SUGGESTED ENTRY FEE = One can of food per person
supporting Lighthouse of Oakland County's Food Pantry
Jewish tradition teaches that we are called to partner with God in tikkun olam—the sacred work of repairing the world. Each morning during Religious School Tefillah, we express gratitude for this responsibility and the opportunity to make a difference.
Tikkun Olam-a-thon invites our community to put these values into action through acts of loving-kindness that support our neighbors in need. As we honor the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., this meaningful day highlights the importance of unity, diversity, and the inherent worth of every person.
Tikkun Olam-A-Thon is:
- People helping people—children, adults, and seniors
- A chance to choose from a variety of meaningful service projects
- A way to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
- An opportunity to fulfill our sacred obligation to repair the world
- A powerful day of impact, with over 300 Shir Shalom members coming together to help those in need
The day will begin with an Opening Ceremony on January 18th at 9:30 am in the Temple sanctuary, followed by 60-90 minute group projects at Temple and throughout the community. Participants will also have the opportunity to learn from our featured speaker, Ryan Hertz, CEO of Lighthouse of Oakland County.
Let's help these local charitable organizations!
(We also need volunteers both before and after to help make this event a success. Use the registration link below.)
TIKKUN OLAM-A-THON PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS
SSTY Project | Madrichim Project | Preschool Family Project
BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK ROYAL OAK
About: Blessings In a Backpack is a “neighbor-helping-neighbor” program that is designed to help meet the nutritional needs of school-age children. Each week, volunteers, in cooperation with school officials, distribute backpacks filled with enough non-perishable food for the weekend (six meals) to “hunger insecure” school-age children. These students are participants in the government subsidized Free or Reduced Fee Lunch Program. The goal of the Blessings in a Backpack program is to keep these children from going hungry on the weekends and remove barriers to academic success.
Project: Volunteers will be layering cookie ingredients in containers, along with baking instructions and an ingredient list to create Cookie Kits that will be included in backpacks.
COLEMAN A. YOUNG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (SSTY Project) - SSTY REGISTER HERE
About: Coleman Young School, on the west-side of Detroit, serves a community of PreK-5 students. Temple Shir Shalom has a long-standing relationship with the staff and has partnered with the Coleman A. Young community for the last several years.
Project: SSTY/high school students will visit the school to host a game day for students. We will return to Temple at 2pm.
DETROIT DOG RESCUE
About: Taking care of the pet population in the greater Detroit community is part of the job of Detroit Dog Rescue. They provide a humane alternative as a no-kill shelter and help keep the pet population under control through their extensive foster program and pet adoption events.
Project: Volunteers will make snuffle mats for DDR dogs to help provide enrichment for the dogs in their shelter.
HAVEN
About: HAVEN provides counseling, education, housing, legal advocacy, and other supportive services to victims of intimate partner violence and sexual assault.
Project: Volunteers will make adult-sized, no-sew blankets for the patrons of HAVEN.
HENRY FORD HOSPITAL WEST BLOOMFIELD - NICU
About: Henry Ford Hospital uses blankets to help maintain a healthy temperature for the babies in their care.
Project: Volunteers will make mini-sized, no-sew blankets for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Henry Ford Hospital in West Bloomfield. The NICU doctors, nurses and staff who care for these babies are thrilled to have the community support.
JEWISH WAR VETERANS
About: Jewish War Veterans helps veterans through advocacy for better clinics, hospitals, Veterans homes, and Veteran-friendly legislation. They volunteer at Veterans facilities, support local Veteran activities, and help maintain Veteran plots in local Jewish cemeteries. They educate the general community about contributions of Jews to the U.S. military services. They are a Jewish Voice for veterans.
Project: Volunteers will make hygiene bags that include toiletries, gloves and socks for our Jewish veterans.
LIGHTHOUSE OF OAKLAND COUNTY
About: Lighthouse of Oakland County assists local residents and has seen a dramatic increase in need recently. They have emergency shelter facilities, offer rental assistance and affordable housing resources, support services, and aid in the community by helping displaced individuals get back on their feet. They work with the unhoused and the working poor.
