I always liked to do chesed....but for me it was always about the doing and not just writing a check or signing a paper. I felt for me it was much more important to actually do. After I had children I felt it was really important to have them participate at a young age in doing chesed. That idea just sort of spread and eventually, I connected with Rabbi Goldin from Chabad of Teaneck who had a plethora of ideas and was a wealth of knowledge in the chesed department. With his resources, I was able to really move forward with my mission.

 

When the Pandemic began, I felt very helpless. I wasn't an essential or healthcare worker and wished there was some sort of way I could help out. There were many organizations helping the healthcare workers and other essential people but I started to think about all the people that were out helping us stay inside that weren't being recognized. For example the sanitation workers, we had so much more garbage because we were all home, the UPS and US Postal Service employees, and the people delivering groceries and food so we didn't have to go out. The idea popped in my head to make lawn signs so everyone delivering to my house would see them and know how grateful we were. I ordered the first round of 50 from the internet and hoped I would be able to find people that would want the rest. It sort of just blew up from there. I only charged $5 a sign with any proceeds made going to the local hospital Corona fundraiser. But I really wasn't thinking about the money at that time, I was thinking about the idea of showing people we appreciate their work and contribution to our community.

 

Before I knew it we had sold and delivered over 500 signs throughout Bergen County. We had town officials that were helping push the cause and so much positive feedback. It spread to different communities all over the tri-state area. In the end we raised over $2000 for the hospital and hopefully made our essential workers feel appreciated. This realization - people would love to participate in chese- they just usually don't know where to start or how to do it. If you make it very easy and accessible people will participate and engage and it usually causes a ripple affect where they will be more likely to do chesed in the future.