Allison Grey of Woodbury, NY, created a Mitzvah Project that benefited the Ronald McDonald House. However, our guess is that her Project benefited a lot more than the recipients; we are sure all of those who pitched in and helped Allison were blessed as well. Here’s Allison’s story, in her own words:
My Mitzvah Project was decorating flip flops to donate to the Ronald McDonald House to use as a part of their welcome gifts. They give the welcome gifts to the families that stay at the Ronald McDonald House when their children are in the hospital. I chose to do this Project because I love to do arts and crafts. I chose to send them to the Ronald McDonald House because I like to help children’s charities. I called my project Flip Flops for Friends.
I decorated the flip flops by tying colorful strips of felt on to the flip flops. After buying sheets of a variety of festive felt, we cut them into strips. I was fortunate to have a lot of my friends help me decorate the flip flops. All of my friends helped me reach my goal of decorating 200 pairs. When we finished tying the felt we packaged each pair in cellophane bags and a ribbon. We put on labels that said Flip Flops for Friends that had a picture of flip flops on them. I worked on my Project for 11 months.
I received help from my friends from Hebrew School, pre-school, school, camp, and also family members. Last year, for three days during indoor recess, 40 people in my grade helped decorate flip flops. We made over 60 pairs. It was a great project to do at recess because it was fun, and we were helping people at the same time. It is very special that I have had friends from all over the country help me with my Project.
On November 20, 2008, I went to the Ronald McDonald House to deliver my flip flops. When I arrived the workers were so happy about my Project and were very excited to give them to the families. They told me that they would put the flip flops in the families’ holiday gift bags. I received a tour of the Ronald McDonald House. It made me feel very good to know that I was helping these people.