Project: Volunteers will make hygiene bags that include toiletries, gloves and socks.
LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTERS
About: Local animal shelters play a vital role in caring for animals in our community by providing safe shelter, food, and medical care to animals who are lost, abandoned, or mistreated. They work to heal and rehabilitate animals while preparing them for adoption into loving homes, and they support the community through education, outreach, and programs that promote responsible pet ownership and animal well-being.
Project: Volunteers will make kitty forts, which will provide stimulation for cats while at the shelters and create an easier transition into adopted homes.
LOCAL FIRST RESPONDERS & MILITARY
About: We cannot thank our first responders and military service members from all branches enough for their dedication to keeping us safe and well cared for.
Project: Volunteers will create candy baskets and write notes of appreciation for these hometown heroes to thank them for their service and dedication.
METRO FOOD RESCUE
About: Because of Metro Food Rescue, more food that would otherwise get discarded now gets to those who need it. In 2024 alone they rescued over two million pounds of food. Their trucks are on the road 6 days a week picking up food and dropping it off, in partnership with more than 40 partner food banks.
Project: Volunteers will create Soup Kits for families in need.
MITTENS FOR DETROIT
About: Mittens for Detroit collects, purchases and distributes new mittens and gloves to children, teens and adults in need in Detroit and other underserved cities.
Project: Volunteers will go offsite to Mittens for Detroit where they will help with 'The Big Sort' by sorting, counting and boxing collected mittens and gloves by size for pick-up by their distribution partners.
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE ORGANIZATION
About: Neighborhood Service Organization (NSO), a Detroit-based integrated health and human service agency, delivers community-based services and holistic programs for vulnerable populations. The agency provides behavioral health and primary care services, in addition to wraparound services that address barriers to housing, health and well-being. NSO serves 12,000 people annually in Wayne and Oakland counties.
Project: Volunteers will be assembling hygiene kits with personal notes that will be distributed by NSO to those in need.
NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS
About: Caring for our neighbors and community is essential to building a compassionate and connected society. When we look out for one another and offer help to those in need, we strengthen bonds, foster trust, and create a sense of belonging. Giving back—whether through small acts of kindness or meaningful service—reminds us that we all share responsibility for the well-being of our community and that every effort, no matter how simple, can make a lasting difference.
Project: Volunteers will be assembling Neighbors-helping-Neighbors Kits for all our volunteers to take home and distribute to their neighbors in need.
OAKLAND COUNTY FOSTER CLOSET
(Preschool Family Project)
About: The Oakland County Foster Closet offers supportive services, supplies, and aid to children in the foster care system and to those in crisis situations at no cost. They foster hope, love, and community one child at a time!
Project: Preschool students and their families will work together to create Birthday-in-a-Bag Kits to be used by foster families to celebrate children's birthdays.
(Madrichim Project) - MADRICHIM REGISTER HERE
About: The Oakland County Foster Closet offers supportive services, supplies, and aid to children in the foster care system and to those in crisis situations at no cost. They foster hope, love, and community one child at a time!
Project: 7th & 8th grade Madrichim students will volunteer at the Oakland County Foster Closet (OCFC) by counting, sorting, and organizing new inventory, including clothing, shoes, school supplies, and essential items for children in foster care. In addition to supporting daily operations, they will learn about OCFC’s impactful work and its vital role in serving foster families in our community.
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE
About: The Ronald McDonald House provides a "home away from home" for families while their children are in the hospital. By providing families a place to stay in close proximity to Children's Hospitals, Ronald McDonald House takes one worry off the shoulders of parents, allowing them to focus on their ill child.
Project: Volunteers will work with our in-house caterer Reva Constantine and her team at Reva Constantine Events to prepare meals for the Ronald McDonald House of Detroit. Children must be at least 6 years old and signed up with their parents.
