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Thank you for your continued support of Champions for Cheltenham! We welcome the Cheltenham School District Alumni to our newsletter!

Several years ago representatives from Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel, Beth Shalom, Kol Ami and Calvary Presbyterian Church of Wyncote created a group with the goal of helping families in the Cheltenham School District struggling with food insecurity, homelessness and other acute financial stresses.

In the past year among others, we have helped: A family with one parent making minimum wage and the other on disability who have been struggling to pay rent and may face eviction. To help their child join his friends on a school trip, Calvary provided a Walmart gift card allowing the family to purchase shorts, undershirts, suntan lotion, beach towel, water shoes and a bathing suit. Mother and son were both excited an appreciative. The family has also benefitted from KI’s food pantry and grocery gift cards.

Another situation involved a single mother with 4 children who has lived at a local Women’s Shelter and faced many personal hardships. She was able to train as a nurse, get a better job and move her family to an apartment, however because her income went up, the family’s food stamps were decreased and she was struggling to pay for rent, food and other necessities. Champions for Cheltenham helped with grocery gift cards when the family ran out of food, and provided support through the Mitzvah Menorah project. 

Last year money from our fund covered the purchase of two twin mattresses after a family lost most of their possessions in a fire and had to find a new apartment. With gift cards to Target, Acme, Shoprite and others, Champions for Cheltenham has helped numerous other families supplement their food stamps, or purchase basic items they could not otherwise afford. 

All this support is coordinated through the district social worker and help goes directly to the needy families without any overhead or bureaucratic inefficiency.

Please help us help those in our own community in need-Good things are possible when caring people come together!

Questions? Please contact Marjorie Curtis Cohen.