PHOTO: Last year volunteer Elana Cohn-Rozansky packed stuffing mix into Thanksgiving food boxes for Jewish Family & Child Service clients. This year, you can volunteer to pack or deliver food boxes on Sunda, Nov. 20.

Donate for food or gifts & pack or deliver food boxes Nov. 20

As we look to the celebrations of Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and more, we know that for many, the celebratory spirit can be hard to come by.
Jewish Family & Child Service provides an antidote: this month, the agency continues its 21-year tradition of brightening the season for families and individuals of all ages, including greater Portland’s Holocaust Survivors, experiencing tough times. 
JFCS Thanksgiving Food Boxes and Family-to-Family programs give hundreds of people who are struggling hope and reasons to celebrate.
Food boxes
JFCS partners with many local synagogues and community organizations to collect nonperishable food items and $25 gift cards for more than 150 households, which means Thanksgiving goodies for at least 600 people. Thanksgiving meal boxes include a turkey, potatoes, yams, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and more. Appropriate products are provided for vegetarians, those with gluten-free diets and those who keep kosher. JFCS staff and community volunteers help pack and deliver boxes. Please see below for details on how to donate and volunteer.
Family-to-Family
JFCS adds joy to holiday celebrations in December by providing gift cards to clients so they can meet their own needs, most often by purchasing household items, clothing and toys for children. Cards will be distributed the week of Dec. 5, coinciding with the runup to Chanukah (beginning Dec. 18) and this season’s many festivities.
Want to help? 
Visit jfcs-portland.org/holiday-giving-2022/ to make a secure donation to the holiday programs. 
To volunteer on Sunday, Nov. 20, to pack food boxes at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center or to deliver the assembled food boxes to recipients, sign up at jfcsportland.galaxydigital.com/. If you have any questions, contact JFCS Volunteer Coordinatator Sammy Monk at volunteer@jfcs-portland.org.