PACKERS—Volunteers and staff pack food boxes at JFCS.

JFCS brings Thanksgiving feast to 50 plus families

By Jewish Review

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Forty volunteers and staff members gathered Nov. 19 at the Jewish Family and Child Service offices to pack and deliver Thanksgiving food baskets to clients and community members who may have otherwise been unable to obtain a holiday meal.

The food baskets contained all the ingredients that an individual or family would need to prepare a Thanksgiving meal. This year the program expanded to provide meals to more than 50 families. 

JFCS received a tremendous response from individual volunteers within the community, more than double the number of volunteers who participated in past years. By packing and delivering food baskets, volunteers enable the Thanksgiving Food Basket program to reach many JFCS clients who have a difficult time with transportation or physical mobility. 

The program was funded by donations from numerous groups including the Social Action Council and Sisterhood of Congregation Beth Israel, the Social Action Club of Rose Schnitzer Manor, the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation Friendly Rosenthal and First Hebrew Benevolent Funds and the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland. 

Those interested in volunteering time to support JFCS and its clients during the upcoming holidays can contact Erin Singer, volunteer coordinator, at 503-226-7079 ext. 17, or erin@jfcs-portland.org.

To make a donation to JFCS to help people in need, contact Marian Fenimore, interim executive director, at 503-226-7079 ext. 13, or marian@jfcs-portland.org.