Addressing Hunger in a Pandemic

This Alanta Jewish TImes article 'Addressing Hunger in a Pandemic,’ talks about how organizations in Atlanta, including JF&CS, are helping those in need of food assistance.

JF&CS Moves the Kosher Food Pantry into Modular Unit to Expand Services Offered

This past Sunday, March 7, 2021, volunteers gathered in the parking lot at Jewish Family & Career Services Atlanta to help the constantly growing Kosher Food Pantry move to its new home. Before the pandemic, the Kosher Food Pantry occupied a small storage closet inside the main building. However, as the need for food support increased in the community, JF&CS turned its focus toward meeting the need by expanding the Kosher Food Pantry to serve as many people as possible. This meant the Food Pantry needed a new location to store larger quantities of food.

Since the building was now closed to clients and staff members were working from home, there was plenty of space in the IndependenceWorks building at JF&CS for a larger version of the Kosher Food Pantry to set up shop! Although this was only a temporary solution, the pantry received the necessary space it needed to expand and thrive. The pantry could now house produce thanks to the fridges that were newly available. Volunteers helped shop for food to keep the pantry stocked at full capacity and staff and volunteers alike loaded food into clients’ cars. Between March 2020 and October 2020, 152,519 pounds of food were provided to families and individuals throughout the community!

JF&CS recognized that the need for food assistance will continue to prevail as the effects of the pandemic might remain for some time and, therefore, the need for a permanent home for the Kosher Food Pantry was a priority. After a full day of hauling food from the IndependenceWorks building, the Kosher Food Pantry was officially moved in to its new location, a modular unit in the JF&CS parking lot!

Under direction from our new Food Pantry Manager, Jennifer Weissman, staff and volunteers worked hard to get the pantry organized and ready for the clients. Weissman says, “The pantry is still a work in progress, but I’m proud of all we accomplished today, and I’m excited to start distributing food from the new space tomorrow.”

In addition to moving into a new location, the Kosher Food Pantry no longer requires clients to make appointments or provide referrals. All are welcome to arrive on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays from 11 AM to 2 PM to receive the food assistance they need.

For more information about The Kosher Food Pantry at JF&CS, visit https://jfcsatl.org/services/support-services/kosher-food-pantry.