Tikkun (Social Action)

For the TBS First Serve project this year, we will be providing school supplies for 155 students at Harris-Jackson Elementary, which is in the North Hill area of the Akron Public School District. The list of items is at the bottom of the email.

Rather than have people collect and bring supplies to a bin at the Temple, we will be fundraising for the supplies. Chris Stoehr of First Serve will arrange to have the supplies purchased (at quantity discounts) and delivered to my house. I will pick up the backpacks. We will then pack the backpacks at the Temple. This was done for another school with more backpacks. It can be set up on tables with distancing and go very quickly with a small group (I am thinking of the Brotherhood). I will then drop off the backpacks at Harris-Jackson.

I thought it would be nice if we also enclosed notes of encouragement to the students. We could divide this up based on the number interested in writing a short note.

First Serve has provided a link for donations. You go to the First Serve website joinfirstserve.org, select “Give” from the menu, and there will be a RED box with the link to donate to school supplies for Harris-Jackson. With a cost of about $8 per student, the amount we are looking to raise is $1240. If we raise less than $1240, the remainder will come from other general donations to First Serve.

The donation goes to the “First Serve Fund” and will be tagged for the Harris-Jackson backpacks. People could also send a check made to First Serve, with a note that it is for the Harris-Jackson backpacks, and send to First Serve, First Congregational Church, 47 Aurora St, Hudson, OH 44236.

We are looking to deliver the backpacks by August 27, so we are shooting to raise the money by August 14. I have made a donation, and I believe the Brotherhood is looking to donate $250 from current funds. We would also welcome donations from non-TBS friends and family.

Thanks,
James Field
Cell 330.962.7462

Here is a list of supplies they have requested:

Crayons
Washable markers or colored pencils
Box of tissues
Zippered pencil pouch
Scissors
Glue stick
Pocket folders
#2 pencils
Eraser
Blue or black ink pens
Wide-ruled Notebooks or composition book (spiral or non-spiral is fine)