Federation’s Sara & Samuel J. Lessans Good Deeds Week 2025

Name: Federation’s Sara & Samuel J. Lessans Good Deeds Week 2025
Start: 2025-03-30T00:00:00-04:00
End: 2025-04-06T23:59:59-04:00

March 30, 2025 - April 6, 2025

March 30^th – April 6^th, 2025!

The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington’s Sara & Samuel J. Lessans Good Deeds Week will once again bring together 60+ community partners and thousands of participants across DC, MD, and Northern VA to address pressing needs in our region.

Good Deeds Week 2025 Projects

Organization	Project	Register	Public	When	Where	Age	Description
Agudas Achim Congregation	Interfaith Meal Packing	https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0B4BADAC2DA2F94-54995653-sunday	Public	April 6, 10:30 AM-4:00 PM	VA	ages 5+	Interfaith community meal packing to provide more than 15,000 nutritious and tasty meals for hungry neighbors. In partnership with Alfred Street Baptist Church.
BBYO	DC Council Convention J-Serv(ic)es		Private	April 4-6	MD	8th-12th graders	Participants of BBYO's DC Council will engage in Community Service or Service Learning projects combined with Saturday morning Shabbat Services.
Bender JCCGW	Tasty Treats, Happy Hearts: Make Snack Bags for Seniors	https://www.benderjccgw.org/event/delivering-good-network-food-packing/	Public	March 31, 11:00 AM-12:30 PM	MD	all ages	Organize and pack snack bags with shelf stable items for Charter House, a 55 and up affordable housing community.
Bender JCCGW	Water Way Clean Up	https://www.benderjccgw.org/event/delivering-good-network-waterway-clean-up/	Public	March 30, 1:00-3:00 PM	MD	ages 4+	Meet at a local waterway and work together to clean and beautify our local streams. In partnership with Tikkun HaYam (Clean our Waterways).
Beth Chaverim Reform Congregation	Hamantaschen 5K		Public	March 30, 1:30-2:30 PM	VA	all ages	Organized by a teen in the Hebrew Chai program, this event will support community bonding, physical activity for all ages and abilities, and appreciation for the area around us that we have adopted to support. Enjoy drinks, snacks, and prizes.
Beth Chaverim Reform Congregation	Annual Clean Up Day B’nai Mitzvah Project		Public	April 6; 11:00 AM Grades 3 & under, 12:00 PM Grades 4-7, 1:00 PM Hebrew Chai members and community	VA	all ages	Clean up the area surrounding the shul to officially participate in the Adopt-a-Highway Program. Gloves, bags, and water will be available.
Bethesda Jewish Congregation	Mitzvah Day, Part II	https://montgomeryparks.org/events/weed-warrior-rock-creeksvu7-baltimore-road/	Public	March 30, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM	MD	all ages	Partnering with Montgomery County's Weed Warriors to clear Rock Creek Stream Valley Unit 7 in Rockville, MD of invasive plants.
Bethesda Jewish Congregation	Manna Food Drive		Public	March 28-April 5	MD	all ages	Donate nonperishable foods to blue collection bin outside of Bethesda Jewish Congregation (available 24/7 3/28-4//5). Collection list: https://www.mannafood.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Most-Needed-Foods-Updated-March-2022.pdf
Bikur Cholim of Greater Washington	New Kitchen Setup	https://www.bikurcholimgw.org/volunteer	Public	March 30, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM	MD	ages 13+ (<18 must be accompanied by adult)	Help Bikur Cholim of Greater Washington set up their brand new volunteer cooking kitchen. The new kitchen will enable BCGW to expand its mission allowing preparation of nutritious meals for patients, care givers, and families facing challenges. Parking: Street Parking Available on Sonoma Road
Bnai Israel Congregation	Lunch for Residents of Interfaith Works Shelter		Private	March 30, 12:00 PM	MD	ages 16+	Prepare and deliver a lunch to the residents of the Interfaith Works Women's Shelter at Taft Court.
Bnai Israel Congregation	Deliver Passover Packages		Private	April 6, 9:00 AM-12:00 PM	MD	all ages	Deliver packages to seniors in the community. In partnership with JSSA in their Project Hope Passover Delivery.
Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School	CESJDS LEGENDS: Pesach Goody Bag Packing		Private	March 30, 11:00 AM-1:00 PM	MD	all ages	Assemble goody bags filled with Passover-themed treats to brighten the holiday for children throughout Greater Washington. The bags will be donated to Bikur Cholim of Greater Washington, who supports families in need.
Charles E. Smith Life Communities/Ring House	Passover Prep Food Drive		Private	March 30-April 6	MD	all ages	Kosher and non-kosher food, including unopened food that needs to be discarded before Passover, to donate to Nourish Now food bank. Donation boxes located in Ring House lobby.
Congregation B'nai Tzedek	CBT Good Deeds Day		Public	April 6, 10:30 AM-12:30 PM	MD	all ages	Create blankets for NIH Children's Inn, braid challah and make challah covers for Hebrew Home, create yellow ribbons for congregants' mailboxes, write letters to injured IDF soldiers, paint rocks for mourners at Garden of Remembrance, or assemble and decorate flowerpots for Revitz House (partnership with MAKOM), professional bags for women in local shelters, or care kits for residents at Children's Hospital.
