Local car enthusiasts visit Jewish Family Services food pantry
By Melody Cook
Nearly 20 small cars cruised into the parking lot of Jewish Family Services in Kansas City, Missouri, on Sunday, with jars of peanut butter in tow. The KC MINI Enthusiasts group was formed in 2004 around one common love — MINI Coopers. The group also has a love for serving the community, said Johnna Perry, a member of KC MINI Enthusiasts.
“I don’t think you’ll meet bigger-hearted people than in the MINI Cooper community,” Perry said.
Perry said the group often contributes to local non-profit organizations such as KC Pet Project and Harvesters. This week, it heard about Jewish Family Service’s February goal to collect 2,000 jars of peanut butter and other spreadable sandwich fixings.
Food pantry organizer Jo Hickey wittily named the initiative “Spread the Love” as a nod to Valentine’s Day. There are several reasons Hickey keeps the pantry's shelves stocked with peanut butter, she said.
“It’s a shelf- stable, family-friendly source of nutrition for a wide variety of populations,” she said. “It’s also very familiar for a lot of people.”
Hickey said it was fun to have the drivers visit the food pantry on their “joyride.” JFS serves everyone, regardless of factors like religion, race or income, Hickey said.
“Mitzvah,” she said, “means helping others. And that is what you’re called to do in Judaism.”
KC MINI Enthusiasts member Seth Weaver said his group is all about helping others.
“Everyone is here to help others,” he said. “It is just a good group of people who may not have met if it wasn’t for these quirky little cars.”