October 30, 2009

Dear Parents:

We are excited to announce that just last week, we launched our annual Common Cents Penny Harvest. As most of you know, Common Cents is a locally based charity that works in schools and the community to support and teach philanthropy and community responsibility. Through its now famous Penny Harvest, Common Cents helps thousands of children and families actively engage in tz’dakah by turning idle pennies and other coins into useful dollars to serve needy New Yorkers and fund student community service. We are joining over 300 public and private schools in a campaign that has the educational potential to transform each child and family.

This year, each child in our school will, once again, have the opportunity to collect and bring in some of the millions of pennies and other coins that sit idly in all of our homes and offices. There are many ways to collect those pennies. You can harvest your building or your workplace, or you can simply comb your own household and ask your relatives and immediate neighbors for that penny jar sitting on the bookshelf. We encourage you to learn more about how to harvest by visiting the Common Cents website (www.commoncents.org).

Our school has successfully participated in this program each year since we introduced it into our school. In the past our small school has collected up to 50 sacks of pennies ($2500) in just one year. We hope that we’ll continue that school tradition this year and have full and active participation from every family. A Common Cents Penny Harvest is a meaningful way for you and your child to partner with the school and participate in a true act of tz’dakah. By participating in this wonderful program, we know we can help spread the school’s commitment to mencshlichkeit. We hope you’ll join in!

Sincerely,

Sarah Kay and Aliza Weinstock

Penny Harvest Coordinators