TSTI Together
Our Community Service program provides opportunities for everyone to engage in meaningful efforts to help those in need — be it as a temple, as families, or as individuals. There are several drives and other charitable events that take place every year. Contact Lisa Goldberg Ozer for more information or to help.
High Holy Day Food Drive, the collection of non-perishable food during the High Holy Days for our annual, significant donation to the Interfaith Food Pantry of the Oranges (IFPO).
TSTI Thanksgiving Turkey and Food Drive for the IFPO, collected and delivered the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Post-Covid, this Drive will hopefully again include coats and winter clothing.
Chanukah Cooking Oil Drive for donation to the IFPO in celebration of the Festival of Lights.
Ongoing Opportunities to Give Back
Interfaith Food Pantry of the Oranges helps to meet essential human needs of food-insecure residents of Orange and East Orange, NJ, with dignity and respect. During Covid, the IFPO has moved its location, but continues to provide food, fresh produce, menstrual products, toiletries, diapers and more to as many as 450 clients each pantry day. IFPO leaders are also working with the City of Orange, East Orange Township and the Community FoodBank of NJ to get tens of thousands of pounds of food into the communities regularly.
Volunteers are needed to staff the pantry on Wednesdays from 8:00 am-12:30 pm (except the first week of each month) and to perform other tasks during the week. Adults and teens (15 and older) are welcome (pre-registration is now required to ensure appropriate social distancing). Opportunities may be offered throughout the year to help in other ways at other times, including staffing food drives on weekends, participating in food packing events, and helping with prep the Sunday before the Thanksgiving distribution. Please contact Karyn Boosin Leit for more information or email the IFPO to help.
TSTI Second Saturday Soup Kitchen
This is our ongoing monthly project to provide prepared meals for our food-insecure neighbors. Volunteers drop off hearty, nutritious lunches at the Church of the Epiphany on the second Saturday of the month. Church volunteers distribute the fully composed meals, along with bags of groceries from their food pantry. Interested? Email [email protected].
Giving Back to TSTI
There are also opportunities to give back to TSTI directly through service to the Temple. Whether you’d like to organize the Blood Drive, volunteer to usher for holidays, or help plan adult learning opportunities it’s a great way to meet new people and give back at the same time. Reach out to Beth Blackman to learn more.