|
|
| Fall 2010
A publication of the Mitzvah Food Project, a program of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia | |
|
|
|
|
| |
GREETINGS! Welcome to our 10th edition of Food For Thought, a publication designed to provide you with information about the Mitzvah Food Project (MFP), updates on hunger issues facing our community and opportunities to get involved as an MFP advocate, volunteer, educator or recipient. We publish quarterly, bringing you news and views about the MFP and the volunteers who make it all possible. Please help us spread the word and invite your co-workers, friends and family to visit our website at www.jewishphilly.org/mfp and sign up to receive the Food For Thought e-mail newsletter. Your Opinion Counts! And...because successful communication and collaboration are fundamental to the success of our program, we are hoping that Food For Thought will serve as a "two-way street." Your contributions, comments and observations are vital components of our newsletter. So, please be in touch. If you have ideas about articles, information that you'd like to see us highlight, reflections on Mitzvah Food Project activities, or commentary on Food For Thought articles, please email foodproject@jfgp.org
Drisana Davis Mitzvah Food Project Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia Lee Hillerson
Mitzvah Food Project Advisory Committee Co-Chair
Laurie Franz
Mitzvah Food Project Advisory Committee Co-Chair |
| Mitzvah Food Project Update |
Introducing....
Deirdre Mulligan, Mitzvah Food Project Associate
Please join us in welcoming Deirdre to her new position!
Deirdre Mulligan began her career with the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia in September, 2005 as an administrative assistant to both the Mitzvah Food Project and the Policy, Strategy, and Funding Committee. Over the past five years, she has helped to create, enhance, and maintain our client database, monitor the food and basic staples that we provide to our clients and organize the distribution and delivery of food packages. Read More
We are delighted to announce that Laurie T. Franz has accepted the position of Co-Chair of the MFP Advisory Committee.  As of September 2010, Laurie accepted the position of Mitzvah Food Project Co-Chair along side our esteemed Advisory Committee Chair, Lee Hillerson, who has been with the organization for almost six years. Laurie is the president of the Five Together Foundation, which she formed in 2005 along with her four siblings. Over the past few years, 5TF has begun to focus on basic humanitarian efforts in the US and worldwide. Read More
Facts and Figures  With valuable donations from the community, our volunteers and partnerships with SHARE, Philabundance and Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger, our network of pantry sites was able to expand by 10% last year in order to meet the growing need in the community. From September 2009-August 2010, the Mitzvah Food Project provided 2,151 households containing 3,736 individuals (17% children; 53% seniors) with 22,989 nutritional food packages, and $102,160 in supermarket gift cards. These totals include produce package and additional support for large families and households during the holidays or while in crisis. Read More
The MFP Added another Pantry Site
As of September 2010, the Mitzvah Food Project is proud to officially announce a sixth pantry site located at Shir Ami in Newtown, PA. Read More
 Super Sunday! · January 30, 2011
One day, two simple ways to make a big difference
On Super Sunday you can double your philanthropic impact by volunteering to make vital fundraising calls AND by participating in the Mitzvah Food Project's Super Sunday canned tuna drive. This year the Mitzvah Food Project is asking all Super Sunday volunteers to bring much-needed canned tuna for Mitzvah Food Project recipients at the Kaiserman JCC. Read More |
| Newsline |
 Northeast: Center Helps Feed Elderly
By Tom Rowan Jr. and
Gail Austin
October 15, 2010
In the basement of a Northeast Jewish Community Center, in an office no larger than a college student's dorm room, six adult women operate a pantry aiding the effort to feed Philadelphia's seniors.
Click here for complete article
 The Global News Service of the Jewish People
As Recession Drags On, Middle-class Families Forced To Turn To Jewish Food Banks
By Sue Fishkoff · August 30, 2010
SAN FRANCISCO (JTA) -- Robert M., 58, worked for a news organization in the San Francisco Bay area until September 2008, when he lost his job in layoffs that eliminated 15 percent of the company's workforce nationwide.Robert had eight months of savings. They ran out in six months. Click for complete article |
|
 |
|
Mitzvah Food Project Advisory Committee
Lee Hillerson, Co-Chair
Laurie Franz, Co-Chair
Nina Cohen
Drisana Davis, staff
Ruth Firth
Jerrold Frezel
Madelyn Karasick
Mary Kirsch
Jill Kleeman
Ruth Laibson
Deirdre Mulligan, staff
Robin Rifkin
Lainey Simonson
Mona Sutnick
Sheila Weiss
Judith Woloff
|
|
|
|
Dinner Table Conversation |
 Poverty Rate Rose Sharply in 2009, Says Census Bureau
By Erik Eckholm · September 16, 2010 The percentage of Americans struggling below the poverty line in 2009 was the highest it has been in 15 years, the Census Bureau reported Thursday... Click here for complete article
"Hunger-Free America"
Click here for a great web publication with important information about hunger and food insecurity in America!
