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Packed With Love: Mitzvah Food
Program Distributes Passover Meals
T “As Passover approaches, kosher beef prices
his Passover will be different for
have increased as much as $2 a pound,”
Helene, age 86. Where her husband of
said Brian Gralnick, director of the Jewish
69 years, Samuel, would traditionally
Federation’s Local Grants and Partnerships,
drive them to their granddaughter’s for the hol-
including the Mitzvah Food Program’s four
iday, this year, she sits at home worried about
pantries. “Over the past month in particular,
her husband who is recovering in rehab after a
we are seeing a real increase in new clients
recent fall.

and old clients returning. I’m thankful to our
But she’s hopeful that he’ll return home in
donors and partner organizations for helping
time, and she is comforted knowing that a
us provide kosher food for the holidays to those
seder will be ready for them with food from the
who may have otherwise gone without.”
Mitzvah Food Program.

In the Greater Philadelphia region, 16%
For seven years, Helene has been a client of
of Jewish households keep kosher at home,
the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s
and another 12% are kosher when observing
Mitzvah Food Program, which distributed
Passover. more than 1 million pounds of food to 6,530
Despite food banks housing an overabun-
clients throughout the Greater Philadelphia
dance of pork products and other non-ko-
region during the last fiscal year. She first
sher foods, greatly limiting food options to
learned of the program while enjoying a meal
be sourced to the Mitzvah Food Program, the
with a friend at a KleinLife Senior Lunch
pantries are able to maintain a supply of kosher
Program. products by way of donations from commu-
“It was a great way to meet people, and
nity members, organizations, synagogues and
other Holocaust survivors,” said Helene, who
agencies. Partners like Jeff and Sandy Brown
escaped Germany to the Philadelphia area
of ShopRite and the Novick Brothers have been
in 1949. Helene and her husband are two of
essential partners in providing food specific to
557 local survivors to receive food assistance
major holidays.

through a Jewish Federation-funded program
In preparation for Passover, more than 100
like KleinLife, Mitzvah Food Program, Jewish
volunteers packed and distributed holiday
Relief Agency and KAVOD SHEF.

meals during the last three weeks. Hundreds
As the years go by, Helene has found it phys-
of clients received packages of kosher beef,
ically harder to shop for groceries and cook
matzah, grape juice, gefilte fish, honey, matzah
at home. Alleviating this hardship, Helene
ball soup mix, apples and walnuts.

has used the Mitzvah Food Program’s online
Clients had a pickup or home delivery option
grocery delivery services option. Her daugh-
to receive their holiday packages. Delivery is
ter places the order online each month, and a
especially important given the demographics
volunteer delivers the packages from Mitzvah
of the clients and the substantial weight of the
Volunteers deliver Passover packages to Mitzvah Food Program
Food Program to Helene’s house.

Passover meal kits. With 42% of clients in the
clients. Courtesy of Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
“It’s very difficult for me to go shopping,
age range of 60 and up, many recipients, like
so having the food delivered makes a big dif-
Helene, don’t have access to transportation
ference,” shared Helene, who also receives food assistance from KleinLife and or can’t easily lift and carry grocery packages. Home delivery is also critical for
other programs. “The people at the pantry are wonderful, I have plenty of kosher clients like Fern, who helps care for her adult child living with a chronic health
options, and the food is really good. I’m so glad that they’re helping us.”
problem. Helene and her husband aren’t the only families relying on food pantries for
“This food package is so much more than just a meal,” said Fern, a longtime
healthy food options at home. Over the course of the last six months, the Mitzvah client of the Mitzvah Food Program. “Especially on the holidays, we should all
Food Program has experienced a slow but steady increase in the number of clients have something special to eat.”
across their four pantries.

Last year, Fern’s Passover package included enough kosher for Passover meat
With food prices rising and pandemic benefits ending, the program has pro- and food to host her own small seder. Many of her invited guests included those
vided a much-needed source of stability for many individuals and families strug- who would otherwise be alone due to the pandemic.

gling to make ends meet. While the cost of groceries has risen, this hike has been
“If you have a little, you have to share it and help others,” commented Fern.

particularly noticeable for meat and other proteins.

“Because of the Mitzvah Food Program, we all had a truly blessed Pesach.”
12 APRIL 14, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM