MADA, a non-profit community center with a mission to care for people in need by providing basic necessities, today announced that individual volunteers, the Jewish Community Foundation (JCF), Federation CJA (FCJA) and Centraide Montreal have united to help MADA fulfill its mission of delivering Kosher for Passover food to thousands of Jewish households in Montreal.

Around 2,000 Passover baskets have already been delivered and more than 5,000 “Seder in a Box” packages are being delivered today. 

 Since the start of the Covid-19 crisis, MADA has tripled its efforts to deliver food to an increasingly large number of vulnerable people. Working with a skeletal staff, MADA is primarily reliant on the tireless efforts of about 350 volunteers who contact clients by telephone, prepare food, package food and deliver it by car. All volunteers are observing strict health policies including social distancing and the wearing of gloves and masks.

“We wish to thank all volunteers, the JCF, the FCJA and Centraide Montreal for their support,” says Rabbi Chaim Cohen, Executive Director, MADA. “MADA has become the principal platform for feeding vulnerable members of Montreal’s Jewish community. Thanks to our combined efforts, we are completing our mission of ensuring a blessed Kosher Passover for thousands of households, despite the Covid-19 crisis. Our community is more resilient that ever and on behalf of the MADA team, I wish to thank everyone who contributed.”

Founded in 1993, MADA is a volunteer-based organization that relies upon private donations from individuals and foundations. Based on the vision that protecting individual dignity is inseparable from the provision of care, we provide our patrons with social and crisis services free of charge and serve as a safe haven for those in need. MADA’s mission is to help people with the basic necessities of life, while helping them to become self-sufficient. MADA’s food bank feeds more than 4,500 people, on average, per month. Our cafeteria ends the loneliness and indignity of hunger in an uplifting environment. Friendly volunteers bring delicious meals directly to patrons’ tables, restaurant style. MADA also delivers meals and friendly visits to elderly patrons with limited mobility. Rooted in Jewish tradition and founded on a vision of caring, MADA welcomes, supports and embraces all people, irrespective of religion, race or nationality. MADA is committed to treating all people with dignity. Feeding people is often the end result but the approach involves opening hearts, acting as an extended family and treating people with respect. For more information on these and other services, please visit www.madacenter.com.