 TALK TO YOUR KIDS!
A message from the new MFP Advisory Committee
Co-Chair, Laurie Franz
It's really important for kids to know that:
· Children and families in our very own community are struggling with hunger and good nutrition
· Poverty is a big problem for families trying to eat a healthydiet
· Some parents often have to choose between paying for housing and medicine or buying food
For MFP Advisory Committee Co-Chair Laurie Franz, conversations with her sons about hunger and nutrition are an important part of family life. Actions are important, too! Several times a year, as volunteers for the Jewish Relief Agency, Laurie, her husband Jeff, and sons Sam, Joe and Nick package and deliver food to needy families. Read More |
| Volunteers Spotlight: |
 We are so thankful for...
Jewish Children's Folkshul
A Secular Humanist School and Community
Now in its third year, the Jewish Children's Folkshul's Thanksgiving Basket Event to benefit MFP clients will take place on Sunday, November 21, 2010. On that memorable day, students from 9 classes-Kindergarten through 9th grade-and high school assistants who work at the Folkshul (former students!), will assemble 10 beautifully decorated Thanksgiving baskets of Kosher food.
According to Margie Singer, Administrative Coordinator, every child makes a contribution that is both healthy and delicious! Baskets include, cooked Kosher chicken, challah, fresh veggies, cranberry sauce, something sweet and a lovely plant. Once the baskets are assembled, Folkshul families will deliver them to families in need. Read More
_____________________________________________________
The Volunteer Team at Beth Sholom Congregation, Elkins Park
"I try to live by the concept of Tikkun olam. Providing ongoing hunger relief to vulnerable households is very rewarding. I also develop relationships with the people I deliver to; they are very friendly and most appreciative. Volunteering for MFP has reinforced my feelings about the needs of people in our community and I am happy to be able to help."
--Grace Miller, delivering food packages from the MFP at Beth Sholom for 3 years after she saw ad in Jewish Exponent
"It's important to do something meaningful for the Community. All of us didn't realize, until we started volunteering here, that there were so many needy in our area."
--Ellen Lehr, volunteers to distribute food on Wednesdays through Beth Sholom's walk-in pantry and helps to pack food packages for the MFP's bi-monthly deliveries
Staff and volunteers of the Mitzvah Food Project want to take this opportunity to thank all of our dedicated volunteers at Beth Sholom! We completely rely on the consistent efforts of our MFP volunteers at Beth Sholom Congregation and want them to know that their hard work is sincerely appreciated by our organization and the recipients. Read More |
| You Can Make a Big Difference! |
Here at the Mitzvah Food Project, we bring people together to perform mitzvot (good deeds) and to do gemilut hasadim (acts of loving kindness). Though the MFP is serving an increasing number of clients, there is still much we must do to reduce hunger and malnutrition in our community.
If you would like to make a donation to the Mitzvah Food Project, volunteer at one of our five pantry sites, or find out more about our program, please visit our website at www.jewishphilly.org/mfp or contact Drisana Davis at 215-832-0531 or foodproject@jfgp.org
The Mitzvah Food Project thanks all of its volunteers and its partnership with SHARE and the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger for making it possible for us to meet the most basic needs of Greater Philadelphia's at-risk community members.
We would also like to express our gratitude to our generous sponsors, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, BNY Mellon, Susquehanna Foundation, MAZON and Tuttleman Family Foundation, Chelton House Projects, as well as hundreds of individual donors. Thank you for your invaluable support!
A special thanks to our dedicated volunteer Editor, Rhoda Weiner, for making our Food For Thought newsletter possible. |
|
|
|
|
|
| The mission of the Mitzvah Food Project is to alleviate hunger and malnutrition in a caring and dignified manner, and to educate and advocate on behalf of those in need. The Project works in partnership with volunteers and community groups, spearheaded by synagogues and Jewish organizations. | |
|
|
