Meet the Lower Makefield third-grader making a difference for homeless families

For second-grader Teddy Tendler’s end of the year Hebrew school project at Congregation Kol Emet, she was assigned to complete a good deed, also known as a mitzvah.

While other students in her class chose to help their siblings, pick up trash, or visit animal shelters for their projects, Teddy, 8, a rising third-grader at Quarry Hill Elementary School in Lower Makefield, had a different idea in mind.

She wanted to raise money to purchase computers to donate to a homeless shelter.

“I want to share my education with the other kids because I have a great education at school,” she said.

Having spent a lot of her time on her Chromebook for school due to online learning during the pandemic, Teddy said the reason she started her project was because she loves technology and helping people.

Teddy said she began by reaching out to different shelters in the area and upon hearing back from Family Service Association of Bucks County, a social service nonprofit organization that provides mental health and treatment services and operates the Bucks County Emergency Homeless Shelter in Levittown, she started her project.

Volunteer and Development Coordinator for Family Service, Anne Marie Richards, said she’s worked with a lot of people wanting to donate to Family Service, but they typically aren't kids.

Similarly, she said most donations she’s received consisted of food, socks or hygiene products, not technology.

Richards said when she first spoke with the Tendler family over the phone to discuss the donation further, her initial impression of Teddy blew her away.

“You would have thought I was talking to a 16 year old,” said Richards. “She has that little kid voice but she was so smart.”

Once Teddy received the green light from Family Service, she began her fundraising efforts by emailing friends and family members and posting a video to Facebook.

Teddy’s father, Jared Tendler, said they received lots of donations from the start and had to eventually stop accepting donations since people loved the idea so much.

In total, she raised $1,723.

With that money, she was able to purchase five Chromebooks, five headphones, a printer, computer ink and paper, with some funds left over for a cash donation.

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Karen Hershgordon, Teddy’s Hebrew school teacher from last year, said as a student, Teddy soaked everything in, was enthusiastic and just wanted to learn.

“She's fabulous. She is such an amazing child,” she said.

Hershgordon, 64, of Bensalem, said in her six years of teaching at a religious school, she’s never seen a child do something like this in the community and to her, it was a standout project.

“I was surprised by how much of an impact it was going to make. I just felt that it was just an amazing impact,” said Hershgordon. “The children need to learn, especially those that have more than some other children, that there are less fortunate kids and not everyone is permitted to have everything.”

Looking back on the project now, Teddy said she was excited and happy to finish because it was something she worked hard on.

“It felt like weights were lifted off my shoulders,” said Teddy. “Like, oh my gosh this is actually happening, and it felt really good for it to be completed.”

Teddy’s mother, Corey Tendler, said the coolest part about the project was discovering Family Service.

Having grown up in Langhorne as a kid and moving back and living in Yardley for seven years now, she said she’s never heard of Family Service before.

“It's really important to find those types of organizations in your local community that you can make a partnership with,” said Corey Tendler. “I feel lucky that we were able to learn about this new organization that we had never heard of.”

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Sue Weiner, religious school director at Kol Emet, said a mitzvah is wanting to do something for the community that makes someone feel good.

“I just love the fact that she took what she likes and what was important to her and she took it out there and you know, built upon all of that,” said Weiner. “She was helping a group that she saw was in need.”

Jared Tendler said he’s all for challenging oneself, so when Teddy had the idea to pursue her project, he was fully on board.

“Technology is just such a part of everyday life now so if you don’t have access to it, you’re at a distinct disadvantage,” he said.

His main role throughout the project was helping Teddy fulfill her vision, dream and goals in ways she couldn’t do on her own, said Jared Tendler.

“To know that she has a belief that she can impact the world is ultimately what I think is most gratifying for me,” he said.

“She could have done something easy but she chose to do something challenging.”

Jared Tendler said It was very emotional seeing the staff and people waiting outside Family Service for the donation.

Once the donation was received, the computers were set up in the computer lab for residents of the shelter to use for games, searching the internet, applying for jobs and other needs.

“You can sense when there’s such a great need and good people and to know that, yes, it took some time and effort, right, but it wasn't that hard to make that big of an impact,” said Jared Tendler. “These are people that are in our community that are hurting and need help."

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Lower Makefield girl raises funds for computers for Bucks County shelter