For the seventh year, NARTS Conference attendees will take part in a Community Service Event (CSE) benefiting those in need in our host city. Our Community Service Events are designed to enhance the Conference experience while giving back to the community we visit. This year in St. Louis, we are excited to announce that Ditto Family Resale and The Resale Shop of NCJWSTL will both receive our assistance through Project Gratitude.
 
For Ditto Family Resale we will be collecting Crayola Markers 8 or 24 count, Crayola Crayons 24 count, Crayola Colored Pencils 12 count, Expo Markers, Ziplock Qt. & Gal. Bags, Pipe cleaners (assort. colors), Velcro Dots, 3M Command picture hanging strips, Kleenex, Scotch Tape, Sharpies (assort. colors) and Ticonderoga pencils #2

For The Resale Shop of NCJWSTL we will be collecting new bras... any size and/or style are gratefully accepted. Also, other undergarments. such as panties. Socks are not needed.

Please bring some of these items with you or purchase them once you arrive. Tables will be set up all weekend to collect these donations. In past years our tables were over-flowing due to the generosity of our NARTS members. We are excited to see how full our tables will be in 2024!  

Ditto Family Resale is a nonprofit resale store in St. Louis.  They partner with eight local Christians schools who commit parent and student volunteer hours to help run the store.  In return, Ditto’s earnings are shared equally with these schools to provide scholarships, to help offset rising tuition costs, and to assist families who could otherwise not afford a Christian education.  Ditto also uses a portion of its earnings to benefit educational initiatives at other St. Louis area academic institutions, both public and private, through the Ditto Education Grant (DEG) program. This year's donations of school supplies will go directly to one of Ditto’s eight beneficiary schools, Promise Christian Academy, which offers special needs students an education utilizing multiple integrated therapeutic activities. Individually designed academics and therapies equip students for success in the classroom, at work, and within the community. 

The Resale Shop is a Charitable Project of NCJWSTL...inspired by Jewish values to advance social and economic justice for all women, children, and families. All proceeds from The Resale Shop support NCJWSTL’s many community service programs, like Project Renewal. Project Renewal empowers women living in transitional housing or shelters by providing them with clothing, resources, and the tools they need to build confidence and help them take control of their lives. Participants visit NCJWSTL for a day of specialized training, shopping, and pampering. Each woman leaves with a gift bag containing beauty care products, new bras, and undergarments. Project Renewal is often life-changing for participants. They can gain valuable skills they can use every day to help manage their personal and professional lives, such as budgeting, resume writing, and job interviewing.

We have the opportunity to brighten the lives of those at two deserving charities this year. For many of us Conference is a chance in a lifetime to better ourselves and grow. Our generosity during this Community Service Event could help do just that for others.

Let us all be generous in the giving back and show of respect for those who could use a little help from a friend as the NARTS Community becomes a volunteer of friendship and understanding to those who so deserve a second chance.   

Thank you!
The Board & Staff of NARTS  

“At the end of the day it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished...it’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back.    ~Denzel Washington