THIS LITTLE PIGGY—Children in Karen Lepp’s kindergarten class at Heschel West Day School display toys they will donate to patients at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. The students saved the money year ‘round in piggy banks they decorated at the beginning of the school year. Photo courtesy of Karen Lepp When Lilly Fuller was a kindergarten student at Heschel West Day School last year, she had a big idea.

Lilly took the Jewish concept of tikkun olam to heart. The phrase means “repairing the world” and Lilly decided she wanted to do her part to improve the lives of others.

She told her teacher that she was saving money in her piggy bank to buy gifts for children at a hospital.

Kindergarten teacher Karen Lepp loved Lilly’s spirit of giving and decided to incorporate the girl’s savings plan into class lesson that would benefit students for years to come.

Now in its second year, Project Piggy Bank is introduced in Lepp’s class at the beginning of the year. Each student receives a piggy bank, paints it and takes it home with instructions to earn money throughout the year for a mitzvah (giving) project.

This year, the class chose the same project that Lilly had done the year before—to buy and deliver toys to sick children at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.

After Lepp’s students earned and saved money all year long by doing chores, the class took a “no tears” trip to a local toy store to select toys for children at the hospital.

“The Heschel West students knew that they were not buying anything for themselves, hence the no tears,” Lepp said.

Lilly is proud that she inspired a program that will be ongoing at her school. As for her inspiration for the piggy bank project, Lilly said that she was “just feeling bad about people being sick in the hospital.”

Ian Honick is a 5-year-old who was in Lepp’s class this year. He served as ambassador for the school, which meant he was elected by his class to deliver the toys to the hospital with school officials and some parents. Lilly also helped to deliver the toys and plans to participate each year.

“It made me feel good,” Ian said about the project. “I really liked my piggy bank. I painted mine blue and red.”

Ian earned $25 during the school year by cleaning his mother’s car, the garage and his room. He said he also dusted and did “all kinds of stuff” to raise money.

Ian and Lilly both enjoyed shopping for gifts. Ian said he purchased Bionicles, a Lego building kit, and Lilly bought Barbies and other toys.

Altogether students raised more than $500 for the project. Board games, dolls, arts and crafts sets, and books were among the items delivered to the hospital in May.

Debbie Epstein’s daughter Taylor is a student in Lepp’s class who was also chosen to represent her class at the hospital. Epstein said that all of the children showed “an amazing empathy for such a young age and felt such pride at the cash register while paying with their hard-earned money.”

Lepp said it was “inspiring to learn that children as young as 5 years old can internalize the idea of tikkun olam and put it into practice in such an effective, practical way.”