Thomas Mills
Tidewater Jewish Foundation awarded a $7,500 Community Impact Grant in March to Toras Chaim to renovate their auditorium.
Serving Tidewater’s Jewish community for almost 20 years, the school has undergone an extensive beautification project. Renovations include painting hallways and classrooms, replacing the roof, waxing the floors, and installing a perimeter fence around the campus. The sweeping renovations at Toras Chaim also addressed one area in dire need of a refit: the school auditorium.
“Before the renovations, our auditorium had a very old, worn look and feel,” says Andie Pollock, Toras Chaim assistant principal. “The floors were scraped. The painted walls were peeling with blotches. We had a fundraising dinner, but instead of using our facilities, we had to rent a tent to accommodate the guests at a huge expense.”
At Toras Chaim, many school activities are based around the auditorium. It’s where students congregate for special activities, community events, and perform for parents and schoolmates.
“An auditorium should be an exciting, bright place to share the success of the students and their school,” says Pollock.
With the Community Impact Grant’s assistance, Toras Chaim created a more inviting space. The auditorium floors were stripped and waxed, the walls were given a fresh coat of paint, and a side storage alcove was enclosed to create a separate room.
“An auditorium is the central gathering place of a school,” says Naomi Limor Sedek, president and CEO of Tidewater Jewish Foundation. “We at TJF are looking forward to joining the Toras Chaim community in its ‘new’ living room where the children will have the opportunity to shine and share their knowledge.”
Toras Chaim plans to have a Mitzvah Fair, Science Fair, Career Day, Academic Fair, and more in the refurbished auditorium.
“We are confident that the auditorium makeover will have an impact for years to come,” says Pollock. “Not just on the building, but on the lives of our children.”
For more information on how to support Community Impact Grants, contact Ann Swindell, TJF donor relations and grant manager, at aswindell@ujft.org or 757-965-6106.