Community Service- Meals with a Cause

There are currently 4 projects for volunteers to assist with opportunities under the Meals With A Cause category.

Serving Dinner at The Lewis Center, 1000 45th Street, West Palm Beach

• 3-4 volunteers from 5:30 – 7  on the 2nd Wednesday or the 4th Thursday of the month.
• In conjunction with the Homeless Coalition of Palm Beach County, individuals identified as homeless but hopeful are enrolled in the 90-Day Rapid Re-Housing program. They live at the Lewis Center where they receive social, vocational and medical services to enable them to become employed and then able to transition into their own housing. This program is called “Breaking Bread, Breaking Barriers” and it enables our members to serve a dinner, cafeteria-style, which has been prepared and delivered to the Lewis Center.
• Due to COVID restrictions, we did not serve from March 2020 until April 2021.  CDC requirements now allow our volunteers to serve the residents delicious food across the counter safely while wearing a mask. The recipients really appreciate the encouragement and good wishes that we share with them as we pass a plate of beef tacos or grilled chicken across the counter. They are always grateful and express their appreciation with a big “thank you.”
• There is much need in our community. If you are interested in participating in either of these efforts, please contact Debbie Mendelson- Communityservice@ncjwpalmbeach.org.

Soup for the Soul

• Soup For The Soul, a community-based volunteer effort to provide bags of nutritious soup ingredients to food insecure Palm Beach County residents, who create a healthy soup for their families.  To date, we have provided food to over 11,8000 residents. Seeking volunteers to continue meeting the ever-growing need to feed our children and families.  Questions: Laurie Alexander, Chair Soup for the Soul- Soup@ncjwpalmbeach.org.

Let’s Do Lunch

• Let’s Do Lunch is a completely volunteer program that supplies sandwiches and snacks to the homeless that come to St. George Episcopal Church and Recreation Center. Each day, residents receive one hot meal supplied by the church and a bag dinner to take with them supplied by us on our assigned day.
• We ask that our volunteers prepare sandwiches of any kind at home (no mayonnaise, please). Then, on a designated day, we will pick up the sandwiches and deliver them to the church.
• We are currently looking for an assistant to help email thank you notes to the volunteers. It only requires a once-a-month commitment. The list of volunteers will be provided by the captains in each community.
• If you are interested in joining this very easy way of helping the homeless, please send your questions to Merle Bassin- Letsdolunch@ncjwpalmbeach.org.

Soup for Shabbat

• In partnership with Alpert Jewish Family Services, NCJW Palm Beach assists the food and financially insecure members of the Jewish Community. Every other month, NCJW volunteers provide 50 bags of Kosher-approved Lentil Vegetable Soup ingredients along with the soup recipe. These bags are distributed by AJFCS volunteers to their clients through their Kosher Food Pantry. The fresh and healthy ingredients are meant to create a delicious start to their clients’ Shabbat meal.

Cooking for Quantum House

• Do you like to cook? Once a month, usually on the 2nd Monday of the month, volunteer chefs prepare (in their own kitchen) part of the meal for the children and families living at Quantum House. This “house” is similar to a Ronald MacDonald house which enables families to live right near St. Mary’s Hospital which specializes in surgeries on children’s limbs. A “home-cooked” dinner prepared by NCJW volunteers is always appreciated. More chefs are needed and the chairperson would love to involve another volunteer to help with the various aspects of this project. Questions: Elizabeth Harrison- quantumhouse@ncjwpalmbeach.org

Another Addition: Changing the Face of Homelessness

• “Changing the Face of Homelessness” is an umbrella program under the auspices of the National Council of Jewish Women, Palm Beach Section.  We are filling the holes where the government doesn’t, working with several homeless, non-profit agencies with several initiatives in mind to make the lives of homelessness problematic.

• Our goals are many.  From fundraising to volunteer help, to providing food, equipment or special-needed requests throughout the year; a possible example would be rental housing assistance, dental kits, backpacks with canned food.
• We create opportunities to work with the Lewis Center where we provide dinners that the residents look forward to.  Lewis Center is a transitional program that helps the homeless move to independence.  The Homeless Coalition needs beds, welcome kits for children and adults. Questions: please email Debbie Mendelson at Communityservice@ncjwpalmbeach.org.