In our continued effort to support the Jack & Jill's Eastern Region goal to address hunger, the Newton Chapter Community Service Committee planned a wonderful day of service on Martin Luther King Day at the Pine Street Inn. The morning began at Stop & Shop where the Chapter accepted a generous donation of canned goods. The teens ‘stuffed the bus’ with the donations and from there we caravanned to the Pine Street Inn. The teens unloaded the food, middle school children organized the pantry shelves and the younger children baked and decorated cookies for dessert at the homeless shelter.

The Newton Chapter is committed to executing impactful community service programs and incorporating our children.  On December 1, 2012, at the Boys and Girls Club in Dorchester, the Newton Chapter enthusiastically executed an innovative program, “Shop, Carry, and Go,” an indoor ‘free cycle’ event, enabling families from local homeless shelters and the Boston community to select clothing, small appliances, furniture, toys, and coats donated by Anton’s Cleaners.  Chapter families donated the majority of the items, and over 100 people attended the event.  The Men's Auxiliary was instrumental in making this event special for all who attended.  Attendees received holiday red bags, donated by Target, to carry items home, and many received raffled items, including $25.00 gift cards, home starter kits, a life size teddy bear, a large remote control truck, and a rocking horse, which were donated by Home Depot.  Many of the attendees left with tears of joy. 

To celebrate the AIM for Healthy Living initiative with the local community, the Newton Chapter partnered with the Boston Chapter to sponsor an AIM for Healthy Living Community Health Fair in April, 2012 at the Yawkey Boys and Girls Club in Boston. The health fair promoted healthy living for the entire family and was free to the community. The younger children exercised with a moon bounce and played indoor games. The Boston and Newton Chapter middle school and teen children interacted with the younger children by playing games and face painting. To promote fitness for the teens and adults, classes in yoga and Zumba were a lot of fun and well attended. Several health clinic vendors and nursing students performed health screenings to attendees, checking glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure, BMI levels and dental health. Healthy snacks and beverages were served throughout the day. Raffles awarding healthy cookbooks, pedometers, and other items were drawn every hour. At the conclusion of the health fair two lucky children in the community were awarded bikes with helmets.