Temple members support Second Chance Last Opportunity

Second Chance Last Opportunity served 300 meals on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Volunteers were up all night getting ready, and then rain forced them inside. 

 Each client left with a bag of food and a to-go container with turkey and classic Southern sides like collard greens and mac and cheese. 

SCLO’s mission is “to empower individuals in crisis by providing them with essential skills and tools so they can manage their lives more productively.” 

April Glasco pre-registers every client for events like this one. It’s not a blanket handout to anyone who shows up hungry. The hands-on CEO takes pride in getting to know her clients and knowing each of their individual needs. 

Leading up to the dinner, members of Temple Beth Israel dropped off two carloads of nonperishable boxed and canned Thanksgiving sides to help fill the take-home bags. The initial request was for 200 turkeys, but keeping them at the temple wasn’t going to work. 

The solution was to ask members who didn’t want to shop to financially contribute through the Flanzer Trust match program. The program matches $5 to $500 donations from each donor up to $3,000 for each nonprofit per year. After the match, $2,400 was raised to buy turkeys. 

From Dec. 9 through 12, TBI members will be back at it again, but for Hannakuh and Christmas this time. The social action committee is collecting unwrapped toys and gift cards. Donations can be dropped off in the temple’s lobby. 

On Dec. 11, the temple is inviting the public to stop by for an open house. Toys will be collected during that event also. And on Dec. 12, donors don’t even have to get out of their cars to give. TBI elves are setting up a drive-through in the parking lot. Simply pull in, and they’ll do all the heavy lifting. The temple’s address is 367 Bay Isles Road.