Time to Do the Wishes
This is a perfect time to jump-start
your efforts at tikkun olam and
tzedakah — and make manifest
someone’s holiday needs and desires.

MARISSA STERN | JE STAFF
ith the holidays right around the corner, you might be
starting to get in the giving spirit. And what better gift
to give than your time to organizations in need of helping
hands during the busiest time of year?
Whether you want to be in the kitchen and serving meals to those
in need or helping out some furry friends at a pet shelter, there are
plenty of ways to get involved and volunteer in Philadelphia and
around the area.

W If You’re Into Serving up Some Holiday Spirit:
The Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger no doubt
needs some help during the holidays. The organization partnered
with more than 100 providers in the area that they have listed on
their website to showcase those who need support this season.

While they aren’t specifically Jewish-oriented, the mitzvah of
“tzedakah” can be exercised anywhere.

“They’re small little organizations run by volunteers and they
need all the help they can get,” said Tom Mahon, communications
manager for the Coalition Against Hunger.

The coalition reached out to many organizations across the region
to see which ones are holding holiday-specific meals. The coalition
itself also takes volunteers to help out with administrative tasks.

“Year-round, we bring in volunteers to answer phones and screen
people for their food stamp applications,” he said. “It gets so busy
with food pantries and soup kitchens — we work with over 100
providers in the region.”
Those who volunteer in food pantries are often shocked by how
great the need is, Mahon added — especially when they discover a
food pantry in their own neighborhood.

“It’s a great opportunity for people to go out and serve a meal to
people who face food insecurity on a daily basis; it really could be
anybody in that situation,” Mahon continued. “A lot of people are
surprised when they call us and they tell us there’s this pantry right
down the street. It’s kind of a little bit shocking to some people. It’s
good — it’s important for them to see that as well.”
These organizations are always looking for help, he said. The
holidays, however, are a perfect time to start getting involved.

“Especially this time of year, there are so many people looking
to volunteer, and it’s great a lot of people want to come out. We’re
thankful everyone’s in that holiday spirit, and they want to reach
out and help people — but these places need help year-round,” he
emphasized. “If someone wants to make a difference, they can call
in July and there’ll be the same opportunities.”
More information and a list of places to volunteer to serve meals
can be found at hungercoalition.org.

If You’re More Into Being Behind the Scenes:
The Jewish Relief Agency has a big food distribution on Dec. 20.

(A November drive was held closer to Chanukah as the holiday ar-
rives early this year.)
12 NOVEMBER 19, 2015
The JRA is always looking for volunteers and, with its new web-
site, JRAid.org, finding ways to help out has never been easier.

Volunteer gigs and specific jobs are posted on the site that anyone
who is able to can do, said JRA Philadelphia executive director Amy
Krulik. The holidays are the perfect time to get involved because it
is really the giving season, she added.

“I think people have an incredible capacity for kindness,” she
said. “These projects give you an opportunity on the food delivery
side to come together with over 1,000 other people on a Sunday
morning to bring people a basic need, which is food, and you’re do-
ing it with a ton of other people.”
According to Krulik, volunteering for JRA, a Jewish Federation
of Greater Philadelphia supported agency, provides the chance to
do more than just deliver food. During this particular time of year,
maybe someone needs help taking their air conditioner out of the
window in addition to receiving a food delivery. Those kinds of op-
portunities are listed on the JRAid site.

While Jewish values teach us to be charitable at all times, Krulik
understands that the holidays create a pull for people. She wants to
make sure JRA is there if they wake up one morning and say, “I want
to do a mitzvah today.”
“It’s not like you can dial 1-800-bring-me-food for the holidays
— it doesn’t exist,” Krulik said with a laugh. “This fills in that space
there for people in need of support. And it gives a time of giving to
people who are looking to be giving. We have a few really good out-
lets to engage people that way.”
There are designated distribution days and people can sign up
in advance to participate — but Krulik doesn’t mind if you “just
show up” on the day of.

More information can be found at jewishrelief.org or JRAid.org.

If You Prefer Dogs to People:
PAWS is essentially entirely volunteer-run, and with three locations
— in Old City, Northeast Philly and South Philly — extra “paws”
are always welcome. Though they are not open on Christmas Day,
there are plenty of other
times where you can
volunteer around the
holiday season and dur-
ing the rest of the year.

There are definite
perks to volunteering to
work with the animals,
according to Donna
Bright. “They get to know
what it’s like to have
adoptable animals in
the shelter waiting to be
adopted, how many un-
wanted cats and dogs
there are,” said Bright, the nonprofit’s administrative and operational
assistant. “Hopefully, they learn how important it is to spay and
neuter your pets. There are so many unwanted animals in the city.”
There are multiple orientation sessions; those looking to volunteer
can attend in order to get pup-erly acquainted (sorry) with the an-
imals and other duties as needed.

Volunteers are always welcome for cat care, dog walking and
cleaning, but there is also plenty to do if they don’t want to get hands-
WINTER HOLIDAY GUIDE
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM



on with the animals, Bright said. They could use help with admin-
istrative tasks and website maintenance.

More information can be found at phillypaws.org.

If You Are a Thrifty Shopper:
Jewish Family and Children’s Service has a thrift store boutique
in Northeast Philadelphia that makes it a one-stop shop for holiday
shopping — and for volunteering.

Those interested can fill out an application on JFCS’ website, said
Robin Henkin, manager for volunteers and community engagement.

Volunteering shifts are typically during the day, as per the store’s hours.

But that isn’t the only way you can volunteer with the Jewish
Federation supported agency — though shopping is one of the
most important parts of the holidays, joked Suzanne Myers, JFCS
vice president of marketing and communications.

JFCS offers multiple ways to volunteer, including its Silver Wheels
program, in which volunteers can offer rides and other service for
the agency’s older adult population who might need more help dur-
ing this season. They may not be able to drive to pick up a medica-
tion, for instance.

“We have a lot of older adults that get very isolated and lonely
around the holidays, and we have a couple opportunities to help
them and help them stay engaged in the community,” Henkin said.

Even just volunteering your time to spend time with one of JFCS’
older clients is a great way to give, she said.

Volunteers also have the opportunity to get to know one another
while they receive proper training and tools in order to be effective
volunteers through workshops.

The workshops, called “The Joy of Giving...of Yourself,” will be
held on Dec. 3 in Elkins Park and Dec. 7 in Center City.

This is a perfect time to volunteer and give of your time, Henkin
Name: Hot Foot
Width: 3.625"
Depth: 4.75"
Color: Black plus one
Comment: Holiday Guide
said, because that’s a key part of this season.

“This is a time people want to give back, and many want to
give ‘Jewishly,’ which means to give of themselves and their
time,” Henkin said, “and they think about how fortunate they
are and often in counting blessings, they want to give back to
other people.”
Giving back to someone less fortunate, she continued, is a “won-
derful way to get to the essence of giving.”
More information can be found at jfcsphilly.org/volunteer.

See Volunteer, Page 14
Name: Revivals Boutique
Width: 3.625"
Depth: 4.75"
Color: Black plus one
Comment: Holiday Guide Magazine
We Are Moving
As of 2/1/2016
Justa Farm Shopping Center
1966 County Line Rd
Huntington Valley, PA 19006
215-969-9626 • HOT-FOOT-BOUTIQUE.SHOPTIQUES.COM
In-Store Boutique
MOVING SALE AT OUR EXISTING
KREWSTOWN LOCATION!
KREWSTOWN SHOPPING CENTER
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM WINTER HOLIDAY GUIDE
NOVEMBER 19, 2015
13