To honor the role of service throughout the United States’ 250 years, Repair the World is launching Serve 250, with communities around the country offering service and learning opportunities from June 10-July 10.
“Throughout U.S. history, neighbors have shown up to serve alongside each other,” said Anyu Silverman, senior director of bridge-building at Repair the World. “Service brings people and entire communities together across differences for a shared purpose: to strengthen our community fabric. Our country needs that now more than ever. We don’t need to agree on everything to show up side by side and meet pressing needs in our communities. By embodying the Jewish value of hitchazkut (strengthening one another), we are building trust and service that connects communities across the nation.”
Serve 250 programs include:
- Curated Service Opportunities: Nationwide service and learning initiatives led by Repair communities and young adult service ambassadors, who mobilize their peers to address pressing community needs.
- $250 Microgrants: Microgrants awarded to Jewish organizations supporting local service and learning activations, including local chapters of Jewish Service Alliance partners such as Hillel International, MemGlobal and JCCA Association of North America and more.
- Together Tuesday: Giving Tuesday’s national day of service (June 23), when Repair the World communities across the country will come together for a shared day of action.
- Service Matters: America at 250 Webinar: June 30 webinar that brings together leaders across partner organizations to explore research on service as a unifying force for connection and belonging.
- Democracy Ballot: Timely, regularly updated resources and opportunities from A More Perfect Union to engage in democracy-strengthening and civic engagement actions.
Serve 250 is modeled on Repair the World’s National Days of Jewish Service, three annual service activations that have empowered nearly 50,000 volunteers in nearly 50,000 acts of service and learning in more than 1,400 service opportunities this year. This initiative builds on that momentum and meets a moment of division with something real: Jewish service that brings communities together across differences to strengthen America with each act of service.
“America’s tapestry of all kinds of people-with different beliefs, cultures and stories-is one of our greatest strengths,” added Silverman.
“But no matter where we come from, it is our duty to care for one another. In Jewish tradition, we are commanded to care for the stranger; it is the most repeated commandment in the Torah. Serve 250 is our answer to this call, marking the country’s anniversary with meaning and impact. We’re excited to partner with organizations and communities around the country in this collective effort.”
To learn more or get involved, visit werepair.org/get-involved/campaign/serve-250.
