JCC food pantry needs your help

Helping people who need a hand and ensuring that they can celebrate Thanksgiving similar to their neighbors is the goal of the Rina Shklonik Kosher Food Pantry on Central Avenue in Woodmere that is run by the Marion and Aaron Gural JCC.
“At this time we really want to provide a Thanksgiving package that includes the staples such as cranberry sauce and stuffing so people can celebrate like their neighbors,” said Stacey Feldman, the JCC’s director of development.
Feldman also said that getting kosher turkeys is difficult so donations of the traditional meat served on Thanksgiving or gift cards for supermarkets are greatly appreciated.
Established in 2005, the food pantry began by helping 35 families, and it now works with nearly 300 families from the Five Towns and neighboring communities in Nassau and Queens. The pantry is a joint initiative of the JCC and UJA-Federation of New York, and is supported by the Five Towns Community Chest and the Inwood Charities Fund, run by the Inwood Country Club, Long Island Cares, Long Island Harvest and Trader Joes’ In Hewlett deliver food, assisted by private donations.
“People come and it’s self-selecting pantry and they have a shopping list based on the size of their family,” Feldman said. It is the largest kosher food pantry on Long Island.
Nearly 1 in 6 Americans are “food insecure,” said JCC Executive Director Joel Block, which translates into they do not know where their next meal is coming from. “For these individuals, Thanksgiving is a very different holiday, devoid of celebration,” he said. “So, please be thankful for your families and remember those in need of our help by supporting your local food pantry.”
The pantry is open Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.