Masbia in the Hamodia: Masbia & Eichlers of Boro Park Announce “On-Tap Groceries” for Families Who Lost Their Breadwinner During The Outbreak

Posted on: April 22, 2020

Read the article below by Masbia, published in the Hamodia, to find out how Masbia and Eichlers of Boro Park are supporting newly widowed mothers with children who were left without their main breadwinner due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Masbia of Boro Park and owner of the Boro Park New Eichler’s Judaica Bookstore, Mordy Getz, launched an initiative to support newly widowed mothers with children who were left without their main breadwinner due to the coronavirus outbreak. Any surviving spouse with children of a breadwinner who fell victim to Covid-19 since Purim 2020, will have a free “tap” in a local Boro Park grocery, until the Jewish New Year – Rosh Hashanah.

“I am a cancer survivor who has made it my life’s mission to assist and support cancer patients and their families. I have come to understand that covering the costs of basic groceries while a parent is ill or after their passing is an often overlooked struggle, groceries go a long way towards determining how well families cope during such a crisis” said Mr. Getz

The current pandemic has taken an incredible toll on the community. The sudden passing of countless able-bodied breadwinners has left many families without a source of income. Some mothers who find themselves suddenly with the finances of taking care of the entire family are struggling with sudden new responsibility.

Alexander Rapaport, Executive Director of Masbia Soup Kitchen Network said, “In a general emergency, food charities are considered supplemental., and have two dozen or so food items to take people for three to seven days. During the current outbreak, Masbia already stepped up to give people more than a week’s worth of food moving away from supplemental to people’s only source. For those families, we felt that even more is needed, so with the help of Mordy from Eichler’s we launched this initiative.”

“By having the surviving spouse making one discreet call with no intermediaries – no matter how well-intentioned they are – involved, makes us able to preserve his or her dignity, Just one voicemail and a follow-up return phone call will put all wheels in motion in setting up an account,” Rapaport explained. Even that short conversation makes the mother and I choke up and hold back tears,” he added.

“I am proud to join my dear friend Alexander Rapaport of the Masbia Soup Kitchen Network, in his mission to provide free groceries to these widows and their children for the immediate future.” Said Mr. Getz.

“In addition to my personal donations, I plan to recruit other philanthropists to help Masbia in this critical endeavor and hopefully have others follow our innovative project to alleviate the enormous material and emotional challenges these survivors are facing in the immediate future”

Since word spread through the grapevine, many other neighborhoods and communities expressed interest in replicating the concept. Masbia is actively seeking sponsors to expand the project in other neighborhoods. Anyone with interest can email info@masbia.org.

As this initiative became public, Itzy Laub, Chair of Masbia of Queens, pledged to sponsor all families in the Kew Gardens Hills neighborhood. A phone number for that neighborhood to call will announce shortly.

Read the original article HERE.