Women’s Connection partners with JF&CS for ‘Hanukkah Hugs’
Published October 13, 2010
Women’s Connection of Jewish Federation of St. Louis is partnering with Jewish Family and Children’s Service to support the 2010 JF&CS Hanukkah Hugs Program. The partnership will kick off at an Eve Chat program at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26, at the Federation Kopolow Building.
Guest speaker is Sue Rundblad, program coordinator – community outreach at the Kornblum Food Pantry, who will offer an overviwew of the history of the Hanukkah Hugs program.
Stephanie Ludmer Gross and Julie B. Stern, Women’s Connection, vice-chairs of Social Action, are the chairs of the program. Social action committee members include: Angela Flotken, Bonnie Solomon, Elyse Feinstein, Hilary Cedergreen, Karen Sher, Laura Levey, Michelle Mills, Nicky Stern, Rachel Oiknine, Sarah Wallis, Sherry Wolf and Vicki Singer.
Believing that every child should receive a new toy for the holidays, JF&CS developed Hanukkah Hugs. Since 1998, the agency has collected gifts for children whose families are clients of the JF&CS Kornblum Food Pantry or counseling services.
In addition to Rundblad, an overview of how the Women’s Connection can assist will be given by Gross and Stern. Women will have the opportunity to both bring a holiday gift for teens, 12-16 years of age, and sign up for one of the many volunteer opportunities available beginning in mid November. A dessert reception will follow the program.
Women unable to attend the event will receive an online invitation to donate gifts and volunteer to work.
These opportunities include: picking up toys at congregations and day schools for drop off at the pantry, sorting toys at JF&CS, packaging toys for pick-up and handing out gifts between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Dec. 5 and 12, or 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 14. Children age 10 and older are welcome to participate.
The Hanukkah Hugs partnership between Women’s Connection and the Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry is part of an ongoing social action project. Women’s Connection volunteers work bi-monthly at the pantry on the second Tuesday morning, 9:30 to 11 a.m. and the fourth Thursday afternoon, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
For more information about Women’s Connection, call 314-442-3818 or email Stella Bilbrey at [email protected].
