Great Neck Synagogue Hunger Initiative

“ALL WHO ARE HUNGRY, COME AND EAT……”

Click on the photo for a link to the Hunger Initiative gallery.

The Great Neck Synagogue Hunger Initiative is the hub for GNS activities involved in providing food for those in need. Our programs include providing food to those in need for holidays, like Rosh HaShana, Thanksgiving, Shabbat and Passover, as well as throughout the year (through contributions to food pantries and Tomchei Shabbos). NEW VOLUNTEERS AND DONATIONS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME!

ALL YEAR LONG:

COVID RELATED FOOD SHORTAGES

During these difficult times, we are providing food for numerous families in our community and nearby areas. If you cook in excess during the week, please freeze your extras, neatly wrap them and drop them off in the cooler on the porch at 91 Baker Hill road on Friday from 7 am – 1 pm. PLEASE DO NOT DROP PERISHABLE FOOD OFF DURING THE WEEK. Canned goods, cereal, any grocery items, fruit and vegetables are also appreciated. If you would like to volunteer to make a deliveries and help collect food for these families, Please contact Cindy Hodkin at 516.317.9632 or at koshercookinggn@gmail.com.

WHEN YOU ARE COOKING FOR SHABBAT

PREPARE OR BUY AN EXTRA CHICKEN, KUGEL, CHALLAH OR DESSERT and drop it off ANY FRIDAY before 1 pm in the cooler IN FRONT of Cindy Hodkin’s home at 18 Birchwood Drive, Great Neck. The food will cheer a family in need for Shabbat.

CALL CINDY HODKIN on 516-317-9632 for more information

IF YOU HAVE EXTRA FOOD AT HOME

Whether from a simcha, a mitzvah project or from a house of mourning:

• CALL CINDY HODKIN on 516-317-9632 to arrange pick-up or delivery of food to be shared with Jewish families in need.
• CALL HIRSHEL MINSTER on 917-324-5500 to arrange for pick-up of your food to be delivered to needy Jewish families.
• CALL ALIZA GOLD on 718-337-1223, and you can drop off CATERED Kosher food or groceries at her Kosher food pantry in Far Rockaway, to be distributed to needy Jewish families.
• DROP FOOD OFF at the INTERFAITH NUTRITION NETWORK – 516-486-6243 (www.the-inn.org) to be used in their soup kitchen at 100 Madison Ave., Hempstead NY. They accept all food, Monday to Friday, 9-11 am and 2-4 pm.

IF YOU HAVE EXTRA GROCERIES IN YOUR SHOPPING CART OR PANTRY

• DROP NON-PERISHABLE FOOD OFF at the St Aloysius Food Pantry, 592 Middle Neck Road, (pantry entrance under blue awning in parking lot; go to second floor), or call Bertha on 516-829-8343.
• DROP NON-PERISHABLE FOOD OFF AT THE KOSHER FOOD PANTRY of the JCC of the 5 Towns, at 1012 Central Avenue, Woodmere. Food may be delivered Mon-Thurs 10-2, or call Renee Harris on 516-295-5678.

IF YOU HAVE EXTRA TIME

• TOMCHEI SHABBOS OF QUEENS meets every Wednesday evening to package and deliver food baskets to Jewish families in Queens. Drivers and packers are needed. Call Jeff Bilfeld on 516-482-4418
• THE KOSHER FOOD PANTRY OF THE JCC OF THE 5 TOWNS needs volunteers to stock shelves and help out in many tasks. Call Renee Harris on 516-295-5678.

SPECIAL HOLIDAY PROGRAMS:

ROSH HASHANA PASS IT FORWARD:

GNS members are asked to either cook an extra dish or buy meals at the local Kosher groceries to be packed and delivered to those in need for the holidays, including the homebound elderly, Holocaust survivors, and families facing economic and medical trauma. Over 1,000 meals, including grape juice, challot, apples and honey, soup, main dishes, side dishes, desserts and flowers are sent each year. We need volunteer cooks, packers and drivers.
CONTACT: Cindy Hodkin at koshercookinggn@gmail.com

KOL NIDRE FOOD APPEAL:

Each September, GNS members are given a shopping bag and asked to fill it with food, such as cereal, tuna, coffee or pasta and to bring to shul on Kol Nidre evening. The donated food goes to the Oneg Shabbos Food Pantry in Brooklyn and to the St. Aloysius Food Pantry in Great Neck.
CONTACT: Nechama Liss-Levinson at lisslev@verizon.net

THANKSGIVING LUNCHEON FOR GREAT NECK SENIORS:

GNS volunteers donate funds to provide and then to serve a kosher Thanksgiving luncheon (served on Thanksgiving Day) for low-income seniors living at Great Neck Senior Housing on Arrandale Avenue.
CONTACT: Nechama Liss-Levinson at lisslev@verizon.net

PRE-PASSOVER CHOMETZ COLLECTION:

Don’t throw away unopened non-perishable chometz before Passover. GNS collects the food and donates it to St. Aloysius Food Pantry and other local food pantries.
CONTACT: Katie Lichter at katielichter@gmail.com

PASSOVER FOOD DRIVE:

Matzah, grape juice, cleaning supplies and canned or boxed Passover foods are collected at a local home, to be distributed to those in need.
CONTACT: Sharon Goldwyn at sgdesignermom@aol.com

PASSOVER PASS IT FORWARD:

GNS members donate money to buy Kosher for Passover Seder meals to be delivered to the homebound elderly and those in need. Donations, packers and drivers are needed.
CONTACT: Cindy Hodkin at koshercookinggn@gmail.com

FOOD FACTS:

• 295,000 Long Island Residents are hungry, including 93,000 children and 39,000 seniors (www.licares.org)
• 34% of NY Jewish adults over 65 live below the poverty level. (www.metcouncil.org)
• Over 95 billion pounds of edible food is thrown away each year in the US (NY Times, 5/18/08)

Together, WE can make a DIFFERENCE!

For further info contact Nechama at lisslev@verizon.net

Great Neck Synagogue Hunger Initiative welcomes your tax-deductible donations to support our programs.  Please make your check payable to:  Great Neck Synagogue  (Hunger Initiative), 26 Old Mill Road, Great Neck, NY 11023, or complete the form below to make an online donation now.