Alexa Rubin of Plainsboro created “Candy Critters” to raise money for the Cherry Tree Club (TCTC), a preschool for homeless children based at Prince of Peace Church in West Windsor, in conjunction with her upcoming bat mitzvah on November 17 at Congregation Beth Chaim.
“Becoming a Bat Mitzvah requires the child to do a certain amount of community service,” says her mother, Stephanie. “However, I’ve tried hard to teach my girls to be good citizens by giving back to their communities and paying it forward when they can, not just because they have to.”
Alexa, a lifelong Plainsboro resident, has been interested in community service since her days at Beth Chaim preschool. The school asked for volunteers to prepare a hot meal throughout the year. “We would commit to a date, prepare the food, and I would deliver it in the morning,” says Stephanie. “That’s how we found out about TCTC, its mission, and their needs.”
When she was four years old Alexa learned about a young girl who asked for money instead of presents for her birthday and then used the money to buy toys for children who were sick in the hospital. Alexa told her mother that she wanted to do something like that. “We decided to have an art party for her fifth birthday and when we sent the invites out, we asked for art supplies instead of presents,” says Stephanie. “The response was overwhelming.” They delivered 22 two-gallon buckets of art supplies to TCTC, which were used in the classroom and goody bags were sent home with the kids. Alexa and her sister, Lindsay, have donated some of their new toys to TCTC’s holiday program and created personal care packages for the kids to use at home.
They have also put their love of crafts to good use by creating get well cards for patients at the University Medical Center of Princeton. In April they created close to 200 cards and the volunteers put one on each patient’s meal tray.
“We were quite upset to hear that TCTC’s funding was cut in recent years,” says Stephanie. “When I spoke with the director, Wendy Schutzer, she explained that she needed new sheets for the napping pads the kids use daily, but just didn’t have the funds to buy them.” Alexa, a seventh grade student at Grover Middle School, hopes to change that when she delivers a check to them for more than $700.
An avid student at the Dance Corner in West Windsor, Alexa is a member of the senior jazz, senior tap, and senior lyrical competition teams this year. In the spring she will also be performing a tap solo, lyrical solo, and lyrical duet with her sister, Lindsay, 11, a fifth grade student at Millstone River School.
Stephanie, a graduate of University of Delaware with a degree in fine arts, has been a graphic designer, marketing manager, office assistant, and consultant. She is currently doing freelance marketing work for a financial planner in Princeton and works at the Dance Corner doing administrative work. Several years ago Stephanie organized a playground fix-up event to benefit TCTC. She also created personal care and outdoor fun care packages for the kids.
Her husband, Rob, is a CPA and the controller for Construction Financial Management Group in Princeton. He volunteers as a head coach for the WWP Soccer Association. “Rob loves soccer and was once a very good player before too many injuries forced him into retirement,” says Stephanie. “There never seems to be enough coaches so when he was asked to coach a boys’ senior team, he said yes, even though he doesn’t have a son playing in that league.” This is his third year coaching them and his team won the championship last year.
“I’m proud to have done this project because it’s benefiting children who are homeless and are deprived of the many things I get everyday,” says Alexa. “I’m very happy that my friends and family supported me throughout this process by buying “Candy Critters” and/or donating money.”
