Fighting Hunger

TBT Community Loaves

In support of coronavirus pandemic relief efforts, TBT joined the “baking brigade” to make homemade bread for families in need. Home bakers teamed up to bake community loaves for distribution at Puget Sound-area food banks, pantries, and shelters.

Today, individual congregants continue to participate in this program. Visit Community Loaves to learn more about this wonderful opportunity.

TBT Mitzvah Garden

For the last seven years, our Mitzvah Garden volunteers have grown hundreds of pounds of fruits and vegetables that we have donated to Hopelink to fight hunger on the East side.

Each year, we begin planting in April and harvest our crops through September. TBT tailors its Mitzvah Garden harvest to meet Hopelink’s specific requests and greatest needs. 

Our volunteers also partner with the Bellevue Urban Garden to help them start their plants in the spring and harvest them in the fall to donate to Hopelink.  We also accept donations from congregants who want to donate food from their home gardens.  In keeping with our green community goals, all our garden waste is composted and recycled by Cedar Grove.

We also glean apples and pears from neighborhood fruit trees in the fall. Last year, we donated over 850 pounds of food that went straight to the dinner tables of hungry local families.  A typical season's crops include onions, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, lettuce, tomatoes, various peppers, carrots, radishes, green beans, artichokes, and various herbs, like dill and parsley and basil and cilantro and catnip and chives.

TBT on Combating Food Insecurity

Our TBT community regularly collects food and pantry items for our local food banks.  We collect unexpired canned foods, unopened dry goods, sealed personal care products, drinks (no glass), and empty dozen-size egg cartons.  If you are coming to TBT to pray, celebrate, volunteer, or learn, please consider dropping off a donation!  There are two large bins inside the temple, just to the left of the front doors.  Feel free to leave your donation items there.

We also have special events throughout the year that focus on reducing food insecurity.  During the High Holidays, we have a food drive for Jewish Family Service.  We also encourage our members to make a donation to Mazon, a Jewish Response to Hunger. 

During Chanukah, our members donate cooking oil for local food banks, and TBT’s annual Mac and Cheese Drive is a big hit during Purim.  At Passover, we collect much needed and under-donated personal care products and donate leftover food from our community seder to a local woman’s shelter.

TBT members actively fight hunger by preparing and delivering nourishing meals to community partners like Tent City, PorchLight and The Sophia Way. 

If you have questions or want to be further involved, email us (socialaction@templebnaitorah.org).