Jewish Volunteer Connection Celebrates One-Year Anniversary of ‘Bunches of Lunches’ Program

April 22, 2021 Staff Report

Munchkins With Bunches: A pair of hard-working young volunteers are shown at a previous "Bunches of Lunches" event. (File Photo)

Making nearly 60,000 meals for Baltimore area residents facing food insecurity issues during a pandemic is no simple task. But it’s certainly an endeavor and act of tikkun olam worth celebrating.

On Monday, Apr. 26, Jewish Volunteer Connection celebrated the one-year anniversary of its “Bunches of Lunches” program by collecting more than 1,000 bagged meals. The celebration was held at the Park Heights Jewish Community Center, 5700 Park Heights Ave, from 10:30 a.m. to noon.

“Bunches of Lunches” began as a program between JVC and Pikesville’s Krieger Schechter Day School in which volunteers and families made bagged meals for local shelters. The program was expanded to the larger Jewish community at the outset of the pandemic.

The program challenges community volunteers to pack bagged meals and drop them off to be distributed to multiple local organizations supporting those in need. Since the spring of 2020, the program has engaged approximately 600 households in volunteerism and provided more than 58,570 meals to eight local nonprofits.

“Bunches of Lunches” is conducted in partnership with Beth El Congregation, Beth Tfiloh Congregation and Schools, and Chizuk Amuno Congregation and Schools. JVC is the volunteer arm of The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore.

Organizers requested that bagged meals should include a sandwich or wrap (possibly hummus, lunch meat or peanut butter and jelly, with ingredients labeled); fruit; snacks; and a bottle of water.

Due to COVID-19, they required volunteers to take extra precautions in food preparation, such as washing hands and cleaning all surfaces before making meals, and wearing gloves and cloth masks during preparations.

Also, volunteers were asked to use sealed, pre-packaged products for fruit, chips and dessert items. If anyone in a household exhibited signs of illness, they were asked not to participate in the program.

For information about “Bunches of Lunches” and other JVC programs, visit jvcbaltimore.org/lunches/.