Ross Pearlman, JFS Orlando Pearlman Emergency Food Pantry Volunteer
For Ross, grandson to David and Audrey Pearlman for whom the Pearlman Emergency Food Pantry is named, supporting JFS Orlando is a family tradition.
Born and raised in Orlando, Ross has always been involved at JFS. “I started volunteering at birth because my grandparents loved JFS dearly.” To this day he has continued their legacy by having a generous heart for his community. “I love contributing to help people in need and seeing how the food impacts their lives.” He loves volunteering at JFS because “you can clearly see how you are making a difference.”
Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ross has continued to help. The Pantry continues to provide food to the hungry, some days even feeding 4x the average amount of households it used to serve before the pandemic. Ross volunteered to help Program Coordinator, Audrey Cohen, who has been managing food distribution almost single-handedly over the last several months. “I volunteer every Wednesday to help process the Second Harvest order that is delivered.” Helping during these times has been even more meaningful because he sees how “the employees care so much about the people they are helping. It’s awe inspiring to see them put their lives on the line for them during this pandemic.”
Thank you, Ross, for always being a part of the JFS family and for stepping in during these tough times. We all appreciate it, especially Audrey and of course the thousands of families we serve!
Interested in helping your community by volunteering with JFS? Roles include helping out in the Pantry and behind-the-scenes office assistance. Although due to the pandemic volunteering at JFS Orlando is currently on hold, you can still begin your application for when the program re-opens by contacting us at 407-644-7593 ext. 249 or Audrey.Cohen@JFSorlando.org.