QJCC Plans To Hold Shabbat Appeal
The Queens Jewish Community Council will launch Project CHAIM (Committed to providing the Homebound Aged and Infirmed with Meals) at its member synagogues this Saturday, Feb. 25 in an effort to contnue the Kosher Meals-on-Wheels program.
All rabbis and presidents of the QJCC’s member congregations will be asked to make a Shabbat Appeal on Feb. 25 to continue the program for frail and homebound older Jewish citizens of the borough.
According to the QJCC, incremental funding cuts have already been sustained by the QJCC from its funding source; however, the organization has diverted funds from all other non-life sustaining programs to insure that only two meals were cut for all 120 citizens in the program and no one was cut off from food completely.
“Project CHAIM will not only make sure that these individuals have food to eat,” said Cynthia Zalisky, the executive director of the QJCC, “but these weekly phone calls and delivery visits are the only contact that many of these seniors have with the outside world. This program is a vital source of social contact and connectivity to the wider Jewish community.”
“Without the proceeds of Project CHAIM, QJCC will not have the resources to continue this service,” said Warren Hecht, the president of the QJCC, “which will deny these older adults proper nutrition and a minimum quality of life standard.”
Pledge cards will be available at Shabbat services at the QJCC member congregations on Saturday for members to pledge contributions during this Project CHAIM Shabbat appeal. Donations can be sent to the Queens Jewish Community Council, 119-45 Union Turnpike, Forest Hills, NY 11375 or by credit card at www.qjcc.org.
