Social Action

Now that the winter holiday season has come to an end, I’d like to take this time to share all the good that has been done over the past few months.

November Candy Drive –This candy drive was such an

incredible success! Members of our congregation dropped off bags and bags of candy. But then the candy collection took on a life of its own! The following people also organized candy collections in their neighborhoods, shuls, and schools: Lawrence LeVine - The Strathmore Neighbors of Lake County Maria Perna - The Terramere Neighbors Association Paula Carter - Old Farm Village Neighbors Allison Zimbalist – Congregation Beth Judea Jamie Brodsky, student council teacher at West Oak Intermediate School, Mundelein

Thanks also to Sara Weinstein and Toni Rosen for help in delivering candies. A very special thanks go to Jill and Harold LeVine who were at the heart of the collection and donation process! Because of all that was collected, we were able to offer sweetness to the following organizations in our area:  WINGS  All Saints Lutheran Food Pantry  Vernon Township Food Pantry  St. Mary’s Church Food Pantry of

Buffalo Grove  St. Mary’s Church Food Pantry of

Vernon Hills  St. Edna’s Church Food Pantry  Congregation Beth Am Food Pantry in

Buffalo Grove  St. Alphonsus Church Food Pantry in

Prospect Heights  Indiana National Guard  PADS  Northfield Food Pantry  Fill a Heart for Kids  ARK NW  GiveNKind – Mundelein  Indiana Army National Guard 2-152

Infantry  Kingswood United Methodist Church  Buffalo Grove Food Pantry  Sue’s Food Pantry, Vernon Hills  Wheeling Township Food Pantry  Youth Services – Glenbrook/

Northbrook A final HUGE thanks to Jill Olefsky who was really the driving force behind this entire project! She picked up the candy from our shul and the various collection sites and organized it into boxes and then dispersed it to her crew for delivery. She turned her living room into a candy warehouse of sorts! She is truly SWEET!

Hunger Free Northbrook – Leatte Gelfeld @ 312-310-6950

Over the past 2.5 years, Hunger Free Northbrook has provided over 22,000 meals for students in Northbrook who are food insecure. Congregation Beth Shalom has been involved since its inception and has contributed many of those 22,000 meals! A huge Kol Ha Kavod goes to Leatte Gelfeld for her continuing efforts to collect and deliver the food bags to local Northbrook schools. If you would like to get involved in any of the projects listed above, please reach out to one of these amazing volunteers. If you have any other social action projects that you’d like to share with me, feel free to email me at:

SocialActionVP@bethshalomnb.org

Together we do great things! Suzy

ARK Shoppers – Merrill Medansky @ 847-559-8097

Merrill Medansky is the driving force for our congregations ARK shopping program. She, along with a dedicated team of shoppers, provides groceries to local families in need. Shoppers are reimbursed from the Gold Family Sabbath Fund. Please, get involved in this very important project. You can choose to shop just once or make it a family mitzvah project. Thank you, Merrill, for all you do to make this all happen.

PADS – Sara Weinstein @ 847-4775993

Thank you to Sara Weinstein for her ongoing efforts with PADS. Although the shelter has not be open for meal service, PADS has been housing their clients at a local hotel and meals have been provided by restaurants in the neighborhood. Sara continues to collect monetary donations and will let us know when PADS will open again for in person services.

Good Deeds Day*

Sunday, April 3rd Collections are now being accepted for our annual day of giving!

Bernie’s Book Bin - needs children’s books for ages birth to 6th grade (no religious, text or reference books please)

Sharsharet - provides kindness bags to women undergoing breast and ovarian cancer treatments. Items requested: travel size hand sanitizers, fuzzy socks, stress balls, adult activity books, and large canvas cosmetic pouches (7”x9”)

Beanie Baby’s - local organizations are collecting these small toys to give comfort to children in crises situations

Please leave these items in the

CBS foyer and look for more information about our upcoming day of Good Deeds!

Northfield Food Pantry – Fern Roseman @ 847-564-9266

Not enough can be said about the need for food in our community. The Northfield Food pantry has experienced low shelves especially in the time of Covid. Fern Roseman has been our connection to the Pantry and is a true “tour de force!” Her efforts ensure families in our community are well fed.

*an international day of service that was founded in Israel and now exists in over 100 countries