More than 30 years ago, Vancouver community leader and volunteer Norman Franks recognized a simple but urgent need: ensuring no one in our community would go without food. Inspired by a hunger-relief initiative in the United States, he approached local rabbis and then Irving Sirlin, owner of Bulldog Bags, who immediately donated the bags needed to launch Vancouver’s first Project Isaiah food drive.
That partnership continues today. Bulldog Bags, now led by Frank Sirlin, still provides the iconic bags each year, while Project Isaiah has grown into what is now Jewish Family Services’ Grocery Program—helping individuals and families put food on the table with dignity.
For many, that support is especially meaningful during the High Holidays, when food is so deeply connected to tradition, family and belonging. One JFS client described the grocery program as a "God-send” during a time when rising costs and changing dietary needs had made life increasingly difficult.
Another client received an emergency grocery order just before Rosh Hashanah, when she had “no plans” for the holiday. Combining the donated food and what she had at home, she created a special dinner for herself and her daughter and even shared a plate with an elderly neighbour. What could have been a difficult holiday became, in her words, “an unforgettable memory.”
That is the enduring spirit of Project Isaiah: not simply providing food, but helping people experience the dignity, connection and joy of celebrating Jewish holidays.
And sometimes, the greatest measure of success is when a family no longer needs to receive. Recently, one family that had relied on JFS food deliveries for several years asked to end their deliveries “so that it may be extended to another family in need.”
As we enter the High Holiday season - a time of reflection, generosity and caring for one another - Project Isaiah reminds us that even a simple bag of groceries can carry something much greater: the promise that no one in our community should be left behind.
This year, JFS will be collecting food and monetary donations for Project Isaiah from September 10–23.
Join us in ensuring everyone can celebrate Rosh Hashanah and the High Holidays with dignity, nourishment and hope.