Community Service

Helping Our Community

Our members enrich the lives of women, children and families in Bergen County.  During the pandemic members are providing essential supplies and virtual activities which are updated monthly here.

Below is an overview of what our Community Services organizations do and how you can help by volunteering your time. It is based on pre-pandemic volunteering. We look forward to a time when we can safely volunteer onsite at our eighteen non-sectarian Community Services.

Click on Volunteers and discover how you can make a difference in the lives of the women, children and families in Bergen County.

Volunteer Opportunities

ADLER APHASIA CENTER located in Maywood, enables people who lost the power to use words to comfortably communicate. Volunteers work individually with stroke or accident victims to improve their communication and manual dexterity skills. Focus is on computers, writing and speaking, or jewelry making. Contact Hilary Eth, 201-807-9249, hilareth@hotmail.com.

BERGEN FAMILY CENTER (BFC) provides services to children, adolescents, families and older adults that enhance their ability to function independently, manage challenges and improve their quality of life.  BFC has three programs for which we volunteer.

At HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters), parents are trained to be their children’s first teachers.  Volunteers participate monthly at early evening meetings in Englewood where they read stories, play games, and do craft projects with the children while parents attend parent training workshops. Volunteers also participate in the December holiday party and graduation in June. Contact Edie Kaplan, (201)461-2724,ediekaplan@gmail.com or Joan Schnuer (201)833-1006, polten@optonline.net.

The Renee Guller Infant and Toddler Center offers caring day care in a new dynamic environment. The infants’ room is a magical place. Once a week Volunteers participate in caring for the babies and are therefore able to see over time the incredible developmental steps these infants accomplish. Contact Phyllis Grossman Kaplan, 201-387-7421, hawphyllis@aol.com, or Barbara Berger Brill, 201-920-0244, bannberger@aol.com.

The Seniors program is a unique social daycare program for visually-impaired and other seniors. Volunteersplay trivia games with attendees, read to them and celebrate their birthdays. Contact Sue Kanrich (201)926-6070, sakanrich@yahoo.com.

BERGEN VOLUNTEER MEDICAL INITIATIVE (BVMI) provides free primary medical care to low-income working families and individuals with no means to pay.  Two volunteers each commit to one morning a week at the health center in Hackensack and scan documents into patients’ charts which are reviewed by one of the medical directors. Training is provided. Contact Gladys Laden (201)836-3846, Gladys.laden@gmail.com.

CENTER FOR FOOD ACTION (CFA) provides emergency food, rent, and utility assistance to those in need. Volunteers assist in many ways at the Englewood site. They serve as packers in the pantry, distribute food, and assist with desk work, answering phones, doing intakes and filing.  Volunteers are trained and commit to a scheduled time. There are some spots for fill-in assistance in Englewood or at the Saddle Brook site. Contact Marcia Levy (201)894-8379, mllevy@gmail.com.

CENTER FOR HOPE AND SAFETY (CHS) provides shelter to women and children who are victims of domestic violence. Volunteers for the Making Meals Together activity plan and prepare dinner with CHS shelter residents for a fun mother/child cooking activity.  Contact Flora Perskie, (201) 585-0464, fwperskie@gmail.com.

CHILDREN’S COURT CARE CENTER (CCCC), at the Bergen County Court House in Hackensack, is a supervised play area for children of litigants. The Center is attractive and well equipped with a TV, toys, games, books, and arts and craft materials. Volunteers interact with and supervise young children while their parents attend court in the morning (9:30-12:30) or afternoon (1:00-4:30). Contact Evelyn Masheb (201)265-8752,  cemasheb@aol.com or Selma Schenkman (201)962-8505 seles2@msn.com.

COUNCIL THRIFT SHOP, a primary source of income for NCJW BCS, is located on Washington Avenue in Bergenfield. It provides an unparalleled service to the community offering quality household items and clothing at rock-bottom prices. Volunteer salespeople select their day and time for once a month or more. Contact Fran Einiger (201)678-1809, franeiniger@yahoo.com or Doris Sarokin, (201)567-9077, dsarokin@msn.com.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WAITING ROOM (DVWR) at the Bergen County Court House in Hackensack offers a safe, welcoming haven for domestic violence litigants awaiting court appearances.  Volunteers sign-in plaintiffs, make them comfortable, and answer the phone from 8:30-10 am or 10 am-12:30 pm., Mondays through Thursdays. Volunteers may participate for one or more shifts per month. Spanish speaking volunteers greatly appreciated. Contact Henrietta Wolfeiler (201)996-0932, b.wolfeiler3@verizon.com or Lois Katz Brown (201-343-0050), brown44@optonline.net.

FAMILY PROMISE WALK-IN CENTER prepares and serves meals to the residents of the Bergen County shelter in Hackensack and to those in need in the community. Volunteers, four times per year, shop, cook and serve a hot, nutritious dinner including dessert and coffee to 100 or more folks at the shelter. All food is prepared at home and brought to the shelter where it is served between 4:00 and 6:00 pm. Volunteers are reimbursed for their expenses as requested.  Contact Elaine Bieger (201)569-9491, minbie@msn.com.

JEWISH HOME AT ROCKLEIGH is a skilled nursing and geriatric facility offering an array of amenities. Volunteers plan and host three events each year for the residents of the home: Sweethearts Day in February, Coney Island Day in June, and Chanukah in December. Contact Roberta Lew (201)836-4695, rmlew@aol.com, or Addie Rudin, (201) 585-1928, addie.rudin@gmail.com.

KNIT WITS distributes hand-made hats, scarves, gloves, blankets and more to children at the Holley Center, residents at the Center for Hope and Safety, the Jewish Home at Rockleigh and the County homeless shelter.  Volunteers who enjoy knitting and crocheting make scarves, hats, teddy bears, gloves, mittens, afghans, and blankets throughout the year.  Donations of acrylic yarn are welcomed.  Contact Sabina Sicklick at 201-342-3671, sabinasicklick@yahoo.com.

PROJECT S.A.R.A.H. (Stop Abusive Relationships At Home) is a statewide program that provides domestic violence and sexual abuse counseling and treatment, community education and prevention with emphasis to the Orthodox community. Volunteers are trained to serve as instructors in the Aleniu Safety Kid program. Volunteers also make phone calls to rabbis and other Jewish community leaders throughout NJ, asking them to help spread the message that the agency is continuing to counsel women who are victims of abuse.Contact Marcia Levy, (201)894-8379, mllevy0648@gmail.com.

SWIM-IN, co-sponsored by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, is a therapeutic water exercise program for people with MS at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades and is supervised by a licensed physical therapist. Volunteers assist clients September thru May on Wednesdays from 1-3 pm in the locker room and with wheelchairs in the pool area. A short training program is provided. You do not need to know how to swim to volunteer. Contact Ina Miller Silverstein (201)836-6562, inams98@yahoo.com or Roxanne Reff (201)944-7581, rkreff@yahoo.com.

WOMEN’S RIGHTS INFORMATION CENTER (WRIC) helps women learn and develop the skills they need to move toward economic self-sufficiency. Volunteers serve in a variety of ways including receptionist, ESL tutor, career closet consultant, computer teacher’s assistant and more.  Contact Sue Kanrich (201)926-6070, sakanrich@yahoo.com.

YOUTH CONSULTATION SERVICES (YCS) provides services to thousands of New Jersey families who have children, birth to adulthood, with special needs. NCJW BCS supports two group homes:  Kilbarchan, a residential treatment home for adolescents in Paterson, and Holley Child Care Center, a residential treatment facility for emotionally and/or physically abused children in Hackensack.  We volunteer at two programs at the Holley Center.

At Club NCJW at Holley Center, once a month for an hour after our general meetings, on the third Tuesday of the month at about 3 pm, volunteers do arts and crafts projects with the youngsters in order to develop trusting and friendly relationships with them.  Contact Evelyn Masheb (201)265-8752, cemasheb@aol.com or Ellen Ptalis, (201) 488-1555, ellenptalis@gmail.com.

For the Holley Center Birthday Cake Program, volunteers order and arrange delivery of personalized birthday cakes for each child who lives at the center. Contact Linda Walden (201)472-8642, Lmargotbw@gmail.com.