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41 | DECEMBER 12 • 2019 

gift guide 2019

D

ecember is the month 
for giving — especially 
gifts and parties for 
friends, family and co-work-
ers, but it is also traditionally 
a special time to help those in 
need. Many nonprofit agencies 
welcome gifts of cash, needed 
items and volunteer help at year’
s 
end. Some conduct annual giving 
campaigns with donor matches 
to raise funds for special proj-
ects or general operations. The 
following is a sampling of a few 
Jewish agencies. 
Many other worthy Jewish and 
secular nonprofit organizations 
and causes can be found online 
at their websites. Most offer 
donors a convenient way to give 
online.

FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE
Friendship Circle of Michigan 
assists 3,000 individuals with 
special needs and their families 
by providing recreational, social, 
educational and vocational pro-
gramming. Assistance is also 

provided to individuals and fam-
ilies struggling with addiction.
Donated items sought include 
laptops; assorted acrylic paints, 
Blick or Liquitex; a foosball 
table; assorted color, craft, water-
color or art papers; sensory 
water table; high-quality artist 
colored pencils, paintbrushes, 
alcohol-based markers or multi-
colored Sharpie sets; bean bags; 
overhead projector; weighted 
blankets, pillows, other weighted 
items; disco/dance floor pad, 
MacBook Pro laptop; musical 
instruments; hairdryers; gym 
class scooters; sensory tools 
(stress balls, weighted lap pads); 
12 stackable studio chairs; paper 
cutter; and a Saori loom (for 
adults with disabilities). Contact: 
Randall Marie Hutchinson at 
(248) 788-7878 ext. 211 or 
randall@friendshipcircle.org.

JARC (JARC.ORG)
JARC provides high-quality, 
community-based residential 
and support programs, serving 
nearly 200 adults in its group 
homes and various supported 

independent living arrange-
ments.
Monetary contributions for 
social opportunities include 
date nights for couples; dinner 
out for a group home; and a 
Chanukah celebration for a few 
of the homes to enjoy together. 
Donations also can be used to 
purchase a vehicle to provide 
reliable and safe transportation 
for a JARC home.
Donated items sought include 
new sheets and towels; new dish-
es, silverware and cookware, and 
new small kitchen appliances. 
Contact: jennykabert@jarc.org or 
call (248) 940-2617 or email .
Volunteer opportunities also 
are available: Friend-to-Friend 
volunteers work directly with the 
individuals JARC serves, sharing 
their time and friendship; event 
volunteers provide hands-on help 
at JARC events, such as monthly 
Bingo; Judaic volunteers share 
their love of Judaism with their 
friends from JARC, perhaps by 
gathering for a Shabbat dinner 
or celebrating a holiday. Contact 
Jessica at (248) 940-2607 or 
jessicatierney@jarc.org.

JFS (JFSDETROIT.ORG)
Through more than 30 pro-
grams, JFS serves thousands of 
individuals with mental health 
and wellness needs, safety net 
issues, and programs for senior 

End the year by 
giving to local 
nonprofi
 ts that 
help others.

TOP LEFT: Friends and 
family of individuals 
served by JARC whoop 
it up at a festive holiday 
party at Adat Shalom 
Synagogue. TOP RIGHT: 
Chris, a Kadima mem-
ber, works in Kadima’
s 
Hydroponics Garden, 
which is operated by 
Kadima’
s Zussman Activity 
Center members. They 
harvest dozens of heads 
of lettuce every few 
months that are then used 
in cooking. 

SHARI S. COHEN
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Giving
– The 
 Best Gift

JARC

COURTESY OF KADIMA