Cleveland Kosher Food Pantry will hold its annual Volunteer Appreciation Celebration at 7:30 p.m. June 17 at Waxman Chabad Center at 2479 S. Green Road in Beachwood.

This year’s Rivka Goldstein Volunteer of the Year Award will be presented to two long-time volunteers – Beachwood resident Marcia Arons and University Heights resident Meryl Kaplan. They are being honored for their weekly participation in helping to prepare food packages for the pantry’s weekly drive-thru food distributions, according to a news release. The award is named for the previous pantry managing director Rivka Goldstein.

“We have so much to celebrate, despite it being such a difficult year for the Jewish community,” Sarah Yaffe Alevsky, director of the food pantry, said in the release. “This year, we looked for more ways to connect to one another, and serve our neighbors.”

Pantry manager Tami Witkes said in the release that Arons and Kaplan are at the pantry twice a week, “rain or shine,” regularly over the last five years to help pack pantry bags.

“They are a constant presence at KFP, and their cheerfulness, compassion and joy in helping others is infectious,” she said. “We are thrilled to honor these two outstanding volunteers this year.”

A short program will follow the dessert reception. RSVPs for the celebration are required and can be submitted by emailing [email protected] or by calling the KFP office at 216-382-7202.