Spices and Sponges – Training Program Helps Volunteers Understand What Food Pantry Clients Need

As part of the Catalyst Fellowship, Tracy Schwartz of the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey led a volunteer initiative to support the Corner Market Food Pantry at JFCS. Using a $7,000 microgrant from Repair the World and JFNA, she organized a group of women to assemble 300 care packages with high-need, nontraditional items like spices, sponges, and peanut butter. The hands-on project served as a meaningful entry point for young women to engage more deeply with the Federation’s philanthropic mission.