Kids Helping Kids

By Roslyn Brendzel, Congregation B’nai Israel

The nursery school children at the Hedwig Gruenewald Early Childhood Center at Congregation B’nai Israel in Millburn recently donated their monthly tzedeka (charity) to the Ruth Gottscho Kidney Foundation, which sends children with chronic kidney disease to the Frost Valley YMCA summer camp

The foundation was established by the late Ira and Eva Gottscho of Millburn after their daughter Ruth died of kidney disease in 1960 at the age of 15.  

Ruth had always dreamed of going to overnight camp with her friends, something she couldn’t do because of her illness.

Now children like Alisha, who was diagnosed with kidney disease when she was four years old, are living Ruth’s dream through the RGFK. Since 1975, the RGKF has sent more than 1,600 kidney kids to the Frost Valley Camp.

Frost Valley is the only camp in the country where kids can have dialysis treatments, receive medications and participate in camp activities with healthy campers.

Donations to the Ruth Gottscho Kidney Foundation may be sent to RGKF, 515 Warwick Ave., Teaneck, NJ 07666.