20 | DECEMBER 24 • 2020 

E

than Endelman’s summer 
should have included 
camp and hanging 
out with friends. But COVID 
severely limited his options.
Of course, he wasn’t alone. 
Students everywhere faced 
disappointments over canceled 
plans and social restrictions, but 
Endelman, a Bloomfield Hills 
High School freshman, found a 
very productive and charitable 
way to fill his schedule.
In June, he started a Detroit 
chapter of Balance Boxes. This 
youth-led nonprofit organi-
zation provides students in 
low-income communities with 
age-appropriate fun and aca-
demic activities, nonperishable 
food items, coupons that can 
be redeemed for food and free 
access to one-on-one online 
tutoring. 
“We’re living in really hard 
times right now, and I thought 
this was a good opportunity to 
help other people who aren’t 
as fortunate as we are,
” said 
Endelman, who enjoys playing 
baseball and tennis.
Balance Boxes was started 
in a Chicago suburb by two 
Jewish teens in March and now 
has more than 20 chapters in 
the United States and a sim-
ilar number of international 
branches including ones in 
Israel, the U.K. and India. The 
Michigan chapter was one of 
the first outside Chicago.
Endelman, 14, heard about 
Balance Boxes through his 
mom, Alyssa Endelman. She is 
friends with the mother of one 

of the Chicago co-founders. 
Early on, Endelman recruited 
his longtime friend Rebecca 
Rabin to join him as a co-chap-
ter head. Together, the pair 
spent the last several months 
getting volunteers and secur-
ing nonperishable food items, 
books, games, activities and 
monetary donations. 
So far, they’ve held two fund-
raisers, a cheesecake sale and a 
fundraiser in conjunction with a 
local restaurant. Through these 
events and other contributions, 
they’ve raised approximately 
$1,400. 
With help from their par-
ents and other teen volunteers, 
Endelman and Rabin have 
assembled and delivered around 
300 boxes to various groups 

of Detroit students. Donations 
were solicited mostly through 
social media and word of 
mouth. Ethan’s mom said that 
because Bookstock wasn’t col-
lecting books this year, many 
families were looking to donate 
their gently used children’s 
books. 
“We would like to distribute 
more donations, but it’s hard 
logistically because of COVID,
” 
said Alyssa Endelman. “It’s 
ironic that it’s such a challenge 
because the need is even greater 
now.
”

TEEN VOLUNTEERS
The Endelman’s garage at their 
West Bloomfield home is often 
filled with bins of donated sup-
plies, all sorted by age group. 

Before a donation drop-off, teen 
volunteers gather outside, with 
masks, to participate in socially 
distanced packing parties to 
assemble the boxes. They try 
to put together each box with a 
theme, whether it’s something 
generic like kindergarten fun 
or something more specific like 
superheroes or princesses. 
“I want to help out in the 
community, and it feels good 
to assist people in need, espe-
cially now when it’s harder for 
everyone,
” explained Rabin, 
a freshman at Frankel Jewish 
Academy, who, before COVID, 
participated competitively in 
gymnastics. “I also think it’s 
cool that this organization is all 
around the world.
”
Neither Endelman’s nor 
Rabin’s mother is surprised by 
the effort and commitment of 
their children. 
“Rebecca is a pretty giving 
individual,
” said Amy Rabin, of 
Bloomfield Hills. “We’
d like our 
kids involved and giving, and 
I’m very proud of her. She’s put 
in a lot of hard work and time.
” 
Balance Boxes is always look-
ing for donations of books, arts 
and craft supplies, activity sets, 
non-perishable food items and 
monetary donations. They are 
also hoping to secure corporate 
sponsorship. 
For more information about 
the organization, visit www.
balanceboxes.org. To make a 
donation or volunteer, email 
Endelman at ethan@balance-
boxes.org or Rabin at Rebecca@
balanceboxes.org. 

IN 
THED
JEWS

COURTESY OF ETHAN ENDELMAN

“IT FEELS GOOD TO ASSIST PEOPLE 
IN NEED, ESPECIALLY NOW WHEN 
IT’S HARDER FOR EVERYONE.”

— REBECCA RABIN

Local teen starts Michigan 
chapter to help kids in need.

JENNIFER LOVY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Local teen starts Michigan 
Balance Boxes

Teen volunteers work to distribute the boxes to those in need.

Ethan 

Endelman 

and Rebecca 

Rabin, 

co-chairs of 

the Balance 

Box Michigan 

chapter.

