Elayne and James Schoke Jewish Family Service of Fairfield County

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful Thanksgiving from all of us here at Schoke JFS! This Thanksgiving, we're incredibly grateful for the generous support of our community. Thanks to you, Schoke JFS was able to provide 1,913 people from 762 families with a warm, nourishing meal. ???? A special thank you to our community partners for helping make this possible. Together, we are making a real difference! ??

Check out these amazing Thanksgiving packages! ?? Each bag is packed with everything needed for a festive feast, including an aluminum roasting pan, stuffing mix, canned pumpkin, oil, cinnamon, aluminum foil, decorative plates and napkins, and a heartfelt handwritten card. ????? A huge thank you to UJA-JCC Greenwich for this amazing donation!

It was all about spreading love at our recent Mobile Food Pantry distribution at Mercy Learning Center in Bridgeport! On this special day, we were able to serve approximately 300 families, including providing some delicious Thanksgiving staples. ???? Mercy Learning Center does incredible work, offering basic literacy and life skills training to women with low incomes. We're honored to partner with them every month and support their mission.

Thank you Reverend Terri and our neighbors at Unitarian Universalist Church for supporting our pantry. Recently, Reverend Terri led a service called Giving Thanks: A Multigenerational Service, where congregants were invited to join in “service and gratitude to build a larger welcome table this Thanksgiving." Following the service, congregants donated food to our pantry. We are deeply grateful and look forward to continuing our partnership with the church in service to our shared community.

Our friends at Congregation Agudath Sholom have truly outdone themselves! As part of their November Mitzvah Day, they went above and beyond by purchasing nine whole turkeys and two carts full of essential staples for our pantry families. This thoughtful donation will make such a difference for those in need this holiday season. ??? A huge thank you to everyone at Agudath Sholom for your kindness and support – your efforts truly embody the spirit of giving!

? VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT ? This month's Volunteer Spotlight highlights Aaron Lane, a food pantry volunteer. “When I was in High School, I delivered Shabbat meals to clients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since coming back from university in Canada, Schoke JFS has given me the opportunity to once again give back to my community by stocking shelves, moving deliveries from the food bank into the pantry, and packing meals for families. To me, providing families with decent food they need is a priceless form of tzedakah that I am honored to be a part of." Thank you, Aaron, for your continued dedication to Schoke JFS. We are so grateful to have you as part of our team! ?? Interested in volunteering with Schoke JFS and making a difference? Sign up at: https://buff.ly/3CHJ8qL

It doesn’t feel like Thanksgiving until we have turkeys. ?? Thank you to Connecticut Foodshare and Stop & Shop Stamford for supporting us and providing us with kosher turkey parts for the holiday. We’re so grateful, and so are our pantry guests!

October was a month full of impact at Schoke JFS, and it’s all thanks to our incredible volunteers! ?? From supporting those in need for the holidays to ensuring Holocaust survivors had a memorable time at the pre-Rosh Hashanah Rock & Spirit concert, their dedication made all the difference. We couldn’t be more grateful for the time, energy, and heart our volunteers put into making our community stronger. ?? Curious how YOU can get involved? The more hands, the bigger the difference! Join us today and be part of something special. ? ?? Sign up now: https://buff.ly/3CHJ8qL

Our friends at Turn of River Middle School partnered with us on a monthly food drive in support of our pantry. In October, they collected pasta and in November, they’re collecting boxed, shelf-stable milk (cow, almond, soy, etc.). We’re so grateful for the TOR students and families for their generosity and community spirit. We’re looking forward to a successful year of partnering to support the pantry and to fight food insecurity in our community!

Making new friends, spreading joy and serving the community… there’s no better way to start the day. The Mobile Food Pantry brought pantry items, including Thanksgiving staples, to residents of Wormser Congregate in Stamford. We are excited to partner with them to bring food to their residents monthly.