We love this site we recently found called MitzvahMarket.com   Mitzvah Mail is a free email newsletter designed for all Bar/Bat Mitzvah planning moms and can be found on their site. Every Thursday, they profile a child getting a bar mitzvah and their Mitzvah Project.

Here is one of our favorites:

Paige Gindi is from Syosset, NY and designed a Mitzvah Project with the long term in mind.

For her Bat Mitzvah, which was held in June of 2007, Paige established the Paige Gindi Charitable Trust.  Paige then took a portion of the gift money she received from her Bat Mitzvah and placed it in an interest-bearing trust fund.  Each year, she can choose a different non-profit organization to donate money to.

To date, Paige has made two donations to two different organizations.  The first donation was made to the Guide Dog Foundation, which is an organization that provides guide dogs free of charge to blind people who seek enhanced mobility and independence.

Paige’s second donation was made to the Morgan Center in Plainview, NY, which is an organization dedicated to providing preschool age children who are undergoing treatment for cancer the opportunity to interact and socialize in a safe environment that stimulates cognitive and social development. Children on chemotherapy treatment have a suppressed immune system, and could otherwise risk infection and serious illness by attending typical age appropriate preschool programs.

Paige wanted to set up the Paige Gindi Charitable Trust and give a portion of her Bat Mitzvah gifts because she says it feels great helping others.  She also said that if she had kept all of her Bat Mitzvah gifts, rather than giving them away, she would have ended up buying things that were unnecessary.

We love that Paige designed a Mitzvah Project with no end date.  Thanks to Paige and all of the guests who attended her Bat Mitzvah, people will benefit from the trust for years to come.

What a great story to hear about kids making a difference in our world.

Posted by kgellman on Sunday, May 31st, 2009 at 5:52 pm.