On the 1st April 2005, the KR Alumni Club launched our 'Kellogg-Recanati Cares' initiative, the umbrella name for all KR Alumni community projects, with a one day 'paint the school' activity.  In Q3 2005, the KR Alumni Club launched its second KR Cares project, together what the student class of KR09.  This second project is a major step forwards in a KR Cares culture, as it is focused on educating children over the school year, and requires a significant amount of ongoing management and commitment, by the volunteer participants.  Both projects, including how related activities expanded during 2006, are discussed below.

Our growing KR Cares culture was the catalyst for the success of the July/August 2006 Aid for the North project, in which the KR community answered the call for humanitarian aid, and raised, collected and distributed an estimated $700,000 of aid to those who needed it, when they needed it, and all during a period of only 3 weeks.

At the 2005 Deans Dinner, 16 KR Alumni pledged 120 hours for year 2006 KR Cares community projects.  If you would like to volunteer, send us an email , including the number of hours you would like to offer, and your main area of interest.

KR Cares Project 2 - Second Kellogg-Recanati Cares project launched

In July 2005, the Board of the KR Alumni Club launched our second Kellogg-Recanati Cares initiative, in which KR alumni and KR students work throughout the school year to help give under-privileged children a chance of a better future.  This excellent project was initiated and implemented by Gabi Shachor and Ariel Rosenberg of the student class of KR09 during the 2004/5 academic year.  The Board of the KR Alumni Club heard about the project's success, met with Gabi and Ariel, and agreed that for the 2005/6 academic year, the KR Alumni Club would also offer volunteers for the project's second year.  KR09 are now the senior student class, and it is hoped that the new alumni/student relationship will secure the future of this project long after KR09 graduate.  More specifically, it is hoped that on graduation, representatives of KR09 will continue to drive this project, having joined the KR Alumni Board. 

At one school, KR volunteers give weekly lectures, and monthly hosted company tours, to expose the kids to the real world we are more familiar with, and to hopefully motivate them to make something of themselves.  In parallel, at another school, other KR volunteers offer weekly one-on-one maths, English or sciences tuition.

Click here to read the letter sent to all KR Alumni.  Over 40 KR alumni, students and staff have volunteered for this program.   KR Alumni are participating in this project throughout the 2005/6 school year.

From November 2005, Nimrod Golan, KR09, will be managing the activity.  Ayelet Oron, KR06, is the KR Alumni Club's Board member, working as part of the core project team for this ongoing project.

In May 2006, the KR Cares team announced the extension of its “Bridge to the Business World' program to a second school, Reshit School, starting May 2006, due to an 'overflow' of KR alumni who volunteered to participate.  Congratulations to Gabi, Nimrod and Ayelet for taking this already successful community services project to new heights, and thanks to so many KR Alumni, who have volunteered to help make a difference to the future of under privileged children.

KR Cares Project 1 - Kadima 'paint the School'

25 KR Alumni spent the day renovating the Kadima special needs school facility in Jaffa, south of Tel-Aviv, Israel.  Three classrooms were totally redecorated, including new curtains.  Furthermore, the outside of the building was repainted, and in bright, cheerful colours.  In addition to painting, Jonathan organised the management of the Kadima facility to present the country wide project to KR Alumni, which has already provided food for thought for potential continuity.  As importantly, we not only met some of the kids from the Kadima facility, and heard from them how they benefited from Kadima, but we also provided the opportunity for them to participate in the painting for an hour.  Wouldn't you have given anything at the age of 8 or 10 to paint walls and get covered in paint?!

About Kadima

12 Kadima facilities are spread throughout Israel.  They provide a facility for under privileged children that can not receive the care they need at home, after school.  Children arrive about 1pm after school and stay until about 7pm.  They have lunch, receive help with their homework, have various daily lessons, including reading, writing, English and more, and as importantly, thy enjoy many day trips that without the support of the Kadima facilities, would be beyond their reach.

Special thanks - The team

The project was managed by several KR Alumni.  Lead by Jonathan Berger, other major contributors to making this event happen include Nurit Geffen (Interior Design), Ygal Dikovsky, Terry Gerstner and Maya Haklay. 

Special thanks - Event sponsors

The KR Alumni Club's Alumni-Helping-Alumni culture was further strengthened by this event.  Allan Barkat (KR02), Marcel Amariglio (KR02), Pierre Kohn (KR-HT02) and the KR Alumni Club made cash donations.  Uri Wardinon (KR06) supplied 2 sets of beautiful curtains for each of the 3 classrooms.