“And the work of tzedakah shall bring peace.” – Isaiah 32:17"

TIKKUN OLAM NETWORK (TON)

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Tikkun Olam Network
The Tikkun Olam Calendar is a place for you to share volunteer opportunities that you need more help with, and also a place for interested volunteers to look for opportunities. The TON has been involved in so much over the past month, and we don't take the summer off! If you are interested in repairing the world, we have lots of opportunities for you this summer.
Beth Allen & Liz Stoller  Tikkun Olam Network Co-chairs
You might have heard us say this before, but did you know that over 900 children in the Lower Merion School District receive either free or reduced lunch during the school year? And what happens to these kids over the summer?

We need LOTS of volunteers to help prepare extra food, to help run some fun activities after the kids are finished eating, and to help run the program smoothly. If YOU would like to make a difference in the lives of children and families in you community, please contact Beth Allen or Liz Stoller.

We are also happy to receive financial donations to provide supplies for enrichment activities beyond the meals.
Donations
For donations to the Lower Merion Summer Cafe, please follow the below instructions:
Make checks payable to: Main Line Reform Temple – Memo: LM Summer Cafe. 
Mail to:
Main Line Reform Temple
410 Montgomery Avenue
Wynnewood, PA 19096
ATTN: LM Summer Cafe

LOWER MERION SUMMER CAFE
June 18-July 3 | 12:30 - 3:30 pm
Ardmore Presbyterian Church

Donate/Volunteer
Information for Volunteers
You can help this summer in a new and fun way, at the Lower Merion Summer Cafe.  The Cafe is a pilot program open children 18 years of age and younger in Lower Merion, where kids can have lunch and spend some time having fun together.  The program runs June 18-20, June 25-27, and July 2-3 at Ardmore Presbyterian Church and is free for all kids who live in our township.  We need LOTS of volunteers for all kinds of jobs—serving food, doing activities with kids, and working behind the scenes.

KEY INFORMATION FOR VOLUNTEERS
When do you need help?
Week 1 Monday, June 18-Wednesday, June 20
Week 2 Monday, June 25-Wednesday, June 27
Week 3 Monday, July 2-Tuesday, July 3

The program runs from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. each day, so we are asking each volunteer
to serve from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day, with a 12:00 p.m. arrival on Monday to participate in our Volunteer Orientation Session. We are also asking each volunteer to commit to a one-week block (you can always do more than one!).  
Each week lasts only 2-3 days.
Who can volunteer?
We welcome volunteers ages 14 and older; all volunteers ages 18 and older must have all of the required security clearances to ensure the safety and well-being of our children. Volunteers must sign up in advance and be affiliated with one of our sponsoring organizations (our congregation is one). We strongly recommend attending one of our Volunteer Training Sessions, on Monday, Monday, June 11 at 1:00 p.m. or Tuesday, June 12 at 7:00 p.m. at Ardmore Presbyterian Church.

Clearances
All volunteers must obtain the following free clearances: If interested in volunteering or for more information please contact your organization/congregation or email lmsummercafe@gmail.com.
In collaboration with Box Lunch and a Book.
Boxlunchandabook@gmail.com | 610-724-3077  Like them on Facebook
Box Lunch & A Book Weekend Meal Bags
Never fear, we are also continuing our support of the excellent Box Lunch & A Book Program at Zion Baptist Church in Ardmore which also helps to address the issue of food insecurity over the summer.  In fact, they have been an inspiration and a helpful source of advice for our new Summer Lunch Club described above!  If you would like to volunteer there to work with the children, please contact:  Andrea Elson at boxlunchandabook@gmail.com, Reverend Virginia Pollard at 610-649-4485 or June Coleman at 610-316-9909.  MLRT will also continue packing weekend food bags to support families over the long weekends when programs like ours are closed.  To donate food, money, or to help pack bags on Wednesdays, contact Beth.

MLRT COMMUNITY GARDEN

ROOSTER SOUP COMPANY
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MLRT Community Garden
Although it felt like spring would never come, we finally got our garden planted.  Thank you to Nedra Fischer for getting our garden supplies and to Phil Kohler's late session 3rd grade Religious School class for helping to plant!  These veggies go to Narberth Community Food Bank and the Ardmore Food Pantry all season long to provide fresh veggies to our neighbors experiencing food insecurity.  If you would like to help maintain our garden and/or help harvest and deliver the veggies to the food pantries, please contact Liz Stoller.

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Once again, we enjoyed a fantastic meal and felt good about our purchase since Rooster donates all of its profits to the Broad Street Ministry, which feeds the most vulnerable Philadelphians in a truly hospitable setting.  Read more about their mission at their website.

MLRT CARING COMMITTEE

One Mitzvah Makes All the Difference
Can you commit to helping a Congregant in need by delivering one meal, or offering one ride to services? Just one mitzvah in the coming month?
If so, the Caring Committee wants you, and the Congregation needs you. Contact Linda Gordon or Alyson Solomon if you care!

HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) Pennsylvania

HIAS
HIAS, since 1882, has been committed to the Jewish value of welcoming the stranger, as well as the American sentiment of sanctuary.  HIAS PA provides legal and supportive services to immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers from all backgrounds in order to assure their fair treatment and full integration into American society.  It also advocates for just and inclusive public policies and practices.  HIAS PA does this through four programs: Refugee Resettlement, Immigration Legal Services, Citizenship Assistance, and Asylee Outreach.  Main Line Reform Temple has had a long and extensive involvement with HIAS PA helping in a variety of ways, including providing critical assistance with in-kind donations for the Refugee Resettlement Program, and volunteering to work with refugees through the Philly Neighbor program.  We also have several congregants serving on HIAS PA’s board.
 
For additional information, please contact:  Linda Brock, or Adele Margulies.
 
If you are interested in joining these efforts, click here to go to the HIAS Pennsylvania web-site Volunteer page.

TIKKUN OLAM NETWORK CALENDAR