More than 150 women gathered together on Sunday, February 25, 2024, for a breakfast and program before heading out to service projects around the Valley as a part of Center for Jewish Philanthropy’s WIP Cares Day.

WIP Cares Day was a day of building community and social action, and women of all ages enjoyed the day of giving back and making an impact at local Jewish organizations.

Here are some of the highlights from the different service projects:

  • Prepared 40 care packages for sick and ill community members in need with the Jewish Care Network
  • Decorated approximately 40 rocks to beautify the Gesher residents’ homes’ rock gardens
  • Mixed generations including volunteers of all ages enjoyed a morning of games and puzzles with the residents at Kivel
  • Nearly 100 care packages were packed to remind members that they are not alone with Fruitful, an organization committed to raising awareness, compassion, and support of infertility
  • A handful of volunteers helped Shemesh Day Camp prepare literacy-based art projects for raising kinder campers
  • About 10 women helped out in the BJE Library moving out books that were no longer being used and cleaning up the active bookshelves to make it clear and easy for community members to find and borrow Jewish books
  • A few women helped organize and clean the shelves at the Jewish Family and Children’s Service Food Pantry
  • Volunteers helped package 40 care and love packages for seniors in the Valley with Smile on Seniors
  • 20 Birthday Gift Boxes and 15 Mom Gift boxes were prepared by volunteers at Friendship Circle which provides services and support to families and children with special needs
  • Volunteers helped organize and package kosher food for those in need at The Florence and Harold Drucker Comfort Food Pantry at Chabad of the East Valley
  • Made 12 challah covers for the monthly Café Europa Luncheon for Holocaust Survivors with Phoenix Holocaust Association.
  • 300 hygiene bags packed at AZ Jews for Justice for women experiencing homelessness.
  • 15 people prepared bookshelves for the new PJ Library Book corner
  • 100 meals prepared at AZ Kosher Food Pantry

Before heading out to the group projects, attendees gathered together for a breakfast at the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus where they enjoyed a fun ice-breaker game designed to get to know one another and a short program introducing CJP and the role the organization plays in the community. Those in attendance were also able to make friendship bracelets and notes of support for soldiers serving in the IDF, which will be delivered by local community members visiting Israel over the next few weeks.

Thank you to our WIP Cares Co-Chairs, Nicole Perilstein and Mara Pernick, and host committee members, Nicole Appel, Amy Axelrod, Rachel Bronson, Amanda Garcia, Janice Greenberg, Brooke Khazanovich, Liz Kitay, Jamie Kornbluth, Ivy Lesser, Jodi Lustig, Lauren Mishlove, Nicole Myden, BethEl Nager, Renee Neier, Anna Oren Taylor, T Schoen, Lindsey Seitchik, Elana Storch, Bailey Tocco, for all of their help in making the day so special.

We gratefully acknowledge our corporate sponsors ASU Jewish Studies, R.O.I. Properties, Lane & Nach, Michelle Kort, EventSmart Productions, and Allison Kierman for their generous support.

Check out some of the photos from the first half of the event courtesy of Invoke Video, and find more photos from the different project sites on Facebook and Instagram.

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