Signature Events

Help bring a Thanksgiving meal to a neighbor’s table.

Thanksgiving is a time to gather, share a meal, and appreciate the people who make our lives brighter. But for families struggling to afford everyday groceries, a holiday meal may be beyond their means.

One JFS client, working five jobs to make ends meet, received a turkey and side dishes that provided meals well beyond Thanksgiving. Their words capture the difference your generosity makes:

“I am so overwhelmed by gratitude, awe, and joy…thank you for helping others, even when you don’t know who they are.”

Each year, JFS provides local families with turkeys, spices, and all the sides needed to enjoy this cherished holiday tradition. Through a donation, a turkey drop-off, or a few hours of volunteering, you can help a neighbor share in that tradition and feel the care of their community.

This Thanksgiving, turn your gratitude into a feast, and give a family one more reason to give thanks.

3 Ways to Support Your Neighbors This Thanksgiving

1. Sponsor a Thanksgiving bag: Our Thanksgiving Drive in partnership with The Crown Market provides a family with kosher Thanksgiving essentials for just a $30 donation. To sponsor a bag, visit our donation page or look for the poster at the Crown Market, located at 2471 Albany Avenue in West Hartford. Plus, thanks to a generous matching program made possible by the Rosenberg family, every $30 donation towards a Thanksgiving bag will unlock an additional $30 to support wraparound services at JFS that promote each family’s overall well-being.
   

2. Donate a turkey: Bring a turkey to Beth El Temple on Sunday, November 22 between 9 a.m. and noon to help us meet our goal of feeding 400 families. Kosher turkeys are our greatest need, but we will gladly accept any turkey to the flock! Beth El Temple is located at 2626 Albany Avenue in West Hartford.
3. Volunteer your time: Our Thanksgiving distribution is not possible without the incredible work of our volunteers. You can help us sort, pack, and distribute Thanksgiving meals on Sunday, November 22. For more info about volunteering, please contact Laura Miacola below.

To learn more about giving and sponsorship opportunities, email Laura Rozza, Director of Grants and Technology, or call (860) 761-7091. To learn more about volunteering for the drive, email Laura Miacola, Volunteer & Employee Experience Coordinator, or call (860) 236-1927, ext. 7128.

Each year throughout the month of July, JFS holds a Back-to-School Drive to collect backpacks and selected school supplies for clients and their families. Upward of 175 backpacks are distributed in August, just before the school year begins. There are several ways to support the drive:

• Donate: Donate online or mail a check, and we’ll purchase the supplies that are needed most. If mailing a check, please write “Back-to-School Drive” in the memo line.
• Shop Locally: Purchase supplies and drop them off at our office: 333 Bloomfield Ave Suite A, West Hartford.
• Shop our Wish List: Purchase supplies online through our Amazon wish list and have them shipped directly to JFS.

This drive is sponsored by S&S Worldwide and supported through partnerships with the Mandell JCC and PJ Library in Greater Hartford.

Corporate, family, and individual sponsors are welcome. Click here to learn more about sponsorships or check our Facebook page for details on the drive during summer months.