STATEN ISLAND COUNCIL OF JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS (COJO-SI) PROVIDES PASSOVER FOOD PANTRY

The Staten Island Council of Jewish Organizations (COJO-SI) held its Annual Passover food drive and distribution Wednesday, March 17, 2021, at the Jewish Community Center of Staten Island (JCC). Thanks to the efforts of COJO-SI approximately 800 families in Staten Island are able to enjoy Passover 2021 with the traditional foods necessary to experience festive Sedarim and holiday meals.

This year marks the 46th year of COJO helping make sure that members of the Staten Island community can celebrate Passover in a dignified manner in accordance with Jewish traditions and customs. 

Mendy Mirocznik, President of COJO stated, “the positive spirit demonstrated today helped alleviate the down feeling that we are experiencing due to Covid. It is love and fellowship that will get us through this crisis. It is only when good people partner up and work together, we get the strength, wisdom and fortitude to preserver through the challenges we face.”

This year in a show of communal unity COJO partnered up with the JCC who under the care and leadership of Orit Lender, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice-President who together with Neshama Marcus, Chief Program Director of Community Based Programs opened up and hosted COJO’s 46th Annual Pre-Passover Food Distribution at its Joan & Alan Bernikow Building located on Manor Road in the Seaview section of Staten Island.

“We are pleased to partner with COJO and Project Hospitality on this important initiative to provide Passover food to our community members in need” stated Lender.

“We could not have had any more welcoming hosts then the JCC. The care and concern and assistance to every detail was instrumental in making the Pre-Passover Food Distribution a success. Orit and Neshama outdid themselves and the key to building a thriving community is with strong community bonds that has the focus of delivering the best to the community it serves. Thanks to the JCC we accomplished this most important mission” stated Mirocznik.

Mirocznik thanked COJO Security Chairman and Coordinator of the Staten Island Shomrim, Ari Weiss for mobilizing the Shomrim and coordinating the Passover distribution with the NYPD. Thank you to Chief Frank Vega, NYPD Staten Island Borough Commander, Inspector Bruce Ceparano, Commanding Officer, Pct. 121, Captain Timothy Wilson, Commanding Officer, Pct. 122, Lt. Rafet Awad, Commanding Officer, Community Affairs, Borough Commander, and Chaplain Imam Dr. Tahir Kukai  for their great work in helping to make the Pesach Food Distribution the success that it was. 

Mirocznik further thanked the generous COJO Food Pantry partners who made this Passover food drive and distribution possible. Mirocznik thanked Assemblyman Michael Cusick for his strong support and advocacy. Mirocznik thanked in particular Met Council on Poverty and the United Jewish Appeal (UJA) who generously donated Passover food items, arranged the delivery and coordinated with Food Bank for New York City and City Harvest. Additionally, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, volunteered and he came to pack and  distribute Pesach food packages.

Scott Maurer, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice-President of COJO remarked, “that the COJO Passover Food Relief is just one component of our pantry that services all people of Staten Island.  Our goal is to make sure that no person goes hungry in Staten Island. It is my sincere dream that no one should experience poverty and hunger and the pantry should go out of business due to a lack of clients in need.  However, until we reach that day, we here at COJO are in the business of combating hunger.”