Pesach Pantry – helping those in need access KLP
Melbourne Jewish Charity Fund (MJCF) and C Care have joined forces to provide families in need.
For many Jewish families, the festival of Passover is a time of joy to transmit sacred traditions to new generations. For others, particularly those navigating tight household budgets or unexpected financial pressure, it can also be a time of heightened strain as kosher for Passover food prices continue to soar and the cost of providing festive meals for families becomes prohibitive.
To help ease the burden, the Melbourne Jewish Charity Fund (MJCF) and C Care have joined forces to provide families in need with access to kosher for Pesach staples at heavily subsidised prices.
Now in its third year, the Pesach Pantry program is a joint initiative that provides Yom Tov products to both C Care and MJCF clients.
MJCF CEO Rob Alden said the program’s goal is to ensure vulnerable families can celebrate Pesach with dignity and to foster a sense of inclusion in the wider community.
“Behind every Pesach Pantry order is a family that simply wants to provide for the festivities with pride, to set a seder table without anxiety, and to ensure their children can join in celebrating and honouring the traditions of this special time in the Jewish calendar.”
Alden said that demand for the program has grown, a reminder that financial stress is affecting a growing number of households across the communal spectrum. The last iteration saw close to 200 families participate as compared to 80 at inception.
“By leveraging our collective buying power and working closely with generous suppliers, we are able to stretch every dollar further, delivering more bang for buck to families who need it most,” says C Care CEO Rabbi Shlomo Nathanson.
“MJCF and C Care serve different but often overlapping cohorts, and by working together we reduce duplication, increase efficiency and maximise impact. Simply put, collaboration enables us to support more people, more effectively.
“We are deeply grateful to the suppliers and partners who have stepped up once again to make this initiative possible.
“Their generosity and flexibility allow us to keep prices low and quality high.”
But as demand for assistance skyrockets, both organisations are reaching out to donors for financial contributions and to volunteers for hands-on assistance.
“If you could consider contributing to help further subsidise goods for families doing it tough, or if you could roll up your sleeves and assist with packing and distribution we would be very grateful, and you would make a real difference to those in need,” said Alden.
“Together, we can ensure that everyone in the community can celebrate Pesach with dignity, that no family goes hungry, and that those who are struggling can still enjoy the foods and special ambience of a traditional seder table.”
To support: www.mjcf.org.au or www.ccare.org.au