Make a Donation to Community Closet in Honor of
Laurie Gross
Laurie Gross has held the position of Director of Community Relations and Israel Advocacy for the Jewish Federation of Eastern Fairfield County since 1992.
During her 20 year tenure with the Federation, she has also had responsibilities for the Women’s Campaign, the Young Leadership Program, The Institute for Learning, the Annual Community Chanukah Candle Lighting, the Annual Yom Hashoah (Holocaust) Memorial Program, and other special events including Jewish Book Fairs, Walk for Israel, Israel rallies, and educational speakers.
Laurie has also served as the supervisor and grant writer for the Federation’s Community Closet, a community clothing bank currently housed at Family Services Woodfield. Started in 1991 by a group of dedicated volunteer leaders of the Jewish Federation, the Community Closet has grown into a full time, professionally staffed department taking over the full lower level space at FSW.
In her role as Director of Community Relations for the Federation, and in pursuing her personal interests in tikkun olam (repairing the world), Laurie is actively involved in interfaith dialogue and outreach, and has staffed the Black/Jewish Alliance, the Council of Presidents, and the Conference of Women’s Organizations. She created the Tent of Abraham, a committee of Christians, Muslims, and Jews, whose mission is greater inter-group understanding through programming and dialogue. In 1999, Laurie received a Community Service Award from the Al-Aziz Islamic Center, and in 2009, she received an award from the Greater Bridgeport NAACP. Laurie has planned and staffed the Community Missions to Israel. She currently serves as the Secretary of the Board of ABCD, Bridgeport’s largest anti-poverty agency. She served on a Community Board of the United Way of Coastal Fairfield County, and chaired its Regional Council for the Homeless. Laurie was a member of the Greater Bridgeport Continuum of Care, the public information task force of the Mayor’s 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness, and serves on the Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition’s Public Policy Task Force, and the Bridgeport Public Education Mini-Grants Committee. She chairs the Greater Bridgeport FEMA Board, and works with the Greater Bridgeport Council of Churches’ Bridge Building Initiative. Laurie is actively involved in both the Town of Fairfield and the Connecticut State Holocaust Program Committees.
In recognition of her retirement as Director of Community Relations, Laurie has asked that any donations in her honor be directed to the Jewish Federation’s, Community Closet.
Donate Online – Click Here to Make a Secure Online Donation |
Donate By Phone – Contact Linda Epstein at (203) 372-6567 ext. 175 or linda@jccs.org. |
Donate By Mail – Mail Contributions to UJA – Federation-Community Closet, C/O Linda Epstein, 4200 Park Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06604 |
Live Generously. It Does a World of Good.
