TBA Snack Challenge & Toy Drive

The Early School , Jewish Learning Program and Teen Tikkun Olam Group (TTO) all of Temple B’nai Abraham recently held a holiday Toy Drive and Snack Challenge to benefit two special programs at

The Toy Drive requested new, unwrapped toys for the Child Life program, designed to provide psycho-social support to children and their families during the stressful period of hospitalization. The Child Life staff, under the auspices of Pediatric Nursing Administration , sees patients on the inpatient Pediatric Unit, the Burn Unit, Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care Units, the Valerie Center for Children with Cancer and Blood Disorders and all ambulatory care centers. The relaxed and comfortable environment and trusting relationships built by the Certified Child Life Specialists and Creative Arts Therapists enable children to express their feelings and concerns regarding hospitalization and illness freely.

The Snack Challenge requested donations of snack- sized, individually wrapped packages of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Lay Potato Chips, Snyder’s Pretzels, Nutella with cracker sticks, Nutter Butter cookies and Dove Dark Chocolate Pieces. This effort helps the continuous need to replenish the “snack closet” at the Comfort Project 360, which was launched to help create the most supportive and healing environment in which cancer patients and their loved ones receive are treated while undergoing oncological care at Saint Barnabas Medical Center. Each and every gift to Comfort Project 360 enhances patient well-being. The Cancer Center, where nearly 100 patients receive chemotherapy or infusions every day, will benefit from enhancements that make the most of the body-mind-spirit connection.

Photo #1-Shown delivering the donated toys on December 18 to St. Barnabas Child Life Center in Livingston with (far left) TBA Special Projects Coordinator Arleen Lichtenstein are TBA Teen Tikkun Olam members.

Photo#2 Shown presenting a portion of the generously donated snacks on December 20 to (far left) Robin Chuven, Comfort Project 360 volunteer and ( far right) Suzanne Unger, Comfort Project 360 Co-Founder and TBA member are Early School students.