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Do your part to help relief efforts in Haiti!
 The
past week's headlines coming out of Haiti have been heartbreaking and
concerning to us all. Here at GSA, we would like to provide you with
information on how you can contribute:
The
JUF/JF of Chicago has opened an "emergency mailbox" to directly funnel
humanitarian aid to those affected by the earthquake. Info on how to
contribute can be found on the JUF site. Additionally, there are organizations such as the American Red Cross that provide reliable and direct aid to those who need it most. Every donation can make a difference!
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A note from Bubbe Sharon
 As many of you know, I
started a small philanthropy fund for my three oldest grandchildren a couple of
years ago. I put $125 in the bank for each of them and they get to spend
that amount of money on philanthropy very year. Over the last couple of
years, they have “adopted” zoo animals, purchased mittens and scarves to donate
to a shelter, volunteered at a soup kitchen, and donated money to the Juvenile
Diabetes Association, Katrina relief, holiday toy drives, and more.
A couple of weeks ago,
we had our last MiMaSt Philanthropy Club Meeting of the year. (The club is
named after Michael, Matthew, and Steven). Each one of the boys had about $50
left for the year. They each decided to spend most of the money on a
special cause. Steven chose "Saving Tiny Hearts", Matthew chose
the "Scott Conlon Fund", and Michael chose "St. Jude
Hospital" I suggested that each one write the name of the fund to
which they were donating, what the fund is about, and why they chose that
fund. I also told them about the projects that were done and written up
by Danny Siegel in another part of this newsletter. One of the boys
suggested that he could make a web site so that they will be able to keep track
of their donations, and so that other grandparents and grandchildren with
philanthropy funds could write in and tell us about their projects. Be
looking for a new little link to the philanthropy web site in a couple of
months.
At the beginning of our
club meeting, they stood, raised their right hands and said, "I am a
lifelong philanthropist, and will do philanthropic things because I am a mensch (a good soul). Then we
discussed their projects. After that, we picked up their two young
cousins who will be ready to be philanthropists in a couple of years. We
went to lunch, bought pet food and took it over to Orphans of the Storm, a
nearby animal shelter. (Thanks to Barbara
Unikel and her grandchildren for the idea!) The day ended
beautifully, as always when one is with grandchildren.
If you want to see how
the philanthropy fund began, check out the link to the article written by Susan
Noyes for North Shore magazine, a couple of years ago.
We hope that you all had
a good New Year- and that coming year brings all of us and our families,
health, love, productivity, fulfillment and all the blessings we wish for
others.
Sharon
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It may be white outside, but it's time to start thinking green!
 Sharon Halper
Depending
upon where you live, chances are much of your scenery is now brown or white. If
it isn’t in your immediate neighborhood, all you have to do is turn on the TV
news to see the blanket of winter that covers most of the US.
And yet…
our thoughts already turn to Tu B’Shvat (this
year beginning on January 29) and
the reality that it will soon be Spring (in
Israel, if not in the Midwest!). Our observance of Tu B’Shvat reminds us
of our green heritage and awareness that the earth is lent to us and put into
our care.
To make it a green beginning
to this new secular year for you and your grandchildren, choose 2 actions you
can take immediately, then create future action plans for your home and theirs
using the Coalition on the Environment
and Jewish Life (COEJL)’s resources for the home:
·
Environmentally Caring Practices for the Home
·
Top Ten Ways to Conserve and Protect Water Resources
o
Water Testing Kit Suppliers
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5 Actions You Can Take in 15 Minutes To Protect Forests
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Reduce,
Reuse & Recycle
o
Even more ways to save paper!
o
The Best and Worst of Catalog Companies
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Saving the World With Bath Tissue
Kid Mitzvah Heroes
This article was written
by a different teens to a mitzvah hero that many of us know, Danny
Siegel. Please look over the projects they did and think about whether
you mght encourage your grandchildren to do one of them with you. Our
thanks to Danny for sharing these ideas.
Click here to read the article off our website.
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