(DENVER) — More than 500 volunteers are registered for the 26^th annual JEWISHcolorado Christmas Mitzvah Project, designed to support community organizations and agencies, enabling staff and regular volunteers to spend time with their family and friends for the Christmas holiday.

Volunteers can sign up for in-person volunteer shifts at several Front Range locations from December 19 through 25. Volunteers are needed at food banks in Denver, Ft. Collins, and Loveland; at Habitat for Humanity; at a senior living center; at Newborns in Need; Wee Cycle;  Zuma Rescue Ranch; A Precious Child, Colorado Pet Pantry, and the Delores Project. One person signed up her son’s entire soccer team and the team coach to volunteer at Food Bank of the Rockies on December 23 as part of this project.

In response to the pandemic, volunteers may also make distribution kits for, animal welfare kits, respite kits for frontline service workers and kits for those experiencing homelessness and social isolation.

The work on Christmas Mitzvah embodies the Jewish value of chesed, or loving kindness, especially for those who are disadvantaged or vulnerable.

“Kindness is often thought of as synonymous with niceness, but chesed is much deeper than this, for chesed is an act of kindness that has neither ulterior motive nor expectation of reward for the doer. It is kindness for kindness’ sake.”

– Susan Chayet, with JEWISHcolorado and organizer of this year’s project.

Project sponsors include: The Chotin Foundation, Chayet & Danzo, LLC, the Leon and Lillian Ramo Charitable Fund.

Registration and additional information can be found here:  https://www.jewishcolorado.org/christmas-mitzvah-project/