Shir Ami, the Heart of Reform Judaism in Bucks County, mobilized its congregation during the Jewish High Holidays to combat hunger locally, collecting more than 21,000 pounds of food and personal care necessities and surpassing its goal of 20,000 pounds.
The timing could not be more urgent. With recent cuts to SNAP benefits and the rising cost of groceries, food pantries across the region are seeing historic demand. For many families, a bag of pasta, a jar of peanut butter, or a simple meal can mean the difference between going to bed hungry or nourished.
Shir Ami’s donations were distributed to area food banks including Bristol Borough Community Action Group, ERA (Emergency Relief Association), IFA (Interfaith Food Alliance), Jesus Focus Ministry Food Pantry, Morrisville Presbyterian Food Center, Penndel Food Pantry, Philadelphia VA Medical Center, and Warminster Food Bank.
“This food drive is about more than numbers,” said Rachel Sigman, who chairs Shir Ami’s Food Insecurity Committee alongside Risa Kane, Mitch Cohen, Ashley Stone, and Lindye Shechtman. “Every can, every meal, represents dignity and care for a neighbor who needs us right now.”
Shir Ami, the Heart of Reform Judaism in Bucks County, mobilized its congregation during the Jewish High Holidays to combat hunger locally, collecting more than 21,000 pounds of food and personal care necessities and surpassing its goal of 20,000 pounds.
The congregation also filled 150 Caring for Friends tins, each one packed at home with a homemade meal and returned between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. These meals went directly into Shir Ami’s on-site freezer for Caring for Friends, before being transported to their Philadelphia warehouse and distributed to clients experiencing food insecurity across the region.
More than 120 volunteers came together to sort, label, and pack donations, with children working alongside grandparents, and longtime members standing shoulder to shoulder with new ones. What began as a collection of individual bags and cans quickly grew into rows of boxes stacked floor to ceiling. Each box became a reminder of the power of community when it shows up with open hearts.
“At Shir Ami, Tikkun Olam (the Jewish value of repairing the world) is not just a phrase. It is a practice we live every day,” said Brent Osborne, Executive Director of Shir Ami. “At a time when food insecurity is growing across Bucks County and beyond, our congregation rose to the challenge to ensure that no neighbor is forgotten.”
Shir Ami, the Heart of Reform Judaism in Bucks County, mobilized its congregation during the Jewish High Holidays to combat hunger locally, collecting more than 21,000 pounds of food and personal care necessities and surpassing its goal of 20,000 pounds.
Recent Comments