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Volunteer Opportunities and Mitzvah Projects

Volunteers Needed: You Can Be the One to Make a Difference!
JFCS nurtures and supports children, youth, and families in every phase of the life cycle through emergency assistance, counseling, chaplaincy, and other vital programs. We count on volunteers like you to keep our many programs going. There are so many ways for you to make a difference at JFCS...get involved today!

Jewish Community Services
Bring Jewish traditions and a sense of community to those who are isolated or in need.

  • Deliver challah to hospital patients on Friday afternoons
  • Facilitate a Shabbat experience in nursing homes and assisted living facilities
  • Visit one-on-one as a para-chaplain with Jewish patients in hospitals and hospices and with residents in nursing homes and assisted living communities
  • Accompany JFCS chaplains at holiday celebrations for isolated Jewish adults residing in boarding homes

Adult Services
Support adults through challenging times and assist people with special needs.

  • Make a caring connection and befriend an individual with special needs
  • Take clients shopping and to appointments
  • Assist with paperwork and organization
  • Participate in social and Jewish holiday programs for adults with developmental disabilities

Senior Services
Enrich the lives of seniors by providing the assistance they need, while developing rewarding relationships.

  • Assist seniors with everyday activities, such as shopping and minor home repairs, so that they can live comfortably and independently in their own homes
  • Provide transportation and accompany seniors to a variety of appointments
  • Become a program assistant and interact with participants during monthly luncheons
  • Assist seniors with paperwork and reading mail
  • Visit seniors or take them on outings to alleviate loneliness and isolation
  • Provide telephone reassurance

Mitzvah Project Suggestions

  • Sponsor a JFCS client family for the year. Provide and deliver food for several holidays over the course of the year. Choose from Rosh Hashanah, Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Purim, and Passover and work with client family to determine needs.
  • Facilitate Shabbat experiences in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
  • Accompany a JFCS chaplain for pre-Shabbat and Jewish holiday celebrations for isolated Jewish adults residing in boarding homes.
  • Provide new personal care and household items (packaged in small baskets) for poor and isolated Jewish people.
  • Provide items for seniors and the disabled, including weekly pill sorting boxes, new phones with large numbers, answering machines, or a Senior Life Line device.
  • Donate new school supplies for children in the fall.
  • Purchase new winter jackets or coats for needy clients or donate gift certificates.
  • Provide new baby clothing and baby items, and/or new children's clothing. Host an event similar to a baby shower to gather items.
  • Create Bar or Bat Mitzvah center pieces out of new items that can be donated to clients in need. Children may follow a theme that reflects on their interests. For example, new sports equipment, arts and crafts, etc.
  • Create and donate "Blizzard Bags" for clients to keep on hand for emergencies. Bags can include: flashlight, nonperishable boxed milk, can of tuna and other healthy canned goods, crackers, peanut butter, protein bars, plastic bottles or cans of juice, blankets, sweatshirts.
  • Sponsor a family for Chanukah. All the items should be new. JFCS especially needs items (including new clothing) for older children and teens.
  • Provide Shalach Manot packages for Purim to boarding home and nursing home residents and other clients in need. (Non-perishable items preferred. Socks and personal care items are great to include.)
  • Donate Tzedakah to provide challah for patients in hospitals throughout the region.
  • Religious school or nursery school students can collect their Tzedakah over the course of the year and donate it to JFCS, which helps families who are struggling to make ends meet in this difficult economy.

Click Here to view a pdf flyer of volunteer opportunities and mitzvah project suggestions.

Click Here to view a pdf flyer about becoming a volunteer for JFCS' Challah Program.

For more information, contact Rivka Goldman at 267.256.2037 or email RGoldman@jfcsphilly.org