Learn More About the Super Market Scavenger Hunt
Dina Stambler (L), Gena Brown (R)
The JFS Super Market Scavenger Hunt will be held on July 31st from 10:30am-12pm at the Food Lion in Bent Tree Plaza in Raleigh. Held for the first time in Summer 2021, the event gives participants the opportunity to stock the JFS Food Pantry while also learning more about food insecurity. We talked to the organizers, JFS Outreach & Programs Manager Dina Stambler and PJ Library Manager Gena Brown, to learn more about this year’s event.
Q: What will the Super Market Scavenger Hunt be like this year?
Dina: It’s going to be a fun, inclusive, multi-generational community event. It’s a spin on grocery shopping, done in a playful format to engage children, teens, and adults. It’s designed to be interactive. For example, there are riddles to figure out what to shop for from the JFS Food Pantry Wish List.
Gena: There’s a picture format for non-readers and a text format for readers.
Dina: It’s great for young kids. We are hoping to raise awareness about food insecurity and the role the JFS Food Pantry plays in meeting critical needs of community members who are struggling with hunger, paying bills, and providing for their families.
Q: What was the inspiration for the Super Market Scavenger Hunt?
Dina: We sometimes have a lull in filling our pantry in the summer with so many people being on vacation. The area synagogues help us throughout the year, but their attendance is lower in the summer.
Gena: A lot of kids have issues getting free- and reduced-lunches since school is not in session. But hunger never stops being an issue. I think of a quote by Elie Wiesel, “Hunger defies imagination. It defies even memory. Hunger is felt only in the present.”
Dina: We designed this to be an easy-entry event. It’s a way to participate in a Jewish community event without walking into a JCC or a synagogue. The grocery store is a public space. It’s philanthropic, but without requiring anyone to write a big check. You can contribute whatever you are comfortable with. Last year, a Girl Scout troop shopped one list together. The items on year’s list cost approximately $25 total, but you can buy more or less.
Q: What are some new features for this year’s event?
Dina: This year the Scavenger Hunt is in the morning, and we are focusing on having a fun and exciting gathering at Food Lion.
Gena: We are also collecting non-perishable food items at the JCC pool on July 31st, so if anyone is going to the JCC that Sunday they can still contribute.
Q: How will PJ Library be involved in the event?
Gena: I’m doing PJ activities at Camp JCC this year, and we will be doing an activity prior to July 31st with rising K-4 campers. Last year, we talked about the book Maddi’s Fridge, and how to act if a friend is facing food insecurity and says “don’t tell anyone.” We problem solve how to deal with that situation. We are also including the picture list to engage pre-readers. The younger ones can be really empathetic to other people’s struggles.
Dina: I think of PJ Library as a way to teach Jewish values through literature. We start with the education, and then engage them in action. The kids are coming with their parents, so something we teach them at camp is empowering parents to do more in their community. It’s planting a seed during the week, then asking them to get involved on the weekend. We can engage in conversation with the grownups. Last year, people from the community were coming up to us at the Food Lion and asking about what we were doing, so we educate the greater community, too.
Q: What do you want people to understand about the Super Market Scavenger Hunt?
Gena: I would like people to understand that there are families in our own Jewish community that are hungry. People think that food insecurity happens “somewhere else.”
Dina: All the food people will buy for this event will stay local. We will also accept gift cards, which is an easy way to contribute. Gift cards allow clients to have some autonomy. They can use them to buy perishables like fresh produce, dairy, and meat, as well as formula and diapers. If they are receiving SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, gift cards can pay for items that aren’t covered in that program. Gift cards provide clients with dignity and choice. Food prices have gone up so much that people are having to stretch their budget more. Everything has gone up in price, so giving to the JFS Food Pantry is more important than ever. We’ve already assisted with 102 meals this year.
Q: Is there any other information people need to be prepared for the event?
Dina: Registration is requested for planning purposes, but we will accept walk-ins. As part of registration, you can select the option to donate $25 for a bag of groceries. There are other ways to help the JFS Food Pantry if you can’t make it to the event itself, including:
Purchasing items through our Amazon wish list
Volunteering for the JFS Food Pantry
Drop food off at our office at 8210 Creedmoor Road, Suite 104, Raleigh
To register for the Super Market Scavenger Hunt, CLICK HERE.
For questions, contact Dina Stambler at Dina.Stambler@shalomraleigh.org