My name is Jared.  I am turning 13 years old and I attend Swampscott Middle School.  For my Bar Mitzvah project, I am helping kids in foster care.  I came up with this project because my own family is a foster family.  It changed my life completely when we brought my foster sister home.  It is not only a huge commitment to become a foster family, but it has made me realize how fortunate and safe my life is.  As soon as I heard what was happening in these childrens' homes, it made me determined to help more.  One night a little girl came to our house on an emergency placement.  She arrived with just a few toys but no clothes or tolietries.  This is where the idea for my project began.  My goal is to help by creating Emergency Backpacks for kids who are in immediate danger and are rushed out of their homes.

I am asking you all to donate money so that we can fill as many backpacks as we can for all different age groups. I will give these backpacks to Department of Children and Families to distribute to the children when they are placed in the foster homes.