Tikkun Olam Projects
Turning Faith into Action! The Tikkun Olam Volunteers have a robust commitment to direct service projects throughout the year. Here are some of our recent projects and the organizations which benefit from our efforts.
beading for betterment
Guadalupe Center
Beading for Betterment is an ongoing project at Temple Shalom that benefits the Guadalupe Center in Immokalee. We make hand-beaded necklaces for the children to give as holiday gifts to mothers, grandmothers or other special women in their lives.
Each year we make 200-300 necklaces for Mothers’ Day. Carol Hirsch will provide the supplies for a fee of $18, free if participants provide their own supplies.
For further information contact Carol Hirsch, chirsch1951@gmail.com.
bedtime bundles
Shelter for Abused Women and Children
Bedtime Bundles are pillowcases filled with comfort items for kids. When women arrive at the Shelter for Abused Women and Children with their kids, often in the middle of the night, the contents of these pillowcases could ease the children’s stress, providing bedtime necessities and reassurance. Each pillowcase will hold an age and gender appropriate pair of pajamas, a stuffed toy, a book, toothbrush and toothpaste, and slippers. Our Religious School children, whether attending in person on Sunday mornings or virtually at home, will have the opportunity to draw messages on the pillow cases, collect the items over a several week period, and stuff pillowcases with age and gender consistent selections. Each pillowcase will be tagged with information regarding the age and gender of the child for whom it is intended.
The project will begin with the collection of the items. The plan is to have children bring new items to Religious School, each week featuring a different type of item. Parents will be asked to send newly purchased items (no used items will be accepted). We may be able to subsidize the project with some donated items. One class period can be devoted to drawing messages on the pillowcases. When the collection and artwork are complete, the various items can be set up assembly-line style, and the children can fill and tag the pillowcases (with some adult guidance to assure age and gender consistency). This plan can be adapted for those children who are “attending” Religious School virtually. The Bundles will then be collected at Temple and delivered to the Shelter. When children arrive at the shelter, each will receive a Bedtime Bundle with good wishes from the children of Temple Shalom.
The lesson of tikkum olam, making the world a better place by helping other children, will accompany the activities. This multi-week project can provide an opportunity to talk about children in less comfortable circumstances than they are, how important it is that we help other people, and the Jewish value of doing mitzvot, of being God’s partner in mending our world.
For further information contact Tussy Shnider, tshnider@gmail.com.
Blood drive
Temple Shalom sponsors a blood drive every year as part of Mitzvah Day. The congregation has consistently been a strong supporter of this effort. Since 2003, Temple Shalom has hosted 21 blood drives, has registered 1066 donors, collected 839 pints and saved 2517 lives. This is an annual event coinciding with Mitzvah Day.
Bridges
Bridges is a southwest Florida group formed in 2019 to build bridges between diverse communities. The initial participants were from the Black and Jewish communities in Collier and Lee counties, and the group has now grown to include multiple faith communities and multiple ethnic communities. The mission of Bridges is to engage in social action in which our members can work together to get to know each other better while performing a community service.
Temple Shalom members were part of the core group who started Bridges, and remain on the steering committee currently.
Please contact Abe Levy at abelevy48@gmail.com or Pat Levy at patlevy46@gmail.com if you are interested in participating.
Children's Advocacy center
Children’s books and stuffed animals collection - (benefits the Children’s Advocacy Center). These bags contain donations of new children’s books and stuffed animals to be given to the CAC, which helps children and their families who have been the victims of abuse and/or domestic violence. This is a Mitzvah Day project.
counting our blessings
TOV sponsors a series of community-based volunteer activities over the few weeks in the spring leading up to Shavuot. Since this occurs during the traditional time of counting the omer, we call this effort the ‘Counting our Blessings – A Journey to Shavuot.’ Volunteer opportunities to count our blessings include working with Empty Bowls, Meals of Hope, Café of Life, Bikes for Tykes, Habitat for Humanity and Harry Chapin Food Bank.
Empty Bowls
Empty Bowls Naples
Temple Shalom members participate in the creation and decorating of bowls, and we are a sponsor of the organization’s annual event.
The "Empty Bowls Project" is an international grassroots effort to raise both money and awareness in the fight to end hunger. The mission is to create positive and lasting change through the arts, education, and projects that build community. The basic premise is simple:
Potters, educators, students, and volunteers work with the community to create handcrafted bowls.
Local restaurants donate soup and bread to serve.
Guests are invited to a simple meal of soup and bread served at Cambier Park each year.
Empty Bowls Naples is an annual fundraiser to help fight hunger in our community.
The event benefits local organizations that provide food to those in need and offers grants to organization directly fighting hunger. Last year, over $100,000 was raised at the annual Empty Bowls event at Cambier Park in Naples.
Habitat for humanity volunteer days
Habitat for Humanity of Collier County
We are all aware of the problems of insufficient affordable workforce housing in Lee and Collier Counties. Temple Shalom and our Tikkun Olam Volunteers are turning their faith into action by scheduling volunteer days with Habitat for Humanity. Volunteers typically help with painting, caulking, installing siding and assisting in door/window installations. Regardless of skill level, they can always use extra hands. The Habitat Volunteer Days occur several times per year.
