Dignity Grows Packs 500 Bags for Women in Need
May 23, 2023
Last Sunday, San Antonio’s Dignity Grows Chapter had its first packing party with the Young Adult Division.
Anna Schragin, the Jewish Federation of San Antonio’s Development Specialist, was selected for the Catalyst Fellowship in the fall of 2022 and chose Dignity Grows as her project. The Catalyst is a new Jewish professional development initiative for Federation employees focused on next-gen engagement. This fellowship was formed through a partnership between Repair the World and JFNA and brought together professionals from 12 different Federations to design programs that focused on volunteerism and Jewish learning. In November, Anna attended JFNA’s General Assembly to meet the other fellows, and over the past nine months, her cohort regularly met as they planned their community projects.
Anna selected Dignity Grows, a program started at Greater Hartford Jewish Federation, which helps combat period poverty by providing necessary hygiene products to women in need. She secured two beneficiaries in the community, the Center for Refugee Services and the University of the Incarnate Word Cardinals’ Cupboard Food Pantry, to each receive 250 of the 500 bags.
At the packing party, over 20 young adults came together to learn about the beneficiaries and gain Jewish wisdom over breakfast tacos and mimosas. Volunteers then proceeded to pack 500 bags filled with products such as soap, deodorant, sanitary napkins, shampoo, a toothbrush, and toothpaste.
Thank you to everyone who volunteered, and a special thank you to the Dignity Grows Committee (Jeff, Mayra, Carla, Michael, Anna, and Omri) for helping plan and set up!
Stay tuned for the next packing party!