The Giving Garden

In Spring 2017, we planted our first community garden in the beautiful CSI grounds to grow fresh, healthy produce for donation to People to People’s food pantry. Since then, we have expanded our program to support the Community Refrigerators operated by Proyecto Faro. Our goal is to supplement these organizations’ non-perishable food pantries with locally-grown, delicious vegetables.

The garden runs from May through November every year and is maintained by a rotating group of volunteers who take turns visiting water, weed and/or harvest the bounty. We are always looking for volunteers to help us—no gardening experience is required, and children/teens are welcome!

CSI is a year-round contributor to the Rhoda Bloom Kosher Food Pantry, which is administered by Rockland Jewish Family Services (RJFS).

Our annual Kol Nidre appeal is also directed toward supporting this organization.

Rhoda Bloom Kosher Food Pantry

Nyack Homeless Project

CSI is a regular participant in the Nyack Homeless Project’s annual Thanksgiving and Spring food drives, which collects non-perishable food donations to divide and distribute among a few dozen food-assistance programs throughout the county each December.

CSI’s Hebrew School children and young families make occasional donations to the amazing Thursday free breakfast program operated by volunteers at Grace Episcopal Church in Nyack.

For example, at various community service programs in the past, our children have baked large batches of cornbread (Thanksgiving), Hamentaschen (Purim), “7 species granola” (Tu B’shvat) for the Grace’s Kitchen team to distribute to their guests.

Grace’s Kitchen