Maot Chitim of Greater Chicago has provided food packages for Passover and Rosh Hashanah to needy Jewish families in the area since 1908. It began with Rabbis distributing money but switched to food packages, which now serve over 4,800 families. Volunteers pack and deliver the food, which aims to help families observe the holidays in a traditional and dignified manner. The organization relies on donations and volunteers to carry out its important work of ensuring no one goes hungry during these holidays.

2. About Us
“Maot Chitim” refers to the custom of gathering wheat
which was then given to the poor for making matzo for
Passover. Maot Chitim of Greater Chicago started over
a century ago when Rabbis set up card tables in front of
their synagogues and distributed a few dollars to the
poor for holiday day meals.

3. Our History
Since 1908, the Maot Chitim of Greater
Chicago has enabled thousands of
Jewish needy people to experience the
Passover holiday in a traditional and
dignified manner, and more recently
Rosh Hashanah.
While at first, our organization helped by
distributing money to individual homes as
well as synagogues, we quickly switched
to distribution of food instead of money,
purchasing it at wholesale, thereby
allowing the money to go farther and
serve more people. At that time, 150
families were receiving deliveries.
In 1972, 500 families were receiving

4. Our History
Economic conditions and increases in the
elderly population and the immigration of
Jews from the former Soviet Union caused
the number of recipient families to increase
dramatically in the early 1980's.
By 1994, 3,500 packages were being
delivered for Pesach.
In 1997 Maot Chitim began to include Rosh
Hashanah deliveries to 1/3 of our recipients.
In 2002 almost 4,800 families received
Pesach food deliveries.
The increasing need continued and now we
provide over 4,800 families with food for
Pesach and Rosh Hashanah.

5. What We Do
Maot Chitim of Greater Chicago has evolved
into a year-round volunteer effort searching
for the best and most reasonably priced
Kosher products, organizing an army of
volunteers, setting up a warehouse, locating
recipients through the ARK and other social
service agencies, packing the products,
coordinating an orderly delivery system,
delivering the packages and finally closing up
and beginning the plans for the next holiday.
We provide both Passover and Rosh
Hashanah food packages to the local Jewish
impoverished community

6. Sponsors and Donations: We have
many sponsors and a broad donor base
that help us build the funds we need to
support our efforts.
Volunteers: Our efforts would not be
possible without our many volunteers.
Maot Chitim volunteers represent the city
and suburbs, all religious denominations,
and ages ranging from children to
seniors. Family, friends, clubs and school
classes come together for hard work and
a pleasurable experience.

7. We Make a Difference
In 2013, almost 5,000 Pesach food
packages, and nearly 5,000 Rosh
Hashanah food packages, were
delivered to needy Jewish families. We
estimate approximately 24,000 needy
people benefited from these deliveries
helping them observe these holidays in a
traditional and dignified manner.
In addition, bulk shipments are sent to
various local organizations including food
pantries, subsidized housing units,
Senior Seders, Jewish prisoners, and
Hillel and Chabad student centers.

8. How it Works
We start setting up and assembling boxes in
a donated warehouse weeks before each
holiday.
The week before delivery, volunteers come to
our office to prepare cards with names,
addresses and maps for those delivering
packages to recipients.
Packing of non-perishable food also begins
the week before delivery. At dawn on the
Sunday before Passover and Rosh
Hashanah, volunteers add the perishable
goods.
Deliveries begin the Sunday before the
holiday. Groups of volunteers pair up to help

9. The Food
A typical food package contains kosher
chickens, eggs, gefilte fish, Passover wine,
cooking oil, tea, jelly, carrots, celery, onions,
apples (for Rosh Hashanah), Shabbat and
yahrzeit candles. And, of course, matzo for
Passover and Challah for Rosh Hashanah.

11. A Little More Than Just Food…
Upon arrival, volunteers are instructed to
say "We are here with your Yom Tov
order" rather than "donation" or "charity."
Volunteers are encouraged to stay for a
while with the recipient. And accept
"payment" for the delivery with a cookie
or a cup of tea.
Recipients are as hungry for
companionship as they are for the food.
Sitting down for a visit is the heart of the
program; it is as meaningful for those
who deliver a package as for those who
receive it.

12. What Else We Provide
A model Seder and Hanukkah party
for Jewish residents with special
needs and their families is held at
Misericordia and is one of the many
services that Maot Chitim provides to
Chicago's Jewish needy.

13. How You Can Help Our
Cause
Donate! You can make donations directly to
our organization on our website! You can also
make donations “in honor of” or “in memory
of” someone special
Volunteer and start the tradition within
your family or group of friends! Whether
you want to help pack boxes, drive a car for a
delivery, or help deliver packages to
recipients, all are welcome; we need as many
helping hands as we can get with this
Mitzvah!
Expand our cause! We are always looking
to expand our recipient base, so if you know
of someone who you think could benefit from
one of our food boxes, let us know!

14. Stay In Touch!
Please visit our website for more
information, as well as how to contact
us with any questions or concerns
Become part of our Maot Chitim
Family!