On Feb. 7, more than 70 young Jewish professionals in their 20’s and 30’s volunteered at Foodshare as they took part in the “JewGood Hartford, Young Professionals Connecting Through Philanthropy” kick-off event. In addition to sorting food, those in attendance toured the facility and learned more about Foodshare, while spending time in a fun, informal social setting.

JewGood Hartford is a giving circle launched by the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford. A giving circle is a form of participatory philanthropy where like-minded individuals donate their money to a pooled fund and decide where to award grants. In the process, they learn about charities and causes, explore philanthropy, and have the opportunity to socialize and connect with others.

“We understand the needs in Greater Hartford are many, so this will be on-going. Next year the JewGood process will begin again, with a new crop of grant applications, and a new host of opportunities to learn, volunteer, and socialize,” says Erin Rickel, a production assistant at ESPN and member of the JewGood Steering Committee, at the JewGood kick-off.

For more information, visit www.jcfhartford.org.