On February 1st, Lori and I were honored to receive a check from Summits Luminary Fund in support of the Christ Child Societys Layette Program. Each year the Luminary Fund supports an amazing group of non-profit organizations that in turn support Summit citizens, from infants to seniors. The Luminary Fund is able to provide these funds due to the generosity of Summit citizens who purchase thousands of luminaries each December to illuminate our town on December 24th. As Miles MacMahon, another Luminary Fund recipient, so aptly put it, “the luminary effect”, or “glow,” starts with the people who buy and display these beautiful lights throughout the town. It is spread through the good works of the people who run the program led by Barbara Romano. Lastly, it is felt by every Summit citizen who benefits from the services provided by fund recipients including the Summit First Aid Squad, SAGE, Senior Connections, Area Baby Center, and more. Thank you to the Luminary Fund and to all these organizations for making Summit “glow.”
Our 2013 Rummage Sale was held on Saturday, October 19th in Memorial Hall from 8 am to 2 pm. Thank you to the scores of people who donated their treasures, to those who gave these treasures a new life by purchasing them, and to the many volunteers who made it all run smoothly. “Customers” were lined up outside our doors for our 8 am opening, and the crowds kept coming until we closed the doors at 2:00 pm! Read more...
It was a successful day all around! Many people got to recycle their “treasures,” and many others got to snatch up those treasures at bargain basement prices! Our young volunteers also ran a successful bake sale, adding to our proceeds. This event has come to be much anticipated by the community. Proceeds will go to fund our programs for children, including our layette program, our school supplies program, and our Christ Child Society scholarship.
Just in time for school, 323 children eligible for free and reduced lunches received new backpacks and school supplies. For the fifth year, the Christ Child Society of Summit and Bridges Outreach collaborated to collect hundreds of binders, spiral and composition notebooks, pens, pencils and much more. In addition, $2,500 worth of additional supplies were purchased from funds raised by both groups. It is estimated that each child received supplies valuing $65. Parents were able to take the financial resources that would have been used for school supplies to pay for food, rent, and other necessities.Read more...
More than twenty volunteers assisted the children during distribution this August. Thanks to a grant from the Summit Area Public Foundation, every child received a new backpack. Bridges, along with Mondo, Hilltop Bank, Coldwell Banker, Lois Schneider Realty, and St. Teresa’s served as donation points for school supplies. Adding to the summer donations, students were asked to contribute supplies before leaving for summer vacation. “This has become a community event. It’s nice to see Summit come together to help its children,” commented Sally Golding and Jane Murphy, co-chairs of the event.
Just in time for school, 323 children eligible for free and reduced lunches received new backpacks and school supplies. For the fifth year, the Christ Child Society of Summit and Bridges Outreach collaborated to collect hundreds of binders, spiral and composition notebooks, pens, pencils and much more. In addition, $2,500 worth of additional supplies were purchased from funds raised by both groups. It is estimated that each child received supplies valuing $65. Parents were able to take the financial resources that would have been used for school supplies to pay for food, rent, and other neccessities.Read more...
- See more at: ./index.php?cID=1059#sthash.JXa2Dfdj.dpuf
Just in time for school, 323 children eligible for free and reduced lunches received new backpacks and school supplies. For the fifth year, the Christ Child Society of Summit and Bridges Outreach collaborated to collect hundreds of binders, spiral and composition notebooks, pens, pencils and much more. In addition, $2,500 worth of additional supplies were purchased from funds raised by both groups. It is estimated that each child received supplies valuing $65. Parents were able to take the financial resources that would have been used for school supplies to pay for food, rent, and other neccessities.Read more...
- See more at: ./index.php?cID=1059#sthash.JXa2Dfdj.dpuf
Just in time for school, 323 children eligible for free and reduced lunches received new backpacks and school supplies. For the fifth year, the Christ Child Society of Summit and Bridges Outreach collaborated to collect hundreds of binders, spiral and composition notebooks, pens, pencils and much more. In addition, $2,500 worth of additional supplies were purchased from funds raised by both groups. It is estimated that each child received supplies valuing $65. Parents were able to take the financial resources that would have been used for school supplies to pay for food, rent, and other neccessities.Read more...
- See more at: ./index.php?cID=1059#sthash.JXa2Dfdj.dpuf
The day before Valentines Day, an “angel” called me out of the blue and said “Someone gave me 5 large boxes of bibs...does Christ Child know anyone who can use them?” Did we ever!! Since the start of the school year, the staff at the Infant and Toddler Early Learning Center at Central High School in Newark has been asking if we could get them bibs, LOTS of them, since the babies go through them so quickly, and they tend to get pretty yucky, pretty fast. Here was a gift of bibs, LOTS of them, from out of nowhere. Well, not exactly nowhere. The “angel” saw our name in the bulletin and knew of our organization because her mother was a member of the original Summit chapter of the Christ Child Society. Her mother joined Christ Child when she moved to Summit from Brooklyn when she was in her EIGHTIES. She lived to be 103 years old. It just goes to show, its never too late to make a difference!
If you are like me, youre always thinking, in the back of your mind, how am I ever going to be sure my kids learn all the lessons they need in order to become good adults—the people they were meant to be in every sense. Maybe, just maybe, we dont need to worry so much.
This Christmas, my kids were given a sum of money they could donate to the charity or charities of their choice. I figured I would need to prime the pump, Read more...
so I had cut out Nick Kristoffs annual column on worthy charities (”buy a girl in this country a school uniform so she can attend school”, etc.). To my surprise, however, each of my daughters, when presented with the donation concept, knew exactly where she would send her money.
My one daughter wanted to give all her money to the shelter from where our dog had come...which entailed a FaceBook message to her cousin who is stationed in Mumbai with the State Department to find out from which shelter she had gotten the dog. (We had takent the dog from her, before she took her first assignment.) As a result, a no-kill shelter in August, Georgia received a donation from a girl they didnt know in New Jersey.
My second daughter was equally clear: one half to the Smile Train (she was born with a cleft lip and palate) and one half to the Christ Child Society. Her desire to contribute to our Society floored me. Yes, she had probably been at one of the Garage Sale set ups, and attended a Christmas party at the home for girls in West Orange a few years back, but other than that, I dont think she had, personally
participated in any activities. My only conclusion is that she observed my participation in the Christ Child (and I am always thinking Im never doing enough in this regard) and she had some idea of the goals of the CCS (helping kids who need it). She had no doubts where her money could be used best.
So, at least in this case, the old saw holds true: that kids learn from what you do, no matter what you say.
So the old adage "do as I say, not as I do" does not really apply to you - your children are following your example in what you say AND what you do! Kudos!
Feb 2, 2012 9:38 PM
From: Lambinewsham
Apples don’t fall far from the tree! Wonderful Marybeth!