Timely supplies
The Cupboard kosher food pantry opens in wake of hurricane
Before more than 100 Broward County leaders and volunteers, Goodman Jewish Family Services of Broward County formally opened “The Cupboard,” the agency’s new kosher food 2,400-square-foot facility in Davie, in a ribbon cutting ceremony just days following the destruction of Hurricane Irma in South Florida.
The opening of the facility on Sept. 14 proved timely as GJFS arranged for their elderly clients to receive 21 canned pallets of water in relief of the hurricane on Sept. 16, according to GJFS officials.
“My friends, we gather here tonight, in the aftermath of a devastating hurricane, in which people are still without power, food and water to launch The Cupboard, a social enterprise that will quickly address the dire need for food in our community,” said GJFS Chief Executive Officer Jacob Schreiber.
“It seems fitting that the Jewish community’s response to devastation is to build anew and to shine light where there is darkness. Thank you for being here and for your support,” said Schreiber.
Schreiber thanked individually the many Broward County leaders and volunteers whose financial and administrative support laid the foundation for The Cupboard, such as GJFS chairman Sheldon Ross, Stephen Jackman, and Stephanie Houser, director of The Cupboard, among other leaders attending the ceremony.
Houser pointed out that one of the unique features of The Cupboard is the ability of the GJFS clients to freely select kosher food items that they want, rather than to be given food items that they did not select.
“We want our clients to feel that they are shopping as if they were in a retail kosher food supermarket with the ability to choose the non-perishable groceries, produce and protein that meet their specific needs,” said Houser.
“Shopping is arranged by appointment to maintain the highest levels of privacy and volunteers make deliveries to home-bound seniors and Holocaust survivors,” said Houser.
Schreiber cited the 2016 Jewish Federation of Broward County demographic study that indicated that 4,400 people report an income below Federal poverty levels, with 1,800 families stating that they don’t have enough to eat.
“The Cupboard will work together with our community partners to wipe out Jewish hunger in Broward County,” said Schreiber.
South Florida Holocaust survivor Miriam Granat also addressed the audience about the importance of The Cupboard.
“Those of us who survived hunger in the Holocaust should not have to experience hunger again in our later years. Please support the good work being done at The Cupboard,”
said Granat.
A tour of The Cupbaord revealed the stocking of both fresh products and non-perishable kosher food items, such as apples and fruit, cereals, gefilte fish, potatoes among other foods delivered to the facility from many trucks at the ceremony.
Many of the GJFS clients do not want to be publicly identified as living in poverty, according to GJFS officials.
“The Cupboard will be open by appointment only, with only one shopper at a time, to ensure privacy and dignity,” said Houser.
The event was part of Hunger Action Month, established by Feeding America in 2008 as a nationwide initiative to end hunger in the United States.
Those attending the ceremony were also encouraged over the upcoming High Holy Days to fill up a grocery bag with kosher food donations for the Jewish seniors and families in the community and return it to the synagogue or temple to be delivered to The Cupboard.
To learn more about The Cupboard, 4703 S.W. 51st St. in Davie, contact Houser at 954-530-7555 or go to www.jfsbroward.org/ Cupboard.