Center for Values and Community Service:
Mitzvah of the Month

March Mitzvah of the Month

Emergency Food Program Tuna Drive

They are to observe these as days of feasting and gladness, and for sending delicacies to one another, and giving gifts to the poor. (Esther 9:22)

The verse above introduces the lovely Purim tradition of Mishloach Manot which calls upon us to give food to another person on Purim.

Your triple-pack, easy-open flip-top cans of tuna will be distributed to our neighbors in need through our SWFS Emergency Food Program which distributes ready to eat food to our neighbors in need every Saturday morning, year round.

Who: You, your family, and friends
What: Donate 3-packs of easy open flip-top cans of tuna which will be distributed by the EFP.
When: Collection bins will be available in the lobby February 23 through March 9.
Where: SWFS Lobby
Why: To help provide food to those in need, perform a mitzvah, and feel good about making a difference in the community.
How: For more information or to volunteer for the EFP, please contact Heather Stoltz at 212-877-4050 x244 or CommunityService@swfs.org.

To see other ways your 100 Minutes can make a difference, click on one of the options below. Also see how SWFS Members are giving back to the community in our 100 Minutes in Action Article.

Previous Mitzvah of the Month Projects

February 2009
Mitzvah Day
On February 1, over 150 members came out for our annual Mitzvah Day. We made birthday cards for seniors at DOROT, decorated cookies for men in the SWFS Next Step Shelter, wrote cards to soldiers, and played bingo with and sang for seniors at a local nursing home.

January 2009
SWFS Blood and Bone Marrow Drive
Every year, SWFS holds a blood and bone marrow drive. This year, over 300 people came through the door, 210 people added their names to the National Bone Marrow Registry, and 88 units of blood were collected.

December 2008
Goddard Riverside COmmunity Center Christmas Dinner
Goddard Riverside Community Center provides housing, meals, social services, affordable childcare, educational counseling and vocational training for New Yorkers in need. Volunteers served Christmas dinner to our neighbors with nowhere else to go for the holiday.

November 2008
Cheshvan is Jewish Social Action Month
For Jewish Social Action Month, SWFS took part in many different volunteer programs including a Soaringwords project, DOROT Thanksgiving deliveries, Friendly visiting at the Kateri Residence, mock interviews with Upwardly Global, and much more!

October 2008
High Holy Day Food Drive
Every year on Yom Kippur, SWFS collects food for those in need in NYC. This year, 7,500 pounds of food was donated and distributed to the hungry of New York City.

September 2008
Fashion Center Kite Flight
The Kite Flight is an annual event which invites children to decorate kites and learn from experienced flyers. Volunteers directed people to the event, handed out programs, or helped children decorate kites and do other art projects.

May 2008
Only Make Believe Costume Collective
Only Make Believe provides acting workshops to children in hospitals free of charge. On Wednesday, May 7, we helped make costumes, backdrops, and props to be used for their next workshop. The group meets on the first Wednesday evening of every other month to make more costumes and props.

June 2008
Achilles Hope and Possibility Race
The Achilles Track Club encourages and trains disabled people to participate in long-distance running with the general public. Achilles includes people with all kinds of disabilities, such as visual impairment, cerebral palsy, paraplegia, amputation, multiple sclerosis, cystic fibrosis, cancer, and many others. On Sunday June 22, we helped direct athletes to registration and the start line and served as running guides.

July 2008
The Kateri Residence
Kateri Residence provides short-term rehabilitation, sub-acute and long-term care. On Saturday, July 26, members spent time visiting with the residents. SWFS programs at the Kateri Residence are in partnership with UJA/Federation.

August 2008
City Harvest
In an attempt to end hunger in communities throughout New York City, City Harvest rescues and distributes food, educates the public, and seeks other practical, innovative solutions. On August 25, members helped collect excess food from farmers in the Union Square Greenmarket and loaded it onto City Harvest trucks, which delivered the food directly to community programs in the five boroughs.