MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Jewish community is preparing for this year’s Community Passover Food Drive, an annual effort known as Maot Chittim that provides Passover food to local households in need. The drive will run March 8-24, with distribution set for March 29.
Matzah is the only food item being collected this year, organizers said. All donated matzah must be kosher for Passover and dated 2026. Collection bins will be available at several sites across the community, including synagogues, schools, and Jewish organizations. Participating locations include Chabad of the East Side, Congregation Anshai Lebowitz, Congregation Beth Israel Ner Tamid, Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun, Congregation Shalom, Congregation Sinai, the Harry and Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, Hillel Milwaukee, Jewish Family Services, Milwaukee Jewish Day School, the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, and Yeshiva Elementary.
Last year, volunteers gave hundreds of food bags to recipients from throughout the Milwaukee area. Every packed bag was gifted to a grateful community member, according to organizers. The drive is supported each year by volunteers who help sort donations, pack bags, and assist with distribution.
This year’s distribution will take place on March 29 from 10 a.m. to noon at three locations. Recipients must pre-register and choose a pickup site. Pickups are available at the Harry and Rose Samson Family JCC in Whitefish Bay, Jewish Family Services on North Jackson Street, and the Jewish Community Food Pantry on West Center Street. No deliveries are planned. The last day to request food is March 25.
Passover food bags will include traditional holiday items such as kosher chicken, matzah, grape juice, matzah ball soup mix, gefilte fish, horseradish, and candles. These items are selected to help households observe the holiday and prepare festive meals.
Volunteers can assist with packing and distribution. Bag packing is scheduled for March 27 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Jewish Community Pantry. Additional volunteer shifts are available on March 29 at all three distribution sites. Drivers are needed, and families are welcome to participate. Shifts run from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the Jewish Community Pantry and from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Jewish Family Services and the JCC.
The Community Passover Food Drive also accepts monetary donations that help fund the program. Checks may be mailed to Tikkun Ha-Ir, which partners in the effort, at P.O. Box 090287, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53209. Donations support purchasing food and covering logistical costs associated with the holiday distribution.
Organizers note that the drive is part of a long-standing tradition in the Jewish community to support neighbors during Passover. The initiative aligns with the value of helping ensure that all households can participate in the holiday. More information, including registration links and donation options, is available at MilwaukeeJewish.org/PassoverFoodDrive
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