Four organizations awarded funds to assist those in need
DEBRA MORTON GELBART
Contributing Writer
Four local organizations that provide assistance to Jewish individuals and families struggling to meet basic needs have received a total of $50,000 in grants from the Jewish Community Foundation (JCF).
The Helping Hands Program of Jewish Family & Children's Service, which offers short-term financial assistance to Jewish individuals and families experiencing financial hardship, has been awarded $20,000. Jewish Free Loan's Tzedakah Fund, which provides emergency interest-free loans for Jews who need help paying for rent, utilities, medical bills or other basic necessities, also received $20,000.
The Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center in Scottsdale and the Barness Family Jewish Community Center in Chandler each received $5,000 to support early childhood education scholarships to families experiencing financial hardship.
"These scholarships will assist families for whom full-time care of a preschool-age child is essential to maintaining gainful employment," according to an announcement from JCF about the grants.
"I can't tell you how many parents have come to me in the last two months who have lost their job," said Joanie Charnow, the director of early childhood education at the VOSJCC. "They don't want to pull their kids out of school, but they've been afraid they might have to. This grant will make a big difference for these families. Now parents who have come upon hard times won't have to worry as much."
"We really applaud the foundation's staff and volunteers for their foresight in looking out for the future of the Jewish community," said Steve Tepper, executive director of the Barness Family JCC.
"The foundation is doing a very nice job of raising extra money in this time of economic uncertainty," said Moises Paz, president of the VOSJCC. "This grant is truly a godsend for us, and we appreciate it tremendously."
In January, the foundation established a two-phase Economic Crisis Response Program to provide $100,000 in special funding to organizations that offer direct stopgap and safety-net services to Jewish people in Greater Phoenix. With the announcement of these first four grants, half of the available funds have now been distributed on a fast-track basis through the first phase of the program.
Phase two, which the foundation hopes to complete by the end of the year, will provide an additional $50,000 and primarily focus on "the creation or expansion of existing programs to help members of the local Jewish community facing significant financial challenges," said Ellen Sacks, director of grants and communications for the foundation.
In the meantime, the funds just distributed will help many more people coping with hardship. "We're so relieved and happy that we've been given this grant," said Kathy Rood, Jewish and geriatric programs manager for JFCS.
In November, both the Helping Hands program of JFCS and Jewish Free Loan's Tzedakah Fund said they were rapidly running out of money for the current fiscal year (JFL's fiscal year ends May 31