Deeds for Needs, Inc.® is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in March 2004 by Robin Fierston, Stephanie Gitlin, and Melissa Weinstock. At the time, the three friends and stay-at-home moms were looking to start a business venture together in their hometown of West Hartford, Connecticut. With different skill sets from their various careers as an early education teacher, lawyer and consultant, the common desire among the three women was to help those less fortunate in their community. They were inspired by a quote from Anne Frank: “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
After much discussion and exploring of different ideas, the women decided to form a non-profit organization with the stated mission of helping Jews in need by providing goods and services to fulfill the ever-changing needs of the Jewish community and its individuals by working independently and with other Jewish agencies and organizations. They named the organization Deeds for Needs to reflect their dedication of doing good deeds, or mitzvot, for those in need around them.
Melissa and Robin still live in West Hartford, CT with their families. Stephanie and her family moved in 2012, and currently reside in Jupiter, Florida. The three women volunteer their time (no salaries) and have minimal overhead costs. DFN relies solely on personal donations and does not receive any federal or state funding. 100% of donations go directly to helping their clients.
