The mission of this program is to help Mount Zion Temple members in their moments of need. We reach out with an extra helping hand for members experiencing challenges with injury, sickness, mental health, grief, or other life stressors.

We provide meals, rides, visitors, and shiva support.

Mount Zion Cares!

How can I get help?

If you are a member of Mount Zion, ask the clergy, staff, or the Caring Community Team Lead by email.

How can I volunteer?

Fill out this form to let us know how you’d like to be involved.

Is this help confidential?

It can be. Usually at least one or two lead people in the program must know about it to coordinate delivery of food or transportation. Many people who have used this program have been willing to share their stories.

Personal Stories

From someone who has helped and… been helped!

(Reprinted with permission)

One day a Mount Zion congregant went in for a routine mammogram and within a few hours had a biopsy and was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her surgery was 2 weeks later. She urges all women to keep up with their mammograms. She was contacted by the Caring Community before surgery but declined any immediate help. Six weeks after surgery, after relatives were gone, she and her family accepted help with meals.

Here’s what Sylvia says about this difficult and rewarding experience:

“Being both a volunteer in and a recipient of the Caring Community is an honor and a privilege. I feel that it is such a worthwhile volunteer opportunity to offer a small gesture of support to a family in need. It turns out that being on the receiving end of things is equally an honor and a privilege.

Such a tremendous burden was lifted off of me while I endured both physical and emotional challenges. To know that most evening meals were willingly and lovingly prepared by temple members, some of whom know nothing more about me beyond the fact that we were in need of some assistance, amazed me.

My husband also felt grateful and at times overwhelmed by the generosity of others toward our family. He is the one who didn’t want to ask for help. I knew things would become difficult for him to manage as time went on, so I told him we needed to ask for help and I also told him that many people are happy to help. He now realizes and understands the importance of help. It made for less stressful evenings at home.

My boys were young and perhaps didn’t realize what was going on exactly, but they do now understand why I sometimes make a meal or two for someone who is sick or simply in need. It is a true lesson for the boys, seeing the kindness of others, when we need it the most.

No one should ever be afraid to ask for help. There is so much help out there, if we simply reach out to one another….”

Anonymous
From someone who has helped…

“I’d like to thank Mount Zion for the opportunity to help a neighbor, a friend and a fellow congregant. We will keep her family in our prayers. I am honored to be a part of such a large loving and caring community.

In this time when so many natural and unnatural catastrophic events surge to tear us apart, I am buoyed by this wonderful outpouring of our Congregation to keep us bound together.”