Westfielder Honors Past With Mitzvah Project

Eliza Li Weiniger may have left her native China 12 years ago, but she has never forgetten the children in the orphanage where she spent her first year. As her mitzvah project, Weiniger, a sixth grader at Edison Intermediate School, is raising funds to help children in China who have not yet been adopted.

Eliza spent the first 363 days of her life sharing a crib in the Lodi Social Welfare Institute in Lodi, China, explained her father, Dan Weiniger. "She recognizes the life she has been given and wants to help the children who never get adopted," he stated.

Eliza is raising awareness about needs than can be met through LWB's Orphanage Assistance Program. LWB's Orphanage Assistance Program provides supplies to children residing in orphanages throughout China for their safety and comfort and to enrich their lives, according to her website. Items provided include safe cribs and warm quilts, heating and cooling systems, clean drinking water, diapers, formula, washing machines and dryers, incubators, toys and playground equipment and warm winter coats.

A member of Temple Emanu-El, Eliza will be Bat Mitzvah in Israel, by The Wall, on July 1, 2013. While she does not have a specific fundraising goal in mind, she has raised over $600 so far and said she would like to be able to help as many children as possible.

"I know bikes for the children to use to get to school cost around $75 and safe cribs cost around $100 each and warm coats around $45 each," she explained. "I was once a child in a Chinese orphanage with no one to love me, but I was fortunate to have been adopted. I want other children to at least have something nice done for them. So I am raising money to help them."

Taking her message to the masses, the middle schooler spoke in front of 40 local business owners last week at a BNI networking meeting. While that might seem a daunting task for many, the Edison student said a public speaking class she's taking at school had prepared her well and noted that the business owners were very nice. 

To view a video of Eliza's presentation, click here. To view another video of Eliza discussing her project, click here.

To learn more, visit Eliza's website or the Community Page she created on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/HelpChinaKids

Listed below are the ways in which donations can be made: 

Donate Online: Please select the Orphanage Assistance Fund and indicate that your donation is "In honor of Eliza Weiniger."  https://www.lovewithoutboundaries.com/donate/ 

Donate by mail: Please annotate "In honor of Eliza Weiniger" on your check and mail to: L.W.B. - P.O. Box 25016 Oklahoma City, OK 73125 

Donate by phone: (405) 216-5837 and mention that your donation is "In honor of Eliza Weiniger."