On Sunday, May 31, Sid Jacobson JCC’s Center for Community Engagement partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island to hold a food and clothing drive benefitting the JCC’s Community Needs Bank and BBBSLI. In less than three hours, more than 400 cars came through the JCC donating 28,000 pounds of clothes and 900 pounds of food, making it the single largest donation BBBSLI has ever received in its 20 years as an organization.
“We are verklempt! Thanks to the generosity of our community and our staff volunteers, we filled four trucks with clothing donations in a matter of 2.5 hours,” exclaimed Susan Berman, director of the Center for Community Engagement, Sid Jacobson JCC. “We cannot say thank you enough for all of the support we are receiving each Sunday during Curb Your Mitzvah to help our neighbors in need. What we are accomplishing is truly unbelievable.”
Sid Jacobson JCC’s Community Needs Bank, a partner of Island Harvest Food Bank, serves the needs of the food insecure in Nassau County.
The bank serves as a collection site and distribution center of non-perishable shelf-stable food, personal care, and household items for small local food pantries in Nassau County. In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Bank re-envisioned its model of service to directly serve the individuals and families faced with food insecurity across Long Island and Queens.
To date, the bank has donated thousands of pounds of food, household items, and personal protective equipment to the most vulnerable right in our backyard.
“BBBSLI is honored and humbled to be able to partner with an organization like SJJCC on this clothing drive,” says Mark Cox, CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of LI. “The turnout from their community speaks volumes on how important it is to give back to others during tragic times like these, we can’t thank you enough for choosing BBBSLI as your charity partner for this collection.”
BBBSLI is stepping up to keep kids connected and supported during this time of social distancing, school closings, and stress-related to coronavirus crisis.
As part of their commitment to support mentees during this difficult time, BBBSLI has shifted gears and put strong efforts into providing food and basic necessities to the Littles and their families. Their “We Need You Now More Than Ever” campaign, will offer 290 families who are facing food insecurities with assistance.
The next clothing drive will take place Sunday, July 12, 10 am – 12 pm at the SJJCC Annex located at 200 Forest Drive, Suite 11. For more information and a schedule of upcoming donation drives in the month of June, visit sjjcc.org/curbyourmitzvah
To learn more about organizations your donation can benefit or to make a donation today, visit sjjcc.org/essentialworkers.
