National Honor Society Students Buy Groceries for Homeless Families

By Sophie Indiana Fischer ‘23
GOA Juniors Izzi Zellan, Chava Herniter and Sophie Khodorkovsky exemplified Tikkun Olam during the 11th-grade Shabbaton, when the class worked with Family Promise of Essex, an organization dedicated to helping homeless families in Essex County get back on their feet by helping with housing, managing finances, facilitating events and providing food.

Khodorovsky said, “When we visited FPE. as a grade during our Shabbaton, it struck me that so many families were in need of the basic essentials I never worry about.” 
Herniter added, “When I met with Melissa Peralies, the manager of community engagement at Family Promise, I knew it was an organization that I wanted  to help in some way.”
After the Shabbaton, Zellan, Herniter and Khodorkovsky decided to help Family Promise, collaborating with Herniter’s teen chapter of the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, an organization bringing Jewish and Muslim women together in discussion, social action and fun. 
“With the help of my co-leader in the Sisterhood, Izzie and Sophie,” Herniter said, “we raised money at the school and organized the Sisterhood to buy groceries. We were sent grocery lists for five families in February.” 
Khodorkovsky started a GoFundMe page for the fundraiser, while Herniter and Zellan dropped off the groceries and meals to the organization. Many of Herniter’s sisterhood members donated money to the cause and helped buy groceries for the families in need. 
“Before the families begin their stay at FPE, they’re given a list of groceries to choose from for that week, with the understanding that volunteers might not be able to get all the items they asked for,” Zellan said. “We wanted to be able to buy all of the items the families requested, including household items like soap and laundry detergent along with the food.”
The trio raised so much money that an extra $700 was donated to Family Promise after all of the groceries were bought and the meals were made.
Zellan discussed her connection to Family Promise, saying, “I used to volunteer with Family Promise back when it was called the Interfaith Hospitality Network. My sister and I would help watch the kids and set up dinner for the families, and being able to help FPE now, despite COVID-19, means a lot to me.”
Khodorkovsky also has a deep connection to the organization. “When I was in elementary school, I had the chance to volunteer at a soup kitchen and it opened my eyes to how much joy food can bring to people,” she said. “I wanted to bring any amount of joy I could to these people who are facing such hard times.”
Family Promise of Essex is an incredible organization that helps many homeless families every day, and this will not be the last fundraiser GOA students will create for them. Zellan and Herniter, the respective president and vice president of the National Honor Society, are both extremely excited to continue working with Family Promise and to fundraise for this amazing cause. 
Zellan said, “NHS is currently planning to continue fundraising and volunteering with Family Promise in any way we can. We’ll be selling food at school, hosting more drives, and doing some in person volunteer work, in addition to a few other projects that are still in the works.”
“I’m so proud of my fellow classmates for organizing this fundraiser,” Junior and Student Council President Grace Saperstein said. “I think it’s amazing how much of an impact people can have on the lives of others in need. I’m excited to participate in future NHS activities and fundraisers to help the community!”

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