Chesed Task Force of Greater Washington

Frank Storch furthered the cause of Chesed in Baltimore last week when he participated in the Chesed Task Force of Greater Washington's training program for volunteers (chaverim.)

See below for the details of the event, and if you would like to help, dont hesitate to call the number and volunteer. There is no greater mitzvah (good deed) than helping someone in need.

Frank Storch: Unity Is What Purim is All About

With Purim just around the corner Frank Storch points out that unity is a goal which the Baltimore Jewish community has been long aiming for. One example of unity is the way many of Baltimore’s charity organizations are organized, as Storch explains:

“Our community is blessed with people and organizations that are involved with chesed around the clock.  For example, The Associated:  Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore is one large organization that caters to the entire Jewish community — with programs and services for the young through the elderly. I am impressed by how much they do each year for our community. “

Sometimes even just one person can make a big difference when it comes to bringing people of diverse backgrounds together. Frank Storch points out the work of Elaine Gerstenfeld, who wanted to do something special for her community this Purim. Gerstenfeld launched a new program which she called “Bey-ond the Mask.” The point of this event is to unify the Reform, Conservative and Orthodox Jews in Baltimore.  The gathering is planned for 1pm on Purim day at The Atrium on Smith Avenue. After coming together as a group, everyone will be sent out with pre-packaged Purim treats to bring to hospitals, nursing homes and assisted-living centers. “Bey-ond the Mask” hopes to unite the people of Baltimore while also helping to bring joy to others.

Frank Storch’s Chesed Fund Lending a Hand

As the winds died down and the residents began to assess the damage inflicted on them by Hurricane Sandy, Frank Storch’s Chesed Fund of Baltimore was there to help in any way it could.

“From Baltimore came truckloads of emergency paraphernalia, including large generators, sent by the city’s Chesed Fund and other Baltimore Jewish organizations.”

For more information about the recovery effort in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, see “When Can We Go Home?”

Frank Storch’s Chesed Fund Brings Carnival to Far Rockaway

With the support of Frank Storch’s Chesed Fund, families were able to take a break from the pressure and anxiety caused by Hurricane Sandy and its aftermath. Funding from the Chesed Fund centered in Baltimore, and volunteers from girls’ schools in Baltimore came together to create what was called the “Welcome Home Carnival” to celebrate the ongoing recovery from the ravages of the devastating superstorm.

Rabbi of the Young Israel of Bayswater and Wavecrest in Far Rockaway, Eliezer Feuer, thanked Frank Storch for his efforts to help the people of his community.

“On behalf of my community of Bayswater and Far Rockaway, I want to thank Frank Storch and his family and the Baltimore Jewish community for caring about us and reaching out to us in New York. This is a great opportunity for our community to have a fresh start,” Rabbi Feuer said.

On hand and provided by the Chesed Fund were clowns, jugglers, magicians, face painters and more, to help relieve the children and their families from some of their stress at a very difficult time in their lives. Girls from Bais Yaakov and Bnos Yisroel filled buses to be there to help, as did also the staff of the Talmudical Academy of Baltimore, all to assist with the carnival.

Frank Storch Making Baltimore a Safer Place to Live

The efforts of Frank Storch to make the City of Baltimore the safest possible place to live have been ongoing, beginning back in the 1980s.

At that time Frank Storch co-founded with Barry Rosenbluth the Northwest Citizens Patrol. This new organization was formed as a response to a wave of crime in the city that was taking place then; several isolated occurrences of hold-ups and larcenies.

Ever since then the NWCP has had much success, so much so that other communities modeled their own security organizations after it. At the time of the founding Frank Storch said,

“The community owes a great debt of gratitude to all the Rosenbluth brothers, Avi, Ronnie, and Marc. Upon recognizing the severity of the problem, they immediately organized a night patrol.”

Chesed Fund Delivers Variety of Helping Options in Baltimore

The Chesed Fund Limited was launched by Danielle and Frank Storch to help Baltimore community members in ways that most other charitable organizations don’t consider. As an example, where else but the Chesed Fund can someone get a reflector belt to help make night-walking safer? The Chesed Fund has over 15,000 of these belts ready for people just for the asking. Have you ever been to a wedding or other celebration and found the music just too loud? The Chesed Fund has thousands of earplugs to give away to make partying more pleasant. For those among us that miss the date for ordering hand shemura matza for their Passover Seders the Chesed Fund can come to the rescue with 250 extra pounds around for just such a mishap. Last, but definitely not least, among the offers mentioned here, is a $99 package to photograph a Brit Milah, or other simcha.

It is clear that Frank Storch and his Chesed Fund are helping the Baltimore community in ways that challenge the imagination, helping bring the community together for good.

Frank Storch Urges Upgrade of Baltimore Security

In a letter to Baltimore community leaders Frank Storch urges that Baltimore schools and other locations where community members congregate, more steps should be taken to insure the safety and security of residents.

Inspired by the shocking and tragic events that took place in a Connecticut elementary school in mid-December, Storch listed several ways the community can take further precautions to upgrade the security in schools, synagogues and other public spaces.

• Panic buttons should be installed at all locations where receptionists are stationed
• Surprise lock-down drills should be practiced on a regular basis
• Cell phones should be pre-programmed with all staff numbers as well as emergency numbers in case land-lines are down.