The Greater Kansas City Section of the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is holding its annual Light Up a Life fundraising campaign ahead of Hanukkah.
In the past year, NCJW has helped 3,000 people, each with their story of need.
NCJW leadership shared the story of Angela, an 8-year-old at Grant Elementary School who needed a new pair of shoes. Her family’s apartment recently flooded with backed-up sewage, and everything was ruined. On top of that, Angela’s dad had just been deported, so the family was dealing with uncertainty, fear and loss. The school social worker contacted NCJW’s Stacey’s Closet program for help. NCJW volunteers delivered the shoes in less than 48 hours. Angela loved the shoes, and her mom was relieved and grateful to have the help.
“These are difficult times,” said Amanda Palan, fundraising chair for NCJW. “Angela is just one of many children and families in the Kansas City community struggling right now, and NCJW works to fill some of those needs. We partner with over 30 schools in the Metro to assist students with everything from clothing to period products, and we partner with other agencies to help with layettes for babies, school supplies/clothing, and we provide household supplies to young adults aging out of foster care. There are so many ways we help in the community, and most of the time we do it quietly behind the scenes, working with schools and organizations.”
Donations to the Light Up a Life campaign will be used to bring relief to locals in need. Those interested in donating can send a check to NCJW at 5311 W. 75th St., Prairie Village, KS 66208, or online at kansascity.section.ncjw.org.
Contributions to the campaign help fund the following programs.
- 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 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.
