Local teens adopt 12 families and more this holiday seasonDate: 12/31/2009 GREATER SPRINGFIELD The Springfield Jewish Community Center's teen community service group DJST ("Don't Just Sit There") helped 12 families this holiday season through their annual Adopt a Family project.
This year the families received essential items including blankets, winter coats and accessories, clothing, sheets, towels, small appliances, furniture and food. DJST members shopped for the items and wrapped them. In addition, they delivered home-made goodies for the families. Through generous assistance from Hasbro's Giving Tree, DJST was also able to provide the 35 children in the participating families with toys and games to brighten their holiday season.
On Dec. 20, the 38 teens made an assembly line and packed the donated King Ward coach bus to capacity and delivered the gifts in person with the help of their caring bus driver, Cliff. Now in its fifth year of bus delivery, DJST also brought extra items for other needy people they met during the deliveries. Thanks to donations from the Enfield, Conn., Old Navy employees, JCC employees, Bob's Discount Furniture and DJST family and friends, DJST was able to give items to an additional 85 individuals. These included home-baked goods, mattresses, warm coats, hats, gloves, clothing, toys, games and stuffed animals.
DJST is currently made up of 86 high school students and volunteer DJST graduates who still make it a priority to help others and make a positive difference in the community. Each DJST teen member donates $25 to help fund the Adopt a Family project, but additional funds and donations are always needed to help provide proper assistance to the families.
DJST is based on Jewish values; however, it is a non-denominational group open to all interested high school youth. For additional information about DJST or the Adopt a Family Project, please contact Amy Kimball, the Springfield JCC Teen and Camp Director, at 739-4715 or at akimball@springfieldjcc.org.
The Springfield Jewish Community Center is both a recreational and learning facility. Everyone, including the general public, is welcome. and there are programs for all ages, including preschool for ages five and under, after school programs for elementary-aged children, teen programs, programs for children with special needs, and social activities and classes for adults, as well as an indoor pool, gym in our full-service health club. Located at 1160 Dickinson St., the Springfield JCC has served the Western Massachusetts community for more than 100 years. For additional information, visit www.SpringfieldJCC.org.
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