AUGUST 1 • 2024 | 45
The Nissan Foundation
awarded a $25,000 grant to
the The Zekelman Holocaust
Center (The HC) to help
fund Voices of the Holocaust:
Exploring History, Literature
and Social Justice in the
Classroom, a program to
enhance the teaching of
Holocaust history through
personal memoirs and his-
torical context, emphasizing
social justice.
“Receiving the Nissan
Foundation grant is an
incredible honor for our
center,” said Ruth Bergman,
director of education for
The HC. “This support
will provide educators with
essential resources to teach
the Holocaust, ensuring stu-
dents understand this pivotal
period and its relevance to
contemporary social justice
issues.”
The Nissan Foundation is
awarding a total of $1.2 mil-
lion in its 2024 grant cycle.
“We’re honored to support
the work of The Zekelman
Holocaust Center,” said
Chandra Vasser, president of
the Nissan Foundation and
Nissan’s first Chief Diversity,
Equity, and Inclusion Officer.
“The Nissan Foundation is
about building community
by valuing diversity, and this
program from The Zekelman
Holocaust Center brings that
mission to life.”
Zekelman Holocaust Center Awarded
Nissan Foundation Education Grant
Ruth Bergman, director of
education for The Zekelman
Holocaust Center
A Detroit elementary school
will be the site of a pop-up
clothing and school supplies
store on Sunday, Aug. 11,
funded by the National
Council of Jewish Women,
Michigan (NCJW|MI).
The annual Back 2 School
Store has been providing
Detroit children in need with
clothing and school supplies
since 2014, but during the
pandemic the initiative
pivoted to a modified
store where children were
identified by social service
agencies and then suitable
items were packaged up and
delivered to their families.
Now, for the first time,
the store will offer a hybrid
model; 200 pre-designated
children will have the
opportunity to shop in
person with their own
personal shopper; and 700
children will be provided
with clothing and supplies
courtesy of NCJW|MI
through the agencies that
support their families.
The children will get a new
winter coat, hat, mittens,
pants, T-shirt, sweatshirt,
underwear and socks,
toothbrush and toothpaste,
a zippered pencil case with
pencils, glue stick, eraser
and markers, plus two age-
appropriate reading books.
“We are thrilled to start
offering once again a
shopping experience for
children where they can pick
out items they like with our
dedicated team of volunteers
acting as personal shoppers,”
said Back 2 School co-chair
Sandi Matz, who is a former
president of NCJW|MI.
“Seeing the smiles on the
faces of the children as they
select a new pair of pants or
a T-shirt they love, or even a
toothbrush in the color they
like, is as exciting for us as it
is for the children.”
NCJW|MI stated that
approximately $180 provides
clothing and school supplies
for each child. Some of
this money comes from
NCJW|MI fundraising efforts
and some from corporate
donors and charitable
grants. More money is
always needed however,
and NCJW|MI is inviting
the community to sponsor
a child, with any donation
amount welcome.
To donate or volunteer
for the event, go to ncjwmi.
org.
NCJW|MI Back 2 School Store Returns
to In-Person Shopping
NCJWMI volunteers
with bags of clothes
and school supplies
SPOTLIGHT