Temple B’nai Abraham’s Social Action Committee is currently holding a food drive for CHOW, the Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse.

CHOW, spearheaded by Sister Barbara Thomas of St. Philomena’s, will distribute the collected items to soup kitchens and food pantries in Newark, Orange, and East Orange. Housed at St. Philomena’s, CHOW is also open to local residents in need on a drop-in basis.

Kosher foods collected by TBA will be donated to the kosher food pantry at the Oheb Shalom Congregation in South Orange. Collection carts will be set up at both of the Temple’s entrances and residents can drop off items from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The drive ends on June 15.

Temple B’nai Abraham has a longstanding relationship with St. Philomena’s and CHOW, and has collaborated with them before on many occasions.

“While this drive is just non-perishables, often times after an event or the high holidays, we’ll have leftover food,” said Janet Penn, chair of the Social Action Committee, “we’ll contact Sister Barbara and they’ll send it off to families the same  day.”

TBA holds various drives throughout the year. These include a high holiday food drive, a Turkey and Trimmings drive, a children’s book drive, and most recently a bike drive for the organization Pedals for Progress, who’s mission is to distribute unwanted bikes to people around the world in need of transportation.

In past years TBA has worked with the Interfaith Hospitality Network of Essex County, which helps to provide people in need with temporary housing.

“One year we had families come over and cooked meals for them, “ said Penn, “We’re hoping to get more people involved with different outreach efforts,  find different ways to reach out to folks in the community.”

This is only second year that Temple B’nai Abraham has held a spring food drive.

“It’s important to have a drive this time of the year when we don’t have the “holiday spirit,” so that we are not forgetting about those in need during the other 10 months of the year," Penn said. "We don’t want anyone to think they are not being thought of."

The non-perishable items requested for collection are: canned tuna, peanut butter, paper napkins, toilet tissue, paper towels, breakfast cereal, condiments, canned beans, dried beans, pasta, white or brown rice, pasta sauces, macaroni & cheese, powdered milk , canned fruit, canned vegetables, baby food and jelly & jam. Only new, unopened items will be collected.

For those who would prefer to give monetary donations, please call Rabbi Kulwin, (973) 994-2290 or visit the website www.tbanj.com for more information.