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Mitzvah Day 2024
Join us at Jewish for Good for a day of meaningful connections and community impact on December 25. Mitzvah Day, our cherished annual day of service, is now in its 19th year!
This special day offers over 25 volunteer projects tailored for individuals and families, ensuring there's something for everyone. From beautifying local parks to crafting no-sew fleece blankets and assisting those in need, Mitzvah Day provides diverse opportunities to make a positive difference.
Whether you prefer spending time outdoors, or cooking and baking in the comfort of your home, there's a project that aligns with your interests. Our inclusive approach welcomes everyone to contribute in a way that feels right for them.
Can't make it in person on December 25? No problem! Explore our asynchronous projects and be part of Mitzvah Day at home, fitting into your schedule seamlessly.
Plus, this year we get a Mitzvakkah! December 25 is the first night of Hanukkah this year. Look out for ways to celebrate Hanukkah at Mitzvah Day and bring mitzvot into all eight nights of Hanukkah.
Volunteer registration open now
Turn your day off into a day on, doing good for our community.
Pre-registration is required. Volunteer sign-up opens on November 14 and closes on December 20, and some projects fill up quickly!
Before registering, see below for the list of projects. Note the different times, age restrictions, and associated costs.
Please be sure to enter the total number of people participating in your family/group, and list their names and kids’ ages in the comment box. You do not need a Sign Up Genius account.
Click the button above to:
Make a tax-deductible donation. (Most projects have supply costs, which are made possible by your donations.)
Order a t-shirt ($20 for short-sleeve with NEW Mitzvah Day design) by December 2. These can be picked up on December 23, 24, or 25.
All proceeds from t-shirt sales directly support Mitzvah Day project costs.
2024 PROJECT LIST
| 2024 Projects | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GET OUTSIDE | |||||
| Project Name | Location | Project Time | Project Description | Volunteer Ages | Cost |
| Chapel Hill Parks and Rec | Chapel Hill Parks TBD | 10-11am | Beautify local parks and public areas. | All ages - great for kids | Suggested donation $18/$36 per family |
| Crosswalk painting | Jewish community campus | 1:00-2:00pm | Retouch PRIDE cross walks on the Jewish Community Campus | 6+, note: spray paint exposure and parking lot setting | Suggested donation $18/$36 per family |
| Durham Parks and Rec | Durham Parks TBD | 10-11:30am | Beautify local parks and public areas. | All ages - great for kids | Suggested donation $18/$36 per family |
| Accessible Icon Painting | Durham Parks TBD | 10-11:30am | Paint or retouch the empowering Accessible Icon on parking spaces in local public spaces | 6+, note: spray paint exposure and parking lot setting | Suggested donation $18/$36 per family |
| Tree Planting with Durham County Sustainability Office and Keep Durham Beautiful | Durham location TBD | 2-3:30pm | Plant and mulch new trees. | Ages 12+ | Suggested donation $18/$36 per family |
| Beautify Jewish Campus | Jewish community campus | 10-11:30am | Work on the JCC and Lerner grounds and gardens | Ages 10+ | Suggested donation $18/$36 per family |
| COOK AND BAKE | |||||
| Project Name | Location | Project Time | Project Description | Volunteer Ages | Cost |
| Durham Rescue Mission | East Durham | 7:30-10am | Make and serve breakfast for 300 shelter residents. Food can be cooked on site or cooked at home and brought in. | Age 10+ | Cost of ingredients for dishes, $50-$100 |
| First responders | At your local police or fire station | Anytime | Deliver a home cooked dessert to on-duty firefighters or police officers at your local station. | All ages | Cost of ingredients for dishes, $20-$30 |
| Families Moving Forward - Baked treats | Bake at home, drop off at the J | Bake anytime, drop off at the J Dec 24 | Bake treats (no peanuts) for a family in shelter. | All ages | Cost of ingredients for dishes, $20-$30 |
| Ronald McDonald House Durham | Durham, near Duke | 8-11am | Cook and serve brunch for 60 family members of sick children. You must cook on site or bring sealed store-bought items, nothing home cooked. You will package dinner into individual to-go boxes for guests. Vaccination required. | Age 13+ | Cost of ingredients for dishes, $50-$100 |
| Soup Making | At home | Anytime | Put together dry soup mixes for clients at Urban Ministries' and Jewish for Good's food pantries. | All ages - great for kids | Cost of supplies, $75-$150 |
| Urban Ministries | Downtown Durham | 7-9am | Cook and serve breakfast to 150-200 guests at the shelter. Food can be cooked on site or cooked at home and brought in. | Age 12+ | Cost of ingredients for dishes, $50-$100 |
| SERVING VULNERABLE PEOPLE | |||||
| Project Name | Location | Project Time | Project Description | Volunteer Ages | Cost |
| Families Moving Forward gifts | Jewish community campus | 10-11am | Purchase games and toys for kids in shelter, meet at the J to wrap and make cards | Ages 6+ | Cost of gifts, $30-$50 |
| Caring House | Central Durham | 2-3:30pm | Deep clean and organize house for patients at Duke Cancer hospital, bring treats to leave for residents. | Ages 10+ | Suggested donation $18/$36 per family |
| NC Diaper Bank | Jewish community campus | 10-11:30am | Repackage diapers from diaper drive for families in need. | All ages | Suggested donation $18/$36 per family |