High Holy Days Food Collection & Donation Drive
Harry Chapin Food Bank
One of the most urgent needs right here in Collier and Lee County is food security. Harry Chapin Food Bank, a member of Feeding America, is the largest hunger-relief organization in Southwest Florida, serving Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee counties. They distribute food through their food distribution programs: Care and Share Senior Feeding Program, Harry’s Helpings, Fulfill Mobile Pantries, In-School Pantries and their Partner Agency Program, which is a network of more than 150 partner agencies to feed people in need. Through these programs, more than a quarter of a million people each month are fed.
As a result of the emerging economic crisis, the food bank continues to serve a high need compared to pre-pandemic levels. In fact, there has been an increase in demand since the beginning of the calendar year, and they have been feeding close to 300,000 people who are hungry each month. Their total distributions this year were over 20% higher than our totals prior to the pandemic. Through their food distribution programs, they distributed 34.7 million pounds of food last year, including 12 million pounds of fresh produce throughout Southwest Florida. This food is the equivalent of nearly 29 million meals that have been provided to families, children, seniors and residents in our community who are hungry. 80% of this food is distributed to residents of Collier and Lee Counties.
The congregants of Temple Shalom have strongly supported the Harry Chapin Food Bank over the past 20 years, with donations exceeding $300,000! Our primary vehicle is the high holy days appeal. The Food Bank is able to leverage every dollar they receive into $8 worth of food value. This is why we ask for a financial rather than a canned food donation. We are proud to support the work of the Harry Chapin Food Bank.
Laces of love
Laces of Love is a local charity whose mission is to provide NEW sneakers to low income and disadvantaged children in Collier and Lee County Schools. They also provide sneakers to other local non-profits. Sizes 1-9 NEW sneakers are needed for both boys and girls. Over 150,000 NEW sneakers have been provided to needy children in the Lee and Collier Schools. There is no paid staff, everyone is a volunteer and all money donated goes directly for NEW shoes. They work directly with the school nurses, teachers and staff to identify the recipients of the new sneakers.
Meals of Hope
Meals of Hope
This is a favorite, traditional Mitzvah Day partnership. Each year, Temple Shalom members come together on Mitzvah Day to help end hunger by forming assembly lines and packing approximately 50,000 meals for those in need here in Collier County. Most of our packed meals are donated to the local food banks and food pantries. Meals of Hope is a 501(c)3 organization which provides meals to people in need in our area. Although traditionally we have done a large packing event at Temple Shalom only on Mitzvah Day, since Hurricane Ian we have continued to sponsor Meals of Hope meal packing on a monthly or more frequent basis throughout the year.
For information about Meals of Hope, www.MealsofHope.org
To volunteer, contact Don Belmont, DJBelmont@gmail.com.
Mitzvah Day
Every year, hundreds of Temple Shalom congregants come together for a day of social action projects. These vary year-to-year. These projects include collections, blood donations, baking, and packing of 50,000 meals for Meals of Hope!
TOV members participated in the fundraising, collections, and hands-on projects associated with the Rainbow of Hope response to Hurricane Ian. The Rainbow of Hope effort continues presently with frequent Meals of Hope packing events. support of ukrainian jews
For several years, Temple Shalom has had a sister congregation in Kiev, Ukraine, the Hatikvah Progressive Jewish Congregation led by Rabbi Alexander Dukhovny. As the only Reform rabbi in Ukraine, Rabbi Dukhovny leads the congregation in Kiev, and also serves as the spiritual leader for a multitude of smaller Jewish communities across the country. We assist the synagogue in Kiev with Jewish resources, provide funds for supplies and recently held a joint Shabbat of Unity worship service in October 2021 via zoom.
10/1/2021 – Reform Judaism in Ukraine Program and Shabbat of Unity Worship (Temple Shalom, Temple Ahavat Shalom (Tampa Bay), Congregation Hatikvah (Kyiv, Ukraine)
While things have been difficult for the Ukrainian Jewish population for years, the situation has become dreadful following the Russian invasion. Poverty is rampant and food and supplies are desperately needed. In February 2022, we sponsored an emergency appeal on behalf of Ukrainian Jews, raising over $40,000.
Our tradition teaches, “kol yisrael aravim zeh bazeh – all Israel are responsible for one another.” Our Jewish brothers and sisters in the Ukraine continue to need our help at this time. Financial support is most needed according to Rabbi Dukhovny. Any money we send will be used for food and supplies. If you are able, please make a tax-deductible check to Temple Shalom with DO NOT FORGET US in the memo line and we will send the funds along quickly to Ukraine. Thank you for your timely and critical support.
Toiletry supplies collection
(benefits Collier County Public Schools Homeless Students) – Despite the affluence of some parts of Collier County, a snapshot count during the 2022-2023 school year counted 1,289 homeless students within the Collier County School System. These children are the beneficiaries of the toiletry supplies collection for Mitzvah Day. Travel size toiletry samples for girls and boys are collected, organized and distributed to the homeless students in Collier County. Some examples are shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, combs, and brushes. This is a Mitzvah Day project.
During the summer, prior to the beginning of the school year, we collect school supplies which are donated to elementary schools in both Lee and Collier Counties. These are then distributed by the teachers to students in need. 
