Volunteers from veteran organizations — and one newcomer — will shape this year's Mitzvah Day, sponsored by the Jewish Community Center of Western Monmouth County in Manalapan. More than 400 community members from across the county are expected to take part in the seventh annual "day of caring" on Sunday, Oct. 28.

Shelley Feingold of Marlboro, operations and outreach director of the Western Monmouth JCC, has been coordinating the event since its inception in 2000 and will serve as coordinator again this year. Mitzvah Day volunteers will spread throughout Monmouth County from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., collecting donated items for those in need.

Joining the 20-plus participating organizations for the first time this year is the Jewish Agency for Israel's Making the Grade Program, said Feingold. Located at Congregation Ahavat Achim in Howell, the program will accept cash donations that JAFI will use for the purchase of school supplies for Israeli children.

"During the 2006-07 academic year, more than 16,000 Israeli students went back to school with a smile as a result of their Making the Grade gifts," said Feingold. "The program ensures that Israel's less fortunate children are able to start the school year equipped for success."

Each year, Feingold said, a new collection effort is added to the Mitzvah Day activities, and JAFI's Making the Grade Program fit in perfectly with the day's mission.

"For the past three years, JAFI has distributed these back-to-school gifts for thousands of Israeli children," said Feingold. "The children are issued gift certificates that enable them to choose their own backpacks, school bags, and a variety of other school supplies. By structuring the program in this way, JAFI ensures that the students are very much a part of the educational process. It's been a great source of incentive for these children."

Mitzvah Day will continue collection activities that have proven successful in recent years, according to Feingold. Blood drive locations include Temple Beth Ahm in Aberdeen, Temple Rodeph Torah in Marlboro, and Temple Beth Torah in Ocean; Monmouth Reform Temple in Tinton Falls and Beth Ahm will provide Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation information booklets.

Drop-off locations for the Mitzvah Day clothing drive are Ahavat Achim, Beth Ahm, Monmouth Reform Temple, Ohev Shalom-Marlboro Jewish Center, the Ruth Hyman JCC in Deal, and Congregation Sons of Israel and Temple Beth Shalom, both in Manalapan. The collected items will be distributed to local nonprofit agencies.

The day's toy drive will benefit the Emmanuel Children's Cancer Foundation in Neptune, the Boys and Girls Club of Monmouth County, Matawan United Methodist Church, and Jewish Family and Children's Service of Greater Monmouth County. New or "gently used" books, board games, videos, and video games may be dropped off at Monmouth Reform Temple, Temple Beth Ahm, the Ruth Hyman JCC, and the Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Monmouth County in Marlboro.

Mitzvah Day volunteers will be accepting nonperishable food items at the Marlboro Jewish Center's Chai Building, Young Israel in Aberdeen, and Temple Beth Miriam in Elberon.

Volunteers will also be stationed at the following supermarkets: A&P in East Brunswick; Foodtown in Oakhurst and Red Bank; ShopRite in Aberdeen, Marlboro, Freehold, Neptune, and West Long Branch; and Super Stop & Shop in Aberdeen. The food items will be donated to the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties and JF&CS.

Comfort packages containing travel-size personal health and beauty items for American military forces stationed in Iraq will be collected at Ahavat Achim, Beth Torah, and Rodeph Torah. A detailed list of collectible items is posted on-line.

The generosity of volunteers and donors has been responsible for Mitzvah Day's past successes and will ensure a similar outcome this year, Feingold said.

"The volunteers do an incredible amount of hard work," she said. "The planning process is actually the easy part — the hard work is getting people to come out as donors and participants. And that's what our volunteers do so well. The only requirements are a willingness to give of yourself and the desire to make an impact upon our community. And as past years have shown, Monmouth County's Jewish community is a very, very caring place."

Other participating organizations that Mitzvah Day volunteers are associated with are JF&CS, the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization of New Jersey, Congregation B'nai Israel in Rumson, Congregation Brothers of Israel in Long Branch, Congregation Kol Am in Freehold, Freehold Jewish Center, Temple Shalom in Aberdeen, Temple Beth El in Oakhurst; and the Joint Chaplaincy of the Jewish Federation of Greater Monmouth County in Deal.

Additional information about Mitzvah Day activities and collection times is available from the Western Monmouth JCC or 732-683-9300.