The Tikkun Olam Initiative is celebrating its 5th anniversary. We are dedicated to the concept to heal the world by creating and nurturing relationships with not-for-profits that improve the lives of individuals and families in Southold Town and its environs.

            Over the years, we have supported CAST by collecting school supplies each August, Cans For CAST during the High Holidays, toys in December, and donating bilingual books to preschool graduates of the Parent-Child+ program. We have collected and donated personal care items to John’s Place, a homeless shelter in Greenport.

            Three seasons of the year, we work at the Common Ground gardens in Southold to grow, harvest and deliver fresh vegetables to the food banks at CAST and the North Fork Parish Outreach.

            New this year is our support of The Butterfly Effect Program, a nonprofit that empowers young people through safe spaces, and leadership and educational opportunities.

            What is our group all about? We help the vulnerable, and we increase the visibility of our shul as an important charity in our community. Those interested in helping us accomplish our goals with these and other projects, please contact Veronica at 516-313-0605.

            If I am only for myself, what am I; if we are only for ourselves, what are we?

                                                                                                —Veronica Kaliski and Madelyn Rothman

Another Tikkun Olam Project By The Tikkun Olam Initiative Group

            Question: What do you do with all those freebies you find in motels, hotels, airports, restrooms, doctors’ offices, and package deliveries that include a little something extra? You know, little sample bottles and tubes of toothpaste, soap, hand lotion, shampoo, deodorants, sanitizers and other products too nice to toss, so they end up unopened and stuffed in a dresser drawer.

            The TOI has an idea to help you declutter and help out folks who could use those items. In the vestibule of the shul, the TOI will place a box marked “Little Stuff With Big Benefits,” and whenever you travel or find yourself with a swag bag of little bottles of stuff, you can stuff them in the box.

            The TOI will take care of the rest — delivering them to shelters, food pantries and the like. It’s a new idea with year-round value.  Let’s make it work.