collecting gently used books and shipping them to outreach workers in our receiving communities to distribute to families that cannot afford the luxury of buying books.

Description of Organization:
The Food Bank For New York City is the city's largest hunger-relief organization providing food to over 1,200 non-profit community food programs throughout the city. Over 240,000 meals are delivered each day to people throughout the five boroughs.
In 2004, the Food Bank was awarded three prestigious awards by America's Second Harvest, The Nation's Food Bank Network: Member of the Year Award in recognition of excellence and leadership; Food Sourcing Award for new partnerships; and Innovative Program Award for the Food Bank's Education Institute.

Bnai Mitzvah Projects or Volunteer Opportunities offered by the organization for children ages 11 - 13:
Groups of volunteers (up to 35) are needed at our Bronx Warehouse to help repack donated food into sizes suitable for food pantries and soup kitchens anytime during our regular operating hours, Monday-Friday, 9:00 am- 4:00 pm. The Food Bank can also be opened on Saturdays for volunteer groups of 25+ that are willing to dedicate at least 3 hours of volunteer work anytime between the hours of 9 AM-3 PM.

Description of Organization:
The Food Bank for Westchester, Inc.'s mission is to alleviate hunger and minimize food waste in Westchester by soliciting, sorting, and distributing a steady supply of quality surplus food to Westchester's emergency food programs--and to fight hunger by engaging, educating, and empowering the community. The Food Bank distributres more than 4 million pounds of food annually through a member network of 187 emergency food programs such as soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, low-income daycare centers, adult day programs, and residential programs.

Bnai Mitzvah Projects or Volunteer Opportunities offered by the organization for children ages 11 - 13:
Volunteer opportunities include working at The Food Bank warehouse in Millwood, NY sorting and packing mixed goods from food drives and helping re-pack large, bulk quantities of products like pasta into smaller family-size packages.

Description of Organization:
Israel is the prime resource for Jewish education, identity, and continuity. The land is connected to the text and archaeological artifacts, and historical sites are connected to the classroom. Ancient Yavneh is being developed as a participatory educational excavation. Media and aids for the classroom use hi-tech methods.

Bnai Mitzvah Projects or Volunteer Opportunities offered by the organization for children ages 11 - 13:
The opportunity to excavate in Ancient Yavneh during the season, and the opportunity to run an educational program at Tel Yavneh is in development.

Description of Organization:

Bnai Mitzvah Projects or Volunteer Opportunities offered by the organization for children ages 11 - 13:
B'nai Mitzvah Projects for INTRA can include raising money to purchase a therapy horse or pony, 'adopting' a horse to help support its care, sponsoring a rider for therapy sessions, purchasing equipment for the horses. INTRA welcomes visitors to its facility in Israel, with the possibility of volunteering around the farm. INTRA brochures are available. Contact Minna H. Heilpern at Kirah26@aol.com.

Description of Organization:

Bnai Mitzvah Projects or Volunteer Opportunities offered by the organization for children ages 11 - 13:
At Friends of Israel Scouts, Inc., bnai mitzvah have made fundraising efforts in conjunction with their bar/bat mitzvah celebration, at times in lieu of gifts. This has been quite helpful in obtaining funds to ensure the perpetuation of their programming for American and Israeli youth.

Description of Organization:

Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the mission of providing and supporting social, educational, cultural, and recreational programs and facilities for the young men and women soldiers of Israel who defend the Jewish homeland. It also offers these services to the families of fallen soldiers.

Bnai Mitzvah Projects or Volunteer Opportunities offered by the organization for children ages 11 - 13:

We invite you to share the excitement of your Mitzvah Project with the young men and women who defend the State of Israel. Show them you care by adopting an FIDF project or program contributing to the wellbeing of Israel's soldiers. It's never too early for a Mitzvah Project-they are suitable for any age. Let us help you plan your very special day. From honor cards, party themes and party favors, to thank you cards – we are here to provide you with guidance and assistance to make this day memorable! Experience Israel like never before… the best way to connect your Bar/Bat Mitzvah experience with Israel is to visit the soldiers on a one-day trip to an IDF base.

