Social Action Committee

Social Action Committee Seeks to Improve Our World

Are you looking to get involved? Whether you have several hours a week or a few hours each month, there are many opportunities to help out in our community. To learn more about volunteer opportunities in our community, please contact our Social Action Co-Chairpersons, Sheryl Androphy at 713-663-7740, SherylA11@aol.com or Michael and Vicky Richker at (713) 729-0535, vicky.richker@gmail.com.

SEARCH is the leading service provider to the homeless in our community. Every day, SEARCH needs 100 sack lunches to distribute through their Mobile Outreach Program to individuals living on the streets. The Social Action Committee has become part of this project, meeting at the synagogue on the second and fourth Thursday of each month, making over 200 sandwiches and assembling the sack lunches. If you would like to participate, please call Vicki or Michael Richker at 713-729-0535.

SEARCH has many other volunteer needs, including Adult Literacy Tutors, Kitchen and Resource Center assistants, client intake assistants, and volunteers at the House of Tiny Treasures Early Childhood Center. SEARCH also has many in-kind needs such as hygiene items, cleaning supplies, backpacks, diapers and more. These items are essential to SEARCH's mission to transition the lives of the homeless, and collecting them makes an excellent mitzvah project for B'nai Mitzvah students. To volunteer or for questions, please contact Joseph Benson, Volunteer Coordinator, at 713-739-7752, ext. 160, or email her at jbenson@searchproject.org. You can learn more about SEARCH and their volunteer opportunities at www.searchproject.org.

Beth Yeshurun's Caring Community (BYCC): Join our new synagogue support network! Help fellow congregants in need of rides to medical appointments, or to synagogue; make calls to congregants who are homebound, or visit those who live in retirement homes. Share a holiday meal in your home, or help out-of-town patients and families in Houston for medical treatment with needs such as meals and babysitting. We hope to compile a large list of people willing to reach out to fellow congregants who need support. No special skills needed! There is no specific time commitment, just an agreement to be called upon as needs arise, and respond if and when you are available. To become part of the BYCC, or for more information, please contact Sheryl Androphy at 713-663-7740 or sheryla@aol.com, or Lillie Hurwitz at 713-666-2657 or lilliehur@gmail.com.

Jewish Community Center Meals on Wheels: Volunteers bring hot meals and a friendly contact to over 300 homebound seniors in southwest Houston each day. This unique program is possible only because of caring volunteers in our community. Driving a route takes 1 to 1 ½ hours, beginning any time between 10:30am and 11:30am, Monday through Friday. Volunteers are also welcome at most anytime to help sort canned goods and pack lunches at the JCC. Please contact Cynthia Terrazas at 713-729-3200, ext. 3251, or cterrazas@jcchouston.org.

Support the JCC Meals on Wheels Grocery Donation Program every time you come to Beth Yeshurun. You can help provide weekend meals for our community’s seniors by bringing single-serving, non-perishable items & dropping them off in our collection baskets by the main office, the school entrance, & in the Bender/Levy lobby. Suggested items include canned tuna or chicken, canned soup, spaghetti or pasta, fruit cups, juice boxes, Ensure, saltine or peanut butter crackers.

Voices in Prayer: On the second Friday of each month, a small but meaningful Shabbat service is held at the Richmond State School, a facility for mentally retarded adults located 25 miles from Houston. The caring staff sets a beautiful Shabbat table and brings together the 6-10 Jewish residents. All that is needed is your "voice" to say the blessings and lead a few brief prayers. The time of day is flexible, morning or afternoon, and the service itself takes 15-20 minutes. This special Mitzvah was established through the dedicated efforts of Beth Yeshurun member Ileene Robinson. The need is for volunteers willing to participate once or twice a year. Ileene will contact you for scheduling, and give you instructions & driving directions. To volunteer, or for more information, please contact Ileene at ileene@juno.com or 713-621-2402.

Other ways you can make a difference:

Houston Habitat for Humanity: Houston Habitat operates a Building Supply Outlet store six days a week at 6161 South Loop East at South Wayside Drive, where homeowners, remodelers and contractors can find high-quality building materials and fixtures and furniture at deeply discounted prices. All proceeds from purchases at the store benefit Houston Habitat for Humanity. The phone number is 713-643-1100.

Interfaith Ministries (IM) Kids Meals: One in every 3 children in Houston goes hungry each day. Through the Kids Meals project, you can bring nutrition to at-risk and special needs children from low income families in southeast Houston. Over 800 lunches are delivered each day, Monday through Friday. Volunteers work in teams of two – one driver & one navigator – arriving between 9:30am & 10:30am, and driving a route which takes about 1 to 1 ½ hours. You may volunteer on a weekly, biweekly or monthly basis. To volunteer or get more information, please contact IM’s Volunteer Manager, Catherine Barry at 713-533-4922 or cbarry@imgh.org. Or visit www.imgh.org, the website of this wonderful organization with which Beth Yeshurun is a partner, and learn about its other volunteer activities and projects.