Local Youth Organization Presents Check to Common Ground from Fundraising Efforts

A group of energetic high school boys recently dropped by Common Ground’s new teen street outreach center ReaLife, but it wasn’t just to hang out.   They came bearing gifts—in the form of a $500 check.

“We’re a chapter of the B’Nai B’rith Youth Organization (BBYO),” explained Adam Rubenfire of West Bloomfield.   “We started 4 years ago and a big part of our chapter is doing community service and donating money—something we really take pride in.”

BBYO provides Jewish young people with meaningful experiences while building the next generation of Jewish leaders.  Part of the experience is encouraging members to give back to the community by supporting charitable causes. This chapter, called the Max Fisher AZA,  participated in the Stand Up campaign this year, which encourages each chapter to support a local charity. 

The group put their heads together to decide on a charity.  “We threw out ideas about what type of organizations we wanted to put the money towards,” said Mitchell Krieger.  “Common Ground came up because our advisor works on the crisis hotline and I’ve attended a few support groups so I explained about it to the group. They agreed so we chose Common Ground.”

“Once they had chosen Common Ground,” noted Max Shear, BBYO advisor and Common Ground volunteer, “I pointed out how the agency has many different areas and suggested the street outreach program because it’s working with people around their age and they really loved the idea.”

That’s how Common Ground’s ReaLife became a lucky recipient of a portion of the chapter’s fundraising efforts, accepting the second largest BBYO donation in this region and the largest donation from one chapter this year.   “We fundraise regularly,” said Josh Breuer of Farmington Hills.  “The most successful fundraiser was a bowling fundraiser where we raised more than $700.”

Added Shear, “This is a great group of kids and I’m proud of them for taking the initiative with this.  The fact that they chose an organization I’m already involved in is really nice and is quite a statement on the caliber of their characters.”