Congregation Beth Emeth	Beth Emeth Religious School Good Deeds Projects		Public	April 6, 10:30 - 11:45	VA	all ages	Please join the Religious School and Social Action Committee for Good Deeds Day on Sunday, April 6. We have opportunities for many mitzvot including making blessing bags to hand out to those without housing, making huggables for the elderly homebound, a craft for the animals, and creating beautiful cards of encouragement. Ages 0 - 100 are welcome to join the students in doing good deeds for the community!
Congregation Etz Hayim	Lasagna Love		Public	April 6, 4:00 PM	VA/Virtual	all ages	Bake lasagna for neighbors at the New Hope shelter.
Congregation Har Shalom	Comfort Cases		Private	April 6th	MD	all ages	Group of 15-25 will be going over to Comfort Cases on April 6th to assist with packing comfort cases and other tasks.
Congregation Har Shalom	Book Drive		Private	March 30 - April 6	MD	all ages	Collecting books for donation to Comfort Cases (focus on tween/teen books, especially teen boy). We also hope to engage kid to make bookmarks to go with the books.
Congregation Har Shalom	Gift Card Drive		Private	March 30 - April 6	MD	all ages	Collecting gift cards for New Neighbor Interfaith Alliance
Congregation Har Shalom	KindSoup for the Soul		Private	TBD	Virtual	all ages	Congregants will come together on Zoom to make soup to donate to those in need.
Congregation Olam Tikvah	Personal Care Gift Bags		Public	March 11 - March 30	VA	all ages	We are collecting personal care tiems for the women in the Katherine Hanley Family Shelter to be assembled on March 30 into gift bags to be distributed to the women in the shelter for Mother's Day.
Congregation Or Chadash	Knit Scarves for Refugees		Private	March 1 - April 6	MD/Virtual	all ages	COC Bene Knitzvahs will donate knitted and crocheted scarves to New Neighbor's Interfaith Alliance (NNIA) to be distributed for refugee families in need.
Congregation Or Chadash	Postcards for Seniors		Private	March 1 - April 6	MD/Virtual	all ages	Religious school students will write Passover postcards to Jewish residents, including Holoicaust survivors, at the Riderwood Senior Living Community.
Congregation Or Chadash	Food Drive		Private	March 1 - April 6	MD/Virtual	all ages	Collecting canned and boxed foods for Manna Food Center, which fights food insecurity through distribution, education and advocacy.
Edlavitch DC JCC	Welcoming New Neighbors	https://www.edcjcc.org/calendar/good-deeds-day/	Public	April 6, 10:30 AM-12:00 PM	DC	ages 12+	Embrace the Passover theme of “welcoming the stranger” by hearing from a recently-arrived refugee and supporting organizations serving refugees and asylum seekers.
Edlavitch DC JCC	Handmade for the Homeless	https://www.edcjcc.org/calendar/handmade-for-the-homeless-april-2025/	Public	April 6, 10:30 AM-12:30 PM	DC	all ages	Knit and crochet warm winter items for individuals experiencing homelessness in the DC area. All levels of knitters and crocheters are welcome. Don't know how to knit? They'll teach you.
Gesher Jewish Day School	Gesher's Day of Good Deeds		Private	April 4, 9:00 AM-3:00 PM	VA	all ages	Students and faculty will spend the day doing good trhough a variety of projects for charities in the community.
Jewish Federation of Greater Washington + Makom	Jewish Federation of Greater Washington x Makom		Private	April 6, 1:00-3:00 PM	MD	all ages	The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and core agency partner, Makom, will bring our community closer together to help those in need. Join us for Project Linus, a nationwide effort that provides love, a sense of security, warmth, and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through handcrafted blankets.
JSSA	Flower Vase Painting for Patients		Public	Dropoff March 30-April 6, 8:30 AM-5:00 PM	Virtual	all ages	Decorate flower vases to be filled with fresh flowers and delivered weekly to hospice patients. Vases can be empty tomato sauce jars with the labels removed or other containers of similar size. Drop-off during business hours to 200 Wood Hill RD, Rockville, MD OR 6123 Montrose Road, Rockville, MD.
Kehilat Pardes - the Rock Creek Synagogue	Private Project		Private	Good Deeds Week	MD	all ages	Private Project
Kol Shalom Talmud Torah	Clean our waterways		Public	March 30, 12:00-2:00 PM	MD	all ages	Search for and remove debris from our waterways, ensuring they are clean and cared for as we enter this sacred time of year. We are going to partner with the national cleanup project on this day.
Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum	Clothing Drive & Drop-In Letter Writing for Trans Youth		Public	April 6, 12:00-4:00 PM	DC	all ages	In honor of CJM's upcoming LGBTJews in the Federal City exhibition, we are collecting gently used clothing of all sizes & styles for the DC Center's Clothing Closet, a free resource for DC's LBGTQ+ community members. Plus, when you come to donate, you can also write a supportive letter to trans youth for Point of Pride's care package program.
Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School of the Nation's Capital	MILTON PK visits JCA for Pesach		Private	April 8, 9-11:00 AM	MD	4 year-olds	MILTON PK students will visit the Jewish Council for the Aging for a pre-Passover celebration. They will do craft activities, learn about Passover, share songs, spread love and kindess, and build relationships with seniors.
Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation	Shelter Meals		Private	TBD	VA	all ages	Prepare diinner for a shelter run by Cornerstones.
Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation	Reproductive Rights Care Packages		Private	TBD	VA	all ages	Prepare care packages for patients, baskets of homemade treats for the staff, at women's health care centers.
Oseh Shalom	Creating Children's Goodie Bags		Public	April 6, 9:00 AM	MD	all ages	We will be packing Goodie Bags for food insecure children. These bags will go to children in need whose parents pick up food from the Laurel food pantry.
Pozez JCC of Northern Virginia	Pozez JCC of Northern Virginia	https://volunteer.thej.org/need/detail/?need_id=1051513	Public	April 6, 1:00-3:00 PM	VA	ages 3+	Choose from decorating kippot for those in need, wrapping silverware for a homeless shelter, creating dry soup mixes for a food bank, making crepe paper flowers for senior neighbors, building storage for our community garden, or assembling snack packs for local school children. Suggested donation is $25 per family, and light snacks and refreshments will be provided.
Riderwood Jewish Community	Tikkun Olam Purim Food Collection		Private	March 13 - 16	MD	all ages	Collecting canned beans, boxed pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, and canned chicken and tuna for for Manna Food Center Purim. Collections accepted during abbi's bi-weekly Torah study, after Purim services (boxes of noodles can be used as groggers!), and home pickup when requested.
Shaare Torah	Mitzvah Day 2025		Private	March 30, 10:00 AM-12:30 PM	MD	all ages	A variety of ands-on service projects to spread kindness and joy including park and nature clean-ups with Montgomery County Parks and Croydon Creek Nature Center, brunch and bingo at Lon's House, Becky House, and Interfaith Women’s Shelters, creating flower vases, assembling kids' art kits with MoCo Mitzvah Moms, crocheting hats for Shady Grove NICU, and making sandwiches for the Men's Shelter.
Temple Emanuel	Noya's Bears in Temple Emanuel		Private	March 30-April 6	MD	all ages	Join Temple Emanuel in the Noya’s Bears initiative, organized by Federation's Community Shlichim, in memory of Noya Dan z”l, whose life were lost on 10/7. Gather NEW bedtime buddies for kiddos. Donations will go to Comfort Cases, spreading smiles all around. Swing by the lobby to drop off your goodies in our collection bins.
Tifereth Israel Congregation	Feeding the Homeless	Volunteer at Shepherd's Table - Event - Tifereth Israel Congregation	Public	April 6, 4:30- 7:30 PM	MD	ages 13+
Tifereth Israel Congregation	Project H.O.P.E.	Passover Food Deliveries - Event - Tifereth Israel Congregation	Public	April 6, 9:00 AM-12:00 PM	MD	all ages
Washington Hebrew Congregation	The Hunger Projecct	https://www.whctemple.org/faith-in-action/volunteer-events/mitzvah-day/	Public	April 6, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM	MD	ages 8+	Volunteers ages 8+ carefully measure and package ingredients for 10,000+ nutritious meals for the underserved in our area. SSL hours can be earned. RSVP is required because space is limited.
Washington Hebrew Congregation	No Sew Blankets	https://www.whctemple.org/faith-in-action/volunteer-events/mitzvah-day/	Public	April 6, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM	DC	all ages	Cut and knot soft fleece blankets into no sew blankets for children removed from their homes in an emergency as they enter foster care.
Washington Hebrew Congregation	Undies for Everyone	https://www.whctemple.org/faith-in-action/volunteer-events/mitzvah-day/	Public	April 6, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM	MD/DC	all ages	Undies for Everyone provides children living in poverty or crisis with new underwear. Volunteers come together to roll seven pairs of undies together in a baggie for each child so they have a week's worth of undies. We make enough undies to serve 360 children on Mitzvah Day. We partner with Martha's Table Outfitters to distributer the undies at their free neighbohood store.
Washington Hebrew Congregation	Making Turkey Sandwiches	https://www.whctemple.org/faith-in-action/volunteer-events/mitzvah-day/	Public	April 6, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM	DC	all ages	Volunteers come together to make 5000 turkey sandwiches for N Street Village, YWCA of the National Capital Area, Martha's Table and Friendship Place.
Washington Hebrew Congregation	Decorate Tissues Boxes for Seniors at Charles E. Smith Senior Center	https://www.whctemple.org/faith-in-action/volunteer-events/mitzvah-day/	Public	April 6, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM	MD/DC	all ages	Great projet for families with young children. Decorate tissue boxes for senior residents living at Charles E. Smith Communities.
Woodley House	Donation Drive for Woodley House Food Pantry	Ways to Give \| Woodley House	Public	Tuesdays, 1:00-2:30 PM	DC	all ages	Woodley House enables D.C. residents with mental health disorders to live full and healthy lives with dignity by providing supportive housing and services like food insecurity. Located in the Woodley Park neighborhood, our food pantry provides nutritious non-perishable items, meat, dairy, and fresh produce and household essentials like personal care items and cleaning supplies.
Yad Yehuda of Greater Washington	Capital Kosher Panty Collection		Public	Through April 3	MD	all ages	Household products and cleaning supplies

