Work for the World After School Club

Want to know how to make a lasagna feast for 50 in about an hour? Just ask one of the members of the Work for the World After School Club. Twice this year, teachers Jana Hopfinger (Lower School Jewish Studies) and Elana Cohn-Rozansky (Service Learning Coordinator) have offered a six week opportunity for PJA third, fourth, and fifth graders to meet after school to learn about local nonprofits and make things for others. Projects changed regularly to respond to immediate needs in our community. Some favorite undertakings: baby blankets for Project Linus, Passover cards for Jewish Family & Child Service clients, sweet treats for the homeless youth served by p:ear, sack lunches for Blanchet House, and bookcase assembly for Community Warehouse. The sixth week of each session brought everyone to the school kitchen to make dinner for 50 shelter residents. The menu included spinach lasagna, green salad, bread and dessert. The bubbling hot lasagna and all the fixings were delivered that night to the Banfield Shelter Motel run by Transition Projects. PJA has been partnering with Transition Projects for over a decade, but our most recent meal delivery garnered so much praise that the Volunteer Coordinator, Emily Coleman, had to let us know. Emily wrote: “Banfield emailed to let me know everyone really loved the lasagna dinner last night! It’s a rare meal there, so always well received.” Kol Ha’Kavod (all the honor) to the enthusiastic workers for the world who gave up their Thursday afternoons to make a real difference in the lives of our city’s most vulnerable citizens.

Third grader Lillian said about the club: “Even though I am not a grown up, I liked that I could find a way to help. That’s why I signed up for Work for the World twice.”