Sydney Epstein of Woodmere, NY, feels the importance of planning a Mitzvah Project is to show that you are mature and ready for life’s responsibilities. We think her very successful and well thought-out Mitzvah Project supporting Pancakes for Parkinson’s showed a lot of maturity, and we appreciate her letting us share her story with you.
Sydney chose to organize a Pancakes for Parkinson’s event this past October to support the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which works to find a cure for Parkinson’s Disease. Sydney chose this organization because her grandfather suffers from PD. The Pancakes for Parkinson’s event is designed to be a one-day event where people buy tickets to a pancake breakfast with all proceeds benefiting the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Sydney let people know about the event by including a note along with her Bat Mitzvah invitation, which was held November 1st. She also posted flyers in local stores and sent emails.
Sydney held the event at a local firehouse, which she said was a well-known and central location. She reached out to local stores and asked them to donate supplies such as pancake mix, syrup, fruit and paper products. Sydney also took the initiative and asked local stores to donate raffle prizes, and she said on the day of the event, they were able to conduct a very successful raffle which also helped to raise money for Pancakes for Parkinson’s.
The event was successful in raising money – more than $10,000 – but more importantly, it helped Sydney realize what happens when a community pulls together. “Overall it was a great success for me personally and it was a great community event,” she says. “People showed our family a lot of support. I was very proud of the day.”
A group shot from Sydney’s event
