Since 1908, the Maot Chitim of Greater Chicago has enabled thousands of Jewish needy people to experience the Passover holiday in a traditional and dignified manner, and more recently Rosh Hashanah.  

Before Maot Chitim began its work, the practice in Chicago was for Rabbis to set up tables in front of the Synagogues about two weeks before Passover and distribute money to the needy to help. Chicago's Jewish poor would then use this money to buy matzohs and prepare for the holiday. Some visited several synagogues and received help from multiple rabbis. Many were too embarrassed to visit even one.

It was this unfairness, caused by modesty or overzealousness depending on the case, which drew the attention of John Balaban, the father of the Balaban-Katz group of theaters. He felt that it was degrading to distribute money in public lines.

As the first president of Maot Chitim, Balaban established a $5,000 fund which was to be distributed to individual homes as well as to synagogues. This method was continued by Committee's second president, Nathan Bolotin.

The distribution of food instead of money began under Samuel Palmer, Maot Chitim's third president. Food was purchased wholesale, thereby allowing the money to go farther and serve more people. At that time, 150 families were receiving deliveries.

Distribution methods were streamlined by Myron Weinstein, the fourth president. Food boxes began to be packed according to the number of family members rather than by name. Deliveries increased to 400 families.

When Zvi Kurs, the fifth president, took office in 1972, 500 families were receiving Passover packages. 

Economic conditions and increases in the elderly population and the immigration of Jews from the former Soviet Union caused the number of recipient families to increase dramatically in the early 1980's.

By 1994, 3,500 packages were being delivered for Pesach. 

Milton Fields, a past president,  took office in 1995. In 1997 Maot Chitim began to include Rosh Hashanah deliveries to 1/3 of our recipients.  In 2002 he saw almost 4,800 families receive Pesach food deliveries.  The increasing need continued through 2003, 2004, and in 2005 we provided over 4,800 families with Pesach food and expanded our Rosh Hashanah deliveries to include the same number of recipients for Rosh Hashanah as we delivered for Peseach.  Also, we support the Chicago Chesed Fund, Rabbi Unger's food co-op, F.R.E.E. of Chicago and Niles and the Bnai Reuven Special Food Fund. We also provide bulk shipments of food to pantries for the needy, Senior Seders, Jewish prisoners in Illinois prisons, Hillel and Chabad houses throughout the state, residents of shelter houses and halfways houses, and institutions.

A model seder and Hanukkah party for Jewish residents with special needs and their families is held at Misericordia and is one of the many services that Maot Chitim provides to Chicago's Jewish needy.