Community Contact Information:
Congregation Micah
Brentwood, TN 37207
www.congregationmicah.org
Goals:
- Provide assistance to the local community and those in need.
- Demonstrate to congregants the ease of making a donation.
- Engage the congregation in simple, intentional social action.
Overview:
Preparations: Organize a committee to oversee and organize the project including: advertising the program to congregants (i.e. through temple newsletter), maintaining a list of participants (signing people up for the program), contacting local food banks to find out about their needs and recruiting volunteers to deliver donations.
Project Implementation: Synagogue members make a 3-month commitment to buy one extra can of food each time they go grocery shopping. These donations are brought to the synagogue and deposited in a dedicated container. Volunteers deliver the cans to the local food bank. Once a week, organizers send an email reminder with updates, fun facts and a list of the food bank's "most needed items."
Results: This is a year-round project, not a one-time food "drive." As such, it was a low-maintenance, convenient project for everyone. After 2 months, the congregation had donated over 600 cans to the local food bank. Members were empowered by the knowledge of how their small donations added up to provide nourishment for the needy in their community.
