gemach ideas | Imamother

Hashemlovesme

Mon, Jun 11 2012, 3:10 am

I've really been wanting to open a gemach in my house & need some ideas. I live in E"Y, in a really frum, young, heavily populated city. It needs to not take up much space, not cost too much to start & not have that much upkeep. (sounds hard huh?) My friend has a nausea bracelet gemach so that's out. I was thinking of getting a really really good burn cream (but dh thinks ppl should go to the Dr., not rely on some miracle cream),extra sheets was nixed, having 1 of each medication was another idea, but there are a bunch of those & ppl just go to their neighbors. My latest idea is having 1 container of each stage of formula in case s/1 runs out & can't get more (it happened to me, so I guess it can happen to s/1 else).

Any other ideas or advice? TIA!

anonymrs

Mon, Jun 11 2012, 3:23 am

In my neighborhood,, there's a pacifier and infant tylenol(acamol) gemach in a closet outside s/o's house so you can get it anytime of the day/night. There's also a gan information , games, children's tapes, and a nebulizer gemach.

Roots

Mon, Jun 11 2012, 8:54 am

when we lived in ramot we had someone with a chair (and folding table) gmach (a bunch of stacked plastic chairs in their machsan or living room) that wa sa life save r for us when we made a party at home.
there was another neighbor who had something to fix a clogged sink drain, that was a major help for us on a friday before guests were about to come and the whole sink clogged up.. yuck..
another person called hers the fax gmach, anyone was able to come use their fax machine!

mizle10

Mon, Jun 11 2012, 9:02 am

I know it sounds weird but there's a richs whip gemach in ramat eshkol that people love. She buys a big wholesale tub of whip and measures it into the same size as the containers you buy. She sells them for 3 NIS. I think it's great!

elaela

Mon, Jun 11 2012, 9:16 am

formula sounds great! tablecloths are also needed (for kiddushs, small simchas etc.) and dont take up much space, sheitels (my favorite gemach!!!),

Liba

Mon, Jun 11 2012, 10:28 am

I have a preemie clothing gemach. It doens't take up much space at all. I am working on expanding it into a breast pump/breast pump supply gemach for new mothers with babies in the NICU (pagia) as well.

Ingrid

Mon, Jun 11 2012, 10:31 am

I just borrowed from a gemach that has center pieces for smachot. It was soooo helpful not to have to buy anything. Vases, plastic flowers, etc.

lovemywig

Mon, Jun 11 2012, 11:54 am

A gemach to give away free wigs for children who have a desease that there hair falls out or never grows or chemo patients. Collect woman's wigs and remove a weft or a few depending on how full it is ( children dont need them as full) Remove the clips n combs and there is a plastic thing that u sew in so that it shouldn't slip off.

G'luck

RachelEve14

Mon, Jun 11 2012, 12:23 pm

My cousin does a baby g'mach. She has pacifiers, formula, diapers, bottles, wipes, other things that don't take much space. She usually gets people on Friday afternoon / Shabbot who need something. Replace what you take (after Shabbot of course!). She also has a couple of portable cribs someone gave her, and maybe a high chair or bouncy chair, but most people come in needing diapers, wipes, or a certain type of pacifier.

Ruchel

Mon, Jun 11 2012, 12:39 pm

I have bh a pregnancy and nursing gemach, created to thank Hashem for sending my son. Just starting, but I collect anything that can help and of course lend my own. Pregnancy clothes, nursy clothes, baby clothes a scale, a doppler... if there is any interest I'll complement with toddler clothes, maybe a nursing help group or whatever.

I have heard of wedding gown gemach, anything-weddingy gemach, my shadchan's wife has a crib (I think) gemach.

Hashemlovesme

Mon, Jun 11 2012, 12:43 pm

thanks for all the ideas, keep them coming! when I say no space I mean that literally, we have NO spare space in my appt, not even for a stack of chairs.

syrima

Mon, Jun 11 2012, 12:47 pm

How about a bris card or chuppah card gemach?
Just have a few printed up and laminated, then people have the tefilos to say at a bris or chuppah.
Very handy... and small!

LisaS

Tue, Jun 12 2012, 5:43 am

In my yishuv there is a family that lends out small amounts of cash, especially useful as there is no ATM here. Something like 100NIs for a week.

We personally made use of the pacifier gemach so I am partial to that one.

I will check the directory later, BH, and get more ideas for things that don't take up space.

joy613

Tue, Jun 12 2012, 8:43 am

If you have a printer/copier, you can have a copy/print/scan gemach. There are lots of people who don't have one and need it at random times when copy stores are closed.
I know of people who do this.

Sherri

Tue, Jun 12 2012, 8:54 am

Hashem loves me wrote:

If you have a printer/copier, you can have a copy/print/scan gemach. There are lots of people who don't have one and need it at random times when copy stores are closed.
I know of people who do this.

I think this is a great idea!

Hashemlovesme

Tue, Jun 12 2012, 9:32 am

I had a chupa card gemach when I was single, the bris card idea is good too! I like the small cash gemach idea, I'll ask dh what he has to say on that one. My friends brother got his bar mitsva benchers delivered after his party, so maybe ppl can use those for a bris or bar mitsva (I've benched by heart & a few too many simchos). I'd love to have a fax machine gemach, we've made use from it, but our machine is under ds's crib & is a big pain to take out each time......keep 'em comin!

Shopmiami49

Tue, Jun 12 2012, 10:56 am

Yeah my friend also has a small cash gemach - what a life saver! Smile

Also, I don't see why you can't do the burn cream idea. It's like an immediate temporary relief until s/o can actually get to the doctor. I remember on Erev Y"T one year, I burned myself really badly and my dh ran to a neighbor a few buildings down to get some cream to relieve the pain until I got to the doctor. A LIFESAVER!