Over 100 NCSY volunteers of all ages and backgrounds came out on a busy Sunday just before Pesach to volunteer for Chesed Chicago’s Annual Pesach Distribution.

Students and families from Arie Crown Hebrew Day School, Hanna Sacks Bais Yaakov, Hillel Torah, Ida Crown Jewish Academy, Jewish Family Experience, Mather High School, Niles North High School, and University of Chicago spent the day working at Chesed Chicago’s warehouse preparing and distributing much-needed Pesach packages for 340 local families.

The effort was coordinated by Midwest NCSY’s Volunteer Coordinator Alyssa Lerer.

Jacob Thomas (r.), a freshman at Ida Crown, says he was “happy I could help people.”

“The event was great, there were many amazing people, and even though I was carrying many heavy things for many hours, it didn’t feel so hard,” he says.

Ella Harris, (l.) a 6^th grader at Hillel Torah, says she also “loves helping my community.”

“They make it fun to help,” she says, “and I can’t wait for next year.”

Many of the adult volunteers also found the day meaningful.

Laura Lerer, who came with her children to volunteer, says, “It felt so good to work together with my family and the community to help hundreds of people.

“It was amazing seeing NCSY and Chesed Chicago work together to help over three hundred families get much needed assistance for Pesach.”

Perhaps Ella Harris summed up the day best when she commented, “Working at Chesed Chicago is an experience that you will take with you for the rest of your life.”