When more than 130,000 South Jersey residents lost their SNAP benefits this fall, the impact was immediate and devastating. Families who had been managing suddenly found themselves unable to afford groceries. Our Betsy & Peter Fischer Food Pantry saw demand surge by 35% almost overnight, and the messages we received told stories of genuine crisis.
“I’m reaching out to see if I’m able to get assistance with food. I don’t drive, so I’m unable to get to a food pantry and I have no food for my toddler or baby. I’m so scared–the shutdown has me unable to get any groceries for my family.”
“I would like to schedule an intake appointment for food assistance. We live far below the poverty line and usually rely on SNAP benefits to purchase groceries. With November’s SNAP cuts looming ahead, we need help.”
“Good morning. I have three children. We’re currently staying at a motel in Mount Laurel. We don’t have any food and I’m looking for help, please.”
Each message broke our hearts–and strengthened our resolve.
Within days, our staff and volunteers mobilized to deliver groceries and supermarket gift cards, restock shelves, and offer emotional support to families facing impossible choices.
A Community Rises to the Challenge
What happened next revealed the extraordinary character of South Jersey. Our network of donors, volunteers, and partners responded with remarkable speed and generosity. Thanks to NFI Industries, we set up a mobile food donation site in the Katz JCC parking lot, where hundreds of community members dropped by to donate kosher food and supermarket gift cards. Our community also responded loud and clear with monetary contributions. And thanks to a generous matching challenge from two local couples, Rhona and Sander Cohen and Betsy and Peter Fischer, an additional $10,000 went directly to helping hundreds more families put food on the table.
At Jewish Family & Children’s Service (JFCS), we expanded food distributions, launched emergency outreach, and welcomed hundreds of new families with the same dignity and care we’ve always promised. Together, we made sure that no community member would go hungry.
This response deepened our appreciation for what truly matters: Community. We have witnessed, once again, how South Jersey comes together in both good times and challenging ones to care for one another, to share strength, and to ensure that no one is left behind.
Recognizing the Good
As Thanksgiving approaches, we’re reminded of our Jewish tradition’s wisdom about gratitude. We call this Hakarat Ha-Tov–“recognizing the good.” It means seeing and appreciating life’s blessings, even in difficult times, and acknowledging the kindness and generosity that sustain us. Science confirms what our tradition has long taught: Gratitude strengthens us–body, mind, and spirit.
At JFCS, we live Hakarat Ha-Tov every day through the remarkable people who make our work possible:
Our staff members go above and beyond to meet the needs of every client with compassion and professionalism. Our volunteers deliver groceries, accompany clients to appointments, and provide companionship that transforms isolation into connection. Our donors ensure our shelves remain stocked and our programs continue to thrive, even when demand spikes unexpectedly.
We’re grateful for our partners–the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey, the Raymond & Gertrude R. Saltzman Foundation, the Jewish Community Foundation, local synagogues, schools, and civic leaders- -who embody the spirit of Tikkun Olam, repairing the world alongside us.
And we’re grateful to our clients, whose courage in reaching out and trust in our services inspire us daily. Their willingness to ask for help when they need it reminds us why this work matters. Choosing
Gratitude doesn’t erase hardship, but it illuminates what is good and gives us strength to move forward. Our work at JFCS reminds us that gratitude and love can exist alongside pain and fear. When challenges arise–and they will–we can choose which emotions guide our response. We choose gratitude.
Gratitude for every person who donated food, time, or funds during this crisis. Gratitude for every volunteer who delivered meals to a neighbor in need. Gratitude for every family who found the courage to reach out–and for the privilege of serving them. Gratitude for a community that never hesitates to care for its most vulnerable members.
Life will always bring unexpected challenges. But when we meet those challenges with open hearts and outstretched hands, we create something powerful: A community where no one goes hungry, no one is forgotten, and everyone can feel the warmth of belonging.
A Season of Thanks
This Thanksgiving, may we all find ways to recognize the good– in ourselves, in one another, and in the community we are blessed to share. The past month has shown us what becomes possible when we respond to crisis with compassion, when we transform concern into action, and when we remember that we are strongest together.
From all of us at JFCS, thank you for showing what community care truly looks like. Your generosity didn’t just fill pantry shelves–it filled hearts with hope and reminded struggling families that they are not alone.