| Carol Woods | Northern Chapel Hill | 1-3pm | Visit and carol with residents. | All ages - great for kids | Suggested donation $18/$36 per family |
| Ronald McDonald House Chapel Hill | Southern Chapel Hill | 10-11am | Lead a craft project for family members of sick children. | Age 10+ | Suggested donation $18/$36 per family |
| Pettigrew Nursing Home | Central Durham | 10:30am-noon | Visit and carol with residents. | All ages - great for kids | Suggested donation $18/$36 per family |
| CARING FOR ANIMALS | |||||
| Project Name | Location | Project Time | Project Description | Volunteer Ages | Cost |
| Animal Protection Society | Central Durham | 10am-noon | Clean cages, take dogs for playtime, socialize with cats | All ages - great for kids | Suggested donation $18/$36 per family |
| Toys For Dogs | Jewish community campus | 10-11:30am | Make fleece dog toys to be delivered to local animal shelters. | All ages - great for kids | Suggested donation $18/$36 per family |
| MAKE THINGS FOR OTHERS | |||||
| Project Name | Location | Project Time | Project Description | Volunteer Ages | Cost |
| Blanket Durham/Linus project | Jewish community campus | 10-11am | Make no-sew fleece blankets to be delivered to Project Linus. | All ages | Suggested donation $18/$36 per family |
| Sibling Activty kits | At home | anytime | Make activity kits for siblings of hospitalized children through Ronald McDonald House. | All ages - great for kids | Cost of materials, $25-$75 |
| Greeting Card Making | At home OR Jewish community campus | 10-11am | Make greeting cards you can mail, or for us to send to our partner organizations. Designated for people with disabilities and their families and friends. | All ages and abilities | Suggested donation $18/$36 per family |
| Habitat for Humanity | Jewish community campus | 10-11am | Assemble Welcome Baskets for new Habitat participants. | All ages | Costs of materials, $50-$75 |
| Israel Center Letters to Lone Soldiers | At home | anytime | Write letters or make cards for lone soldiers serving in the IDF. | All ages | Cost of letter/card supplies, $5-$15 |
| Letters and Cards for Kibbutz Nir Oz | Jewish community campus | 10-11am | Write letters and cards to our sister community in Kibbutz Nir Oz, Israel | All ages | Suggested donation $18/$36 per family |
| Kindness kits | At home | Anytime | Put together kindness kits to keep in your car and share with people in need you see at intersections. | All ages - great for kids | Cost of supplies, $25-$50+ |
| PJ Library Mini Mitzvah Zone | Jewish community campus | 10-11:30am | Do a variety of fun, kid-friendly mitzvah projects designed to teach about Jewish values. | Families with kids 2-8 | Suggested donation $18/$36 per family |
FAQs
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Our community has come together for the past 19 years for a community-wide day of service. It’s a chance for people who are off work and school to do something meaningful with their time off that reflects the Jewish values of service and tzedakah.
Additionally, we are able to meet the needs of many of our partner organizations through volunteerism and donations of much-needed items.
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With 30 to choose from, there are projects that fit any interest! Look over the list and make sure the time, age minimums, and costs all suit your needs.
Believe it or not, we sometimes have more volunteers than volunteer opportunities, so please only sign up for one in-person project.
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This means you can do it on your own, any time that works for you.
In mid-December, you will get an email with detailed project instructions — including supplies, step-by-step directions, additional ideas if you are doing your project with kids, and information on how to deliver your completed project.
Some people do this on December 25, others do it in the days before Mitzvah Day. Some do it alone, others with friends, family, or neighbors.
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Many projects have limited space and supplies and to make it a good experience for those who pre-registered, so we ask you to pick another option
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The majority of our projects will be full when project registration closes on December 21, so we strongly recommend pre-registering. There may be a few limited options for walk-in volunteers.
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Many projects ask volunteers to purchase supplies directly. Those that do not, there is a $18/ person or $36/family suggested donation. These donations defray the costs of project supplies we purchase and other program expenses. These donations are appreciated but optional - if you are not able to donate, your volunteer time is still valued!
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Each outdoor project may have its own plan for inclement weather, which will be communicated by your Project Team Leader, but, in general, projects will continue as normal even in cold or rainy weather.
If there is a safety issue and the project cannot happen, your Project Team Leader will let you know if there is a make up date.
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Great! Each in-person project has a Project Team Leader coordinating the details. They will email you in mid-December with details of where to go, what to bring or wear, inclement weather plans, etc.
In the meantime, please consider buying a shirt or making a donation to help cover the costs of this meaningful event!