“Dear Mrs. Lustig, I want to tell you about a conversation I heard between my daughters. This year when it was time to schedule our appointments at the uniform gemach, I heard my 11th grader telling my 9th grade daughter, “I still remember how I made Mommy bring home uniforms for me the first year we started doing this. I couldn’t go there. She had to go back and change them 4 times. Now I don’t even mind going alone. You get your own personal time, they have so much to choose from and it’s all set up so neat and organized.”
While this letter was written to an individual, it serves as a shout out to the community at large. A community who makes this uniform gemach possible year after year. A community who keeps our shelves stocked with gently worn skirts, shirts, sweaters and vests. A community who helps us ease the incredible financial hardship that a new school year brings for so many families in our neighborhood.
At this time of the year, when your girls will be trading their uniforms for summer casual clothing, we ask you to please keep the gemach in mind by leaving gently worn uniforms, 1st grade and up, on the porch of 379 Crown st. (Please do not drop off white school shirts unless they are new/unworn. They do not clean well enough for us to distribute.)
A special mention to Mr. Teich of Regency Cleaners for making sure each skirt hanging at the uniform gemach has been freshly pressed.
To set up an appointment with the uniform gemach, please call (718) 493-1740 after August 15th and leave a message. All calls will be returned.
Tizku Lemitzvos Crown Heights!
We are trying to keep costs down but decent shirts that last are not cheap. Our shirts are of a heavier material that doesn’t rip and treated with stain release so they wash better. Add the embroidery and tznius button and cost goes up. We sell our shirts at our school at our cost so no expensive store that adds $. We changed our manufacturer this year and saved a few dollars. Our parents appreciate our diligence in providing a shirt that looks nice and later so well it can be passed on.
What a wonderful way to care for our community. The financial burdens at the start of the new year is huge, what you do is a tremendous Chesed and from the article it seems in the most pleasant and dignified manner. May you be blessed
There seems to be a underlying issue…the fact that uniforms are so cost prohibitive that we need to have the gemach is concerning…
Why can’t we have more simple uniforms that would allow parents to be able to purchase them on the open market instead of personalized items that are expensive?
Rochel lustig hosts this gemach in her personal basement and gives her days and nights for all the appointments. Amazing.
Ive been to the gemach.what a dignified experience. Every uniform cleaned and pressed and ably mended by rochel lustig if needed