Description of Organization:
The Friendship Circle extends a helping hand to families who have children with special needs and involves them in a full range of Jewish and social experiences. The Circle's unique formula introduces teenage volunteers to the children and both are enriched through shared experiences.

Bnai Mitzvah Projects or Volunteer Opportunities offered by the organization for children ages 11 - 13:
Friends@Home! The Frienship circle will match you and another Jewish teen with a child who has special needs. Both Jewish teens will make a weekly visit to their Special Friend’s home to share activities. The personal rewards are awesome.

Description of Organization:
The program endeavors to match special needs children with teenage mentors. On a weekly basis these volunteers will visit the homes of challenged youngsters and establish a bond through interaction, whether it is crafts, computer games, sports, or music. The weekly visits will be eagerly awaited and help boost moral. The teenagers learn to share and give. They come to recognize that their input and involvement can make a difference. Suddenly as if by osmosis they come to realize that their issues are trivial and pale in comparison to those of their respective junior partner.

Furthermore assuming the responsibility to volunteer on a regular weekly basis for such a noble cause is a plus and an impressive addition on a resume. For the parents the visits will offer a weekly respite. Knowing that their son/daughter is in good hands will free them to go shopping, to the gym, or spend uninterrupted quality time with the other children. The success of each match will be considered and evaluated by a core of professionals who will review the data flow from the volunteers and parents.

Bnai Mitzvah Projects or Volunteer Opportunities offered by the organization for children ages 11 - 13:
Friends @ Home Program

Description of Organization:
Fuel For Truth is the Special Forces of Israel advocacy. We equip young Americans with the basic facts and skills necessary to advocate to young adults, to increase support for Israel in her battle against radical Islamic terror. Israelis, Americans and citizens of all democracies must work together to combat the global threat of radical Islamic terror. Even though information is more accessible today than at any other time in our history, there is a lack of motivation to learn – especially among college students and young adults. Enemies of America, Israel, and of peace have poured millions of dollars into PR campaigns to spread inaccurate information and foster hatred here in the United States. It is imperative that this misinformation is countered with truth for future generations to understand the genuine partners of peace.

Bnai Mitzvah Projects or Volunteer Opportunities offered by the organization for children ages 11 - 13:
We could possibly produce an event at their school, similar to the way we do it at college campuses, but directed toward the younger demographic. OLD SKOOL CAMPUS PROGRAM: Fuel For Truth sends recent graduates back to universities to help inform and educate students about the issues relating to our cause. We send our most social and advocacy trained ALUMNI back to their campuses to identify 30-50 student leaders. This core group of student leaders helps build a larger audience for a follow up social/educational event for 100-400 people. The Old Skool Campus Program has reached more than 2,300 students at universities throughout the Northeast and is in the process of expanding from coast to coast.

Description of Organization:
We are a furniture bank -- we collect gently used furniture from the public and redistribute it free of charge to families moving out of homeless shelters, etc.

Bnai Mitzvah Projects or Volunteer Opportunities offered by the organization for children ages 11 - 13:
Collection drives -- furniture, or smaller pieces, like lamps, TVs, microwaves

Description of Organization:
G'mach Zichron Chaya was started in Israel in January 2010 to provide formalwear for those in need. The g'mach, in memory of Roberta Ray Katz, provides women's gowns/dresses, mens suits/tuxedos, girls dresses, boys suits and tuxes and baby formalwear. To date the g'mach has been unbelievably successful in providing for people all over central Israel and we hope to continue this worthy cause. The g'mach is currently looking for clothing donations in good condition. To drop off clothing in Teaneck, NJ or Manhattan or to make an arrangement for clothing to be picked up, please e-mail ilanasn@aol.com or call 201-824-5077. Thank you and tizku l'mitzvot! Ilana and Ely Katz

Bnai Mitzvah Projects or Volunteer Opportunities offered by the organization for children ages 11 - 13:
Children in this age range are more than welcome to do the chesed of collecting clothing items and having them sent to Teaneck or Israel.

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