Offering a Helping Hand
SPECIAL FOR THE AJT //
Volunteers in Action (VIA), the young professional volunteer corps of Jewish Family & Career Services, held its annual VIA Mitzvah Day the last Sunday in October.
More than 200 participants lent a helping hand and collectively completed more than 600 hours of service at 10 project sites around Atlanta, making this year’s effort one of the most successful to date.
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Some volunteers began the day by fueling up at a brunch, hosted by Congregation Or VeShalom, before heading to their work sites. Here’s what they managed to accomplish:
— 5,586 meals were packed at the Atlanta Community Food Bank
— Two hours of Bingo were played with patients and their families at the Shepherd Center in Midtown Atlanta
— 363 pounds of food were delivered to JF&CS refugee assistance clients
In addition to the young professional projects, volunteers enjoyed a family-friendly craft project with residents of Brighton Gardens Dunwoody – Sunrise Senior Living. VIA volunteers also joined PAL – Atlanta’s only Jewish Big Brother / Big Sister Program – and helped to plant 75 trees with Trees Atlanta.
“Being able to provide an opportunity for more than 200 people in the Atlanta Community to have a meaningful experience through service is a big part of why I love my job,” said Denise Deitchman, manager of Volunteer Development at JF&CS. “I could not be more proud of the amazing VIA Volunteers!”
As a way to include as much of the community as possible, VIA Mitzvah Day invites various Atlanta organizations to participate each year in Mitzvah Day as project partners. Organizations helping out this year included the Atlanta Jewish Music Festival, Congregation Beth Shalom, the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, the Hebrew Order of David, Temple Sinai Gesher and Young Israel of Toco Hills.
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