Jewish Communal Fund Announces $1 Million in Emergency Coronavirus Response Grants

NEW YORK, April 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Jewish Communal Fund (JCF), the largest and most active Jewish donor advised fund in the country, acted quickly to approve emergency coronavirus-related grants totaling $1 million through its endowment, the JCF Special Gifts Fund.

This injection of funding will be earmarked for food delivery for low-income New Yorkers, cash assistance and social services for single parents and Holocaust survivors, and thousands of Passover meals to go.

The JCF Special Gifts Fund Committee selected the grantee charities with the assistance of UJA-Federation of New York, which is serving at the forefront of coronavirus (COVID-19) emergency response efforts and has already pledged $34 million to help respond to the physical, mental and financial needs resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.

"It's our privilege and responsibility to step up and provide immediate support to vulnerable members of our community to weather this storm, including those facing food insecurity and elderly Holocaust survivors," said Daniel Blaser, Chair of Jewish Communal Fund's Charitable Distribution/Special Gifts Fund Committee. "We're grateful to our community of Fundholders who, in giving through JCF, have enabled JCF to act quickly and make these significant grants from its endowment with the help and expertise of our friends at UJA."

Since 1999, the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Communal Fund has granted more than $19 million to support programs that promote the welfare and security of the Jewish community at home and abroad.

The latest JCF Special Gifts Fund Grantees include:

• $500,000 to the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty to provide emergency food delivery for low-income seniors

Thanks to JCF's support, over 6,000 seniors who previously relied on food pantries and senior centers—as well as those newly in need—will receive 40 pounds of food delivered over the next three months.

• $250,000 to UJA-Federation of New York's Community Initiative for Holocaust Survivors to provide critical services for Holocaust Survivors

JCF's support will help provide a range of services for elderly Holocaust Survivors, including emergency food deliveries, mental health resources, and transportation for home health aides.

• $150,000 to the UJA-Federation of New York to provide thousands of Passover Seder Meals to Go

With the canceling of free and highly subsidized communal seders due to coronavirus, many people who are newly financially vulnerable due to job or income loss, as well as those who rely on communal seders, are facing the financial stress of purchasing Passover food and making their own seder. JCF's grant will cover the cost of thousands of free seder meals.

• $50,000 to UJA-Federation of New York's Single Parent Initiative to provide emergency cash assistance for single parents

Job loss can be particularly devastating in single-parent households. JCF's funding will provide emergency cash assistance of up to $1,500 for single parents affiliated with six JCC's that serve this population.

• $50,000 to Dorot's University Without Walls which connects seniors to educational programs using their telephone

JCF's grant will help hundreds of seniors, many of whom are isolated at home due to coronavirus, to connect to educational programs on a variety of topics by phone.  

Jewish Communal Fund is one of the largest networks of Jewish funders, managing $2 billion in charitable assets for more than 4,100 donor advised funds. JCF's donor advised funds make giving easy, flexible and efficient. Learn more about JCF by visiting www.jcfny.org. Visit JCF on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

MEDIA CONTACT: 
Tamar Snyder     
[email protected]  
212-752-8277

SOURCE Jewish Communal Fund

Related Links

http://www.jcfny.org

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