For more information, please contact us.

Congregation Har Shalom
Congregation Or Chadash
Edlavitch DC JCC
Gesher Jewish Day School
Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and Makom
JSSA
Kehilat Pardes – the Rock Creek Synagogue
Kol Shalom Talmud Torah
Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum
MAKOM

Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School of the Nation’s Capital
Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation
Oseh Shalom
Pozez JCC of Northern Virginia
Riderwood Jewish Community
Shaare Torah
Temple Emanuel
Tifereth Israel Congregation
Washington Hebrew Congregation
Woodley House
Yad Yehuda of Greater Washington

Federation’s Good Deeds Week is made possible by Drs. Ellen & Stuart Lessans, in loving memory of Sara & Samuel J. Lessans

Did you know? As a Greater Washington community member, you are part of the largest Good Deeds Day community partner in North America.

What is Good Deeds Day? Good Deeds Day is an annual, international celebration of Doing Good! Join more than two million volunteers around the world for this day of service. Roll up your sleeves and make an impact through a variety of hands-on volunteer projects.

What types of service projects can I take part in? Whether you want to dance the day away with senior citizens, prepare and serve lunch to the homeless, help unite dogs with their forever homes or even help clean up a local park, your perfect project awaits. Let’s show the international Jewish community Greater Washington’s passion for social action!

What’s the history behind Good Deeds Day? Businesswoman and philanthropist Shari Arison conceptualized the idea for Good Deeds Day, and launched it in 2007 by Ruach Tova (“Good Spirit” in Hebrew), the leading organization in the field of volunteering in Israel. Good Deeds Day celebrates the value and importance of giving back to the community we live in.

Learn more

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Need Support? Call 703-J-CARING: The Jewish Community Support Line
Call (703) J-CARING (703-522-7464) to connect with a professional ready to assist you. Serving residents of DC, MD, and Northern VA, support is available Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. All calls are confidential. Federation, JSSA, and our network of human service organizations are here for you.

Details

Start:: March 30, 2025
End:: April 6, 2025

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