WEST HARTFORD – The Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford has announced the winners of the agency’s second annual Federation Agency Innovation Awards.

They are:

– Jewish Family Services Kosher Food Pantry – A few years ago, the Jewish Family Services Kosher Food Pantry distributed 40 bags of groceries per month to families in need. This year, given the current economic crisis, a typical monthly volume is 500 bags; in April and May, the number of bags reached close to 700 per month.

– Association of Jewish Cemeteries – Federation oversees 28 Jewish cemeteries in Hartford. Under the guidance of Jeffrey Bergen, Henry Zachs, and Lisa Vaeth, the Federation Association of Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Hartford provides care and maintenance of cemeteries that were once affiliated with congregations or organizations that have since disbanded.

– Jewish Association for Community Living – The Jewish Association for Community Living (JCL) responds to the needs of persons with developmental disabilities and their families by providing support and services enhanced by Jewish tradition. JCL’s new Judaic programming initiative benefits not only the men and women with disabilities that the agency serves, but also those in the community who come into contact with the agency’s programs: e.g., families volunteering to lead Shabbat dinners in their homes, Yachad students helping to build group home sukkahs; youngsters visiting JCL residents.

– Going Green: Co-Generation Project – During the past year, both the Mandell Jewish Community Center and Hebrew Health Care of West Hartford took a proactive step in energy conservation with the installation of cost saving, “green” Combined Heat and Power projects. Also known as co-generation, the project is expected to save the agencies in excess of $100,000 each per year.

Photo: The Association of Jewish Cemeteries was among the agencies to receive this year’s Federation Agency Innovation Award from the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford. Receiving the award are (left to right): Dane Kostin, Lisa Vaeth, Henry Zachs, and Federation President Cathrine Fischer Schwartz.