I led the Mitzvah Day “Bundles of Care” project at TBE. It was the perfect project for me at the time because my two younger children, Olivia and Noah, were enthusiastic participants and it was a way for our family to connect with our temple community. Family togetherness and helping those less fortunate were (and are) important values for our family.

Other TBE families joined us for a morning of meaningful and productive engagement. We carefully assembled travel-size toiletries and self-care products, which we donated to The Women’s Lunch Place (a day shelter community) in Boston. People generously collected hotel toiletries throughout the year, and by the time Mitzvah Day rolled around, we would have oodles of miniature shampoos, conditioners, body lotions, and soaps. The children carefully sorted the items into bins and then the fun began!

Participants assembled the bags and tied them up with colorful ribbons. These little “bundles of care” totaled in the hundreds by the time the project wrapped up. My kids would accompany me to deliver the boxes. The women at the shelter greeted us, their eyes lit up at the sight of the little bags full of self-care products.

I continue to collect toiletries throughout the year for Women’s Lunch Place, and it never ceases to amaze me how this little act of kindness makes a big impact on the lives of women. While the shelter is temporarily closed due to COVID-19, the shelter is providing take-out meals and other basic necessities. Please contact me if you have hotel-size toiletries to donate, now with a “no contact” drop-off process.