Some egg-cellent news has come with the approach of the Passover holiday: Deb El Food Products has donated 3.5 million eggs to the Met Council on Jewish Poverty for distribution in the New York area.
“Passover is already the most expensive time of year for Jewish families especially those who are already financially struggling, as the holiday’s customs require essentially a full changeover to kosher-for-Passover foods for pantry staples, special foods, and other holiday essentials,” said Met Council CEO David G. Greenfield. “For too many people this comes at a time of continued increases in rent, fuel and other basic expenses creating a greater struggle now more than ever before.”
Other foods provided in the free kosher-for-Passover food packages included matzah, chicken, gefilte fish, tuna, apple juice, apple sauce, biscotti, borscht, cake mix, chopped walnuts, cocoa powder, grape juice, jam, lemon juice, macaroons, matzah meal, matzah brei mix, oil, potato starch, sugar, tomato sauce, vinegar, mandarin oranges, peaches, pickles, potatoes and other produce.
“Our Passover distributions come at a time when the community needs our support more than ever,” said Jessica Chait, managing director of Met Council’s food programs and policy. “By providing essential provisions to hundreds of thousands of households, we’re enabling access to nutritious foods and ensuring that individuals and families don’t have to sacrifice tradition to meet their basic needs.”
Met Council plans to provide packages to more than 300,000 people in some 60,000 households across the tri-state area.
It has already distributed nearly $500,000 worth of emergency food cards to help thousands of low-income families, many with young children, mark the holiday with dignity.