[by Shelley Kahn]
Monday is often a busy delivery day from a variety of venues to the JFCS Food Pantry. Carole Goldberg and Linda Goodman are faithful food pantry volunteers who work tirelessly to turn hundreds of individual donated items into an organized and easy-to-use food pantry.
Goodman has been volunteering for several years. She often picks up donated food at The Temple and brings them with her on Monday mornings. She frequently grocery shops for the Pantry, using funds donated to the Sonny & Janet Meyer Family Food Pantry Fund to fill in the inventory when needed. Her constant smile and positive attitude bring sunshine into the agency, even on the dreariest of days. She is an extremely hard-working volunteer.
Carole Goldberg has been volunteering for about two and a half years. She started her food pantry experience by helping to organize a huge food distribution for a major holiday and was hooked from that point on. She also has engaged her two granddaughters, Lori and Susie Joels, to volunteer on Mondays the past two summers. Goldberg is the consummate “Pied Piper,” helping to spread the word about the food insecurity of JFCS clients. She is very creative in advertising specialty foods.
Frankie Bloom became actively involved this past July. Every Sunday afternoon, Bloom picks up a full carload of donated goodies from the Fresh Market on Shelbyville Road and delivers them to the food pantry early each Monday morning. Often she brings in six huge bins of delicious breads and pastries, cookies and pies, offering special treats for JFCS clients. Her willingness to run this errand and to “schlep and tote” these donations is a big plus. On Mondays, she then helps Goodman and Goldberg shelve these goodies so that they are available right away for the clients.
Lori Joels, age 12, and Susie Joels, age 9, have become very aware of the hunger needs in our community by volunteering in the food pantry every Monday for the past two summers. They also volunteer when school is closed for holidays. They have learned how to read expiration dates, organized fresh produce, shelved items, and made hundreds of snack bags for clients to take home.
Lori attends Kammerer Middle School this year and will be preparing for her bat mitzvah. Susie attends Wilder Elementary School. They also help donate surplus food donations to the Franciscan Shelter in downtown Louisville. Their time designated to the food pantry has been extremely helpful. Lori and Susie are the daughters of Rachel and David Joels.
Ben Koby volunteered at JFCS most Monday mornings this past summer prior to going across the street to the JCC Camp as a part-time counselor. This sophomore at DuPont Manual High School has assisted those making donations by helping to lift boxes and bags, has climbed ladders to reach the highest shelves in the pantry, has discarded expired items and has organized produce and snack bags, as well. On quieter Mondays, he has been extremely willing to do data entry. Ben is the son of Risa and Charles Koby.
The JFCS Food Pantry helps to feed 130-plus individuals each month, and without these wonderful volunteers, JFCS would not be able to provide this service to our clients.
Editor’s note: For more information about volunteering, contact Shelley Kahn, 452-6341, ext. 103.