About Maot Chitim
From Generation to Generation
The Mission of Maot Chitim of Greater Chicago is to provide meaningful opportunities, through the delivery of food and other necessities, to help those in need celebrate Jewish life with dignity and joy.
Maot Chitim provides opportunities for more than 1,000 people at Passover and Rosh Hashanah to volunteer their time and love to make the boxes, pack food into the boxes, and deliver food boxes to recipients. Maot Chitim also provides opportunities each week to help pack and deliver Shabbat meals.
Maot Chitim unites the Jewish community by bringing together Jewish volunteers from Chicago and the Chicago suburbs, Jews of all ages, Jewish individuals and Jewish families, Jews with all different levels of Jewish observance and Jews from many socio-economic backgrounds.
Students from Jewish schools, youth groups and religious schools throughout Chicagoland volunteer to help pack and deliver food boxes.
Learn more about our dedicated Staff and Board Members.
Our History
1908
Since 1908, Maot Chitim of Greater Chicago has enabled thousands of needy Jewish individuals to experience the Passover holiday in a traditional and dignified manner.
In the beginnning-
Rabbis used to set up tables in front of the Synagogues about two weeks before Passover and distribute money to Chicago’s Jewish poor to buy matzo and other holiday foods.
Mid 1900s
Maot Chitim transitioned to purchase food wholesale, thereby serving more people. Food boxes were packed according to the number of family members. Deliveries increased from 150 to 400 families.
Economic conditions, increases in the elderly population and the immigration of Jews from the former Soviet Union caused the number of recipient families to dramatically increase.
1990s
In 1994, 3,500 packages were being delivered for Passover. In 1997, Maot Chitim was given a grant to include Rosh Hashanah deliveries. At that time, we delivered Passover Food to approximately 4,800 families. The increasing need continued with families needing food for both holidays.
2000s
We also supported the Chabads and Hillels throughout the state, residents of shelter houses, halfway houses, and institutions, and provided bulk shipments of food to food pantries for the needy.
2020 and beyond
During Covid, we continued to provide food and services while adjusting our programs to meet the challenges of that time (recipients received grocery gift cards in lieu of food)
We updated our Passover and Rosh Hashanah delivery day processes to serve more people and track recipient needs.
We started working with Bubby Fira to help deliver Shabbat meals to more than 200 people each Shabbat.
We secured new funding to expand our Shabbot delivery program.
MAKE A BIG IMPACT
Maot Chitim of Greater Chicago provides food and programs to help individuals and families in the Jewish community celebrate holidays and traditions.
“I had everything I needed to make holidays festive and joyful, thanks to you” – Lilya, age 85
PEOPLE
helping people
A new event is around the corner. The past few years have been very difficult for everyone. We need your help to bring food to those families and individuals that are struggling with food insecurity during the holidays. There is nothing more rewarding than helping others. We invite you and your family to deliver food to Holocaust survivors, senior citizens, and families who wish to celebrate the holidays with dignity.