For the past two school years I have been a member of the B’nai Tzedek Youth Philanthropy Council. The only requirement to be on the council was be a B’nai Tzedek fund holder. To create a B’nai Tzedek account teens, usually twelve or thirteen years olds, can donate a certain amount of money and the Jewish Federation will donate money to your account. Every year until you are 33 years old you can donate ten present of your remaining balance to a Jewish agency of their choice.
As a member of the Council we plan an event for fund holders to meet with local Jewish agencies and see what the participant’s money would do for that organization. We start having our monthly planning meetings in September and go through April or May. Our meetings from September to February are to plan the event. Then we hold the event in February. The meetings after the event we talk about what went well and how we could improve next year’s program.

At this years event, which was held on Tuesday, February 27, 2008, as people walking into the room we were meeting in two council members collected spare change for to be split between all the agencies that showed up that night. Once we started the program we thanked everyone for coming and gave a short history about the B’nai Tzedek program and gave an overview of that evenings schedule. Then we had a local teen talk about her experience volunteering and winning an award for time and service. After she was done talking, we went into another room where the account holders could talk to different agencies and see what a donation could do for that agency. About after half an hour to visit with about 25 agencies the account holders could donate their money for that year and head back to the room we met in. Then the council gave away a few prizes, thank the people for coming, and the evening was over. In the year 2007 the council was formed we held out first program. Because of this event we more then doubled the amount of money granted to the various agencies. We donated over $7,000.

I enjoy being on the council because I learn about different charitable organizations and helping raise money for the different agencies. Also, I get to meet other local teens that are interested in philanthropy and doing work for charitable organizations.
This is how I help out the community and why I like it.