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Almost 900 school children in Metro 
Detroit, identified by 18 local social ser-
vice agencies, nonprofit organizations 
and schools, received new winter coats, 
clothing, socks, underwear, hats, mittens, 
school supplies, toothbrushes/toothpaste 
and books in a drive-through event 
called “Back 2 School Store” arranged 
by National Council of Jewish Women, 
Michigan (NCJW|MI) and held last 
month. 
The nonprofit organization, which 
works to improve the lives of local 
families, is known for organizing the 
Back 2 School Store event every August, 
where pre-identified Detroit children 
are provided their own personal shopper 
to choose the appropriate coat, cloth-
ing and school supplies. In 2019, 750 
children attended the in-person event, 
but during the last four years, the pro-
gram had to be modified because of the 
pandemic, with clothing and supplies 
distributed to hundreds of children via 
agencies.
On Aug. 10, pre-registered organi-
zations including the Ennis Center, 
Community Outreach Team, Starfish 
Family Services, Orchard Children’s 
Services, Detroit Parent Network, Hope 
of Detroit Academy and others, had 
assigned times between 10 a.m. and 1 
p.m. to pick up bundles of clothing and 

school supplies in the parking lot of 
Hope of Detroit Academy. Each child 
was identified to be in need by an agency 
and received the aforementioned items. 
Sallyjo Levine, president of NCJW|MI, 
said, “The pandemic impacted so 
many aspects of our lives, including the 
national economy. With inflation at a 
40-year high, families are expected to 
pay up to 30% more for school supplies 
this year compared to last year. 
“We are really grateful for our donors 
and volunteers who make this important 
event possible year after year, no matter 
what!” 

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NCJW MICHIGAN

NCJW Back 2 
School Store

faces&places

NCJW|MI volunteers 
load up the Detroit 
Parent Network van.

C.O.T. rep Debbie Barnett, Katie 
Stocker, Ines de Jesus, C.O.T. rep 
Paula Weiser, Emma Herdean, 
C.O.T. rep Lauren Koenigsberg and 
Evv Hepner.

Tim Brown, Orchards 
Children’s Services 
representative, and 
Terry Hollander.

Susan Friedman, Curtis Simpson Jr., 
Corpus Christi Parish representative 
Kameryn Simpson and Evelyn Cohn.

Suzanne Simon and Toya 
Bridges, Detroit Parent 
Network representative.

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