By Chelsea Karp and Rebecca Axelrod-Cooper
JFS Volunteer Coordinator and Community Impact Coordinator

On Oct. 18, JFS hosted a Volunteer Appreciation Brunch to celebrate the volunteers who make programming and community outreach successful for the Lehigh Valley community.

The volunteer core of about 55 people are responsible for helping run the Community Food Pantry, our community driving program in partnership with ShareCare Faith in Action, Shabbat outreach, the friendly visitor program, community lectures and J-to Go: Yiddish Club on the Road in partnership with the JCC.

The staff of JFS made many of the dishes served so the volunteers would feel as if JFS was doing for them the way they do for our clients each and every day. Each volunteer was presented with a certificate of appreciation and a JFS travel mug for the role each plays in elevating the lives of our clients.

The morning provided an opportunity for all our volunteers to get to know one another and allow us as a staff to say thank you. We at JFS appreciate their intention to help and their follow through to act.

Judaism teaches tikkun olam, which translates to “repair the world.”  Our volunteers do that every time they participate in a JFS program.