Volunteer Outreach
Volunteers are the beating heart of NCJW/Essex. There are hands-on opportunities to roll up your sleeves and get to work, either in direct service or the behind-the-scenes organizing required to make events, programs and activities successful for all participants.
KIDS EMERGENCY CLOSET
The Kids Emergency Closet (KEC) provided much-needed items including coats, underwear, pants, shirts and uniforms to eight elementary schools in Newark, the Oranges, Maplewood and Irvington. Volunteers work closely with the schools to ensure our closets remain fully stocked with the items needed all year long.
KNITTING CLUBS
A new Knitting Circle was formed for novice and beginning knitters to get together and learn while giving back. They joined the longstanding Creative Hands group which created more than 1,100 individual hand knit items to be donated to agencies throughout Essex County.
CURRENT EVENTS
A core group of volunteers continued to visit senior living centers in West Orange and South Orange as part of our Current Events program. They engage with the residents on topics in the news, read and discuss the latest headlines and bring some of the outside world to our neighbors.
Spotlight on Mitzvah-in-a-Minute
Just an hour or two to volunteer? Mitzvah-in-a-Minute (MIM) provides community service opportunities for NCJW/Essex members while helping women, children and families. We were so pleased that dozens of our members joined together to complete six MIMs last year helping hundreds of people across Essex County.
BY THE NUMBERS:
• 170 BAGGED LUNCHES for Christine’s Kitchen
• 350 GIFT-WRAPPED HOLIDAY TOYS to Newark-based agencies
• 557 ITEMS to help homeless youth and human trafficking survivors at Covenant House
• 2,775 FOOD ITEMS to the Red Hawk Pantry at Montclair State
• 50+ GENTLY USED HANDBAGS for Center for Women clients
• FOUR CARLOADS OF DIAPERS for the Community Food Bank of NJ and Interfaith Food Pantry of the Oranges
