At CRS We Keep On Keepin’ On!
Living through this pandemic has been challenging. It has changed the way we normally live our lives. It hasn’t been easy; nobody goes unscathed. Nevertheless, the thing is, by helping each other pull through this crisis, by doing good deeds for one another, then a little kindness can really go a long way.
CRS has a long history of helping when needs arise. We help when our nation is hit by hurricanes or terrorism. We help when NY State’s winter storms cause costly damages. We help our city’s homeless. We help our community’s hungry. And we help each other right here in our CRS home through illness or loss. Driven by our Jewish values, performing mitzvot has been something that defines us as a collaborative and unified collective. It brings us all together.
Just because COVID has affected our everyday lives, it hasn’t stopped us from wanting to help others. We are thinking about ways to volunteer, to help our family and friends, our neighbors, and our community.
Here are ways we can safely volunteer:
- Rabbi Levine, in referencing our Congregation’s partnership with the West Side Campaign Against Hunger, said “During COVID, the need is unprecedented: many neighbors are new to food assistance. Let us do all we can to live our Jewish values and help our partner put food on its customers’ table while protecting their dignity.” To contribute to our CRS Food Drive, please click here.
- Blood donations are more necessary than ever. The NY Blood Center’s mobile blood drives have dropped considerably due to the pandemic which means encouraging donors to take the extra step of making an appointment and traveling to a donor center. To learn more about the Blood Drive, click here.
- With a goal of mobilizing 100,000 acts of service, Serve The Moment connects Jewish young adults and college students to volunteer with nonprofits and Jewish social justice organizations. To learn about safe in-person or virtual ways to volunteer, click here.
- Every Chanukah, CRS helps make the holidays brighter for families in shelters by donating new clothes, toiletries, toys, household supplies, and other essentials to Women In Need’s Holiday Gift Drive. To learn how to make an in-kind donation to Win, click here.
Even during this pandemic, we can honor our commitment to perform meaningful, helpful, necessary mitzvot. By giving blood, feeding the hungry, and volunteering in other ways, we choose to continue the CRS story even during COVID. Continuing to help those who need it is our story. Working in partnership with our community is our story. It is our obligation to continue telling our story.
