Community Corner
Got Mitzvah Volunteer Expo & Action Day Attracts 1,000 People
Social service agencies gave visitors to the JCC Expo the lowdown on how to help those in need.
This article was submitted by the JCC.
More than 1,000 people across the North Shore came out to pet rescued racing dogs, knit hats for foster children, cook for homeless families and make the world a better place at ? 2011, a huge volunteer expo and action day based at the JCC of the North Shore.
“What an incredible day,” said co-organizer Karen Madorsky of Marblehead. “People rolled up their sleeves and made a difference. They learned about good projects happening around the world and they got involved.”
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Dozens of social service agencies packed the JCC Sunday, offering information on how to get involved.
Families heard from The Heifer Project, Play it Forward, , Greyhound Rescue, Partners in Health, Gift of Life and many more.
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Also at the JCC, teens collected boxes of Beanie Babies and Webkins for American soldiers to hand out to kids in war-torn countries. Children wrote letters to U.S. soldiers serving in Afghanistan.
In several North Shore communities, kids and adults joined exciting volunteer projects, including a spring carnival at Lynn’s Ford School, where teenagers ran games and contests for young students.
Volunteers renovated rooms at the Plummer Home for Boys in Salem and the Cape Ann Art Haven in Gloucester.
At area temples, families cooked delicious dinners for local shelters. At Cohen Hillel Academy in Marblehead, volunteers baked 600 cookies and 20 pies for shelters. Students at the Acorn Gallery in Marblehead and Marblehead High School are painting a mural for Lifebridge in Salem.
Organizers are already thinking about the next Got Mitzvah? In the meantime, they hope people will carry the spirit of the event with them throughout the year.
“Find a cause that is special to you and get involved,” said co-organizer Cindy Leong. “You really can make a big difference.”
Got Mitzvah? 2011 was a cooperative endeavor sponsored by The Jewish Community Center of the North Shore, Cohen Hillel Academy and the North Shore Teen Initiative. The program is generously funded by a Jewish Federation of the North Shore Community Innovation Grant.
