Wayland, MA – On March 10, Temple Shir Tikva partnered with Meals of Hope for its annual “Mitzvah Day” to pack 33,000 meals for individuals facing food insecurity. Well over 300 volunteers worked in groups to pack fortified beans and rice meals that will be distributed through the Merrimack Valley Food Bank.
Mitzvah Day chair Amanda Glynn was thrilled with the turnout, remarking that “Bringing the community together to further social action really reflects what Shir Tikva is all about.” Temple Shir Tikva’s Cantor, Hollis Schachner, added that the day was a “wonderful morning of bringing hundreds of our community members together to put our Jewish values into action in a vibrant, meaningful, high-energy way. The intergenerational nature of the food packing project meant that there was a role for everyone, from our youngest children to our older adults.”
Meals of Hope developed seven meals specifically designed for the American palate and added vitamins, minerals, and proteins to supplement an unbalanced diet. Food packages are designed to address the need for an economical, nutritious solution to aid in the fight against hunger. Each packet contains enough food to provide six to eight meals.
“We were excited to have the opportunity to partner with Meals of Hope to help end hunger in our community” said Leah Staffin, TST Director of Community Engagement. “Mitzvah Day is our Temple-wide community day of faith-based social action when we undertake a volunteer project to help those in need.” Beth Goldfarb, Development and Communications Coordinator agreed; “The energy in the room was electric with the spirit of community engagement and compassion for those less fortunate. It was a wonderful event.”
“We are thankful and appreciative of the support provided by Temple Shir Tikva to help us combat the hunger epidemic,” said Jack Day, Vice President of Meals of Hope. “The Greater Boston Food Bank reports that 33% of adults in Massachusetts experienced hunger last year. These types of events make for a fun and rewarding day for the volunteers, and they help us deliver healthy meals to underserved individuals.”
About Temple Shir Tikva
Temple Shir Tikva in Wayland, MA is an inclusive, welcoming, and growing community, dedicated to making Judaism relevant in the 21st century. We aspire to be the heart of Jewish living and practice in MetroWest, a community for deep engagement with Torah and our traditions, for meaningful acts of social justice, and for building strong connections with one another.
About Meals of Hope
Meals of Hope, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization based in Naples, FL., and is the only meal packing organization established with a priority on keeping the food within the United States, and more specifically in the community it is packed in. More than 30,000 volunteers and 15 full-time staff members assist Meals of Hope in achieving its Mission of “communities coming together to end hunger.”
Meals of Hope combats hunger through three primary initiatives:
1. Meal packing events (in 2023, more than 13,000,000 meals were packed);
2. Operating 15 local food pantries where over 4,000 families receive frozen meat, fresh produce, and canned goods,
3. Out of School programs, including a weekend backpack program and the delivery of hot meals to school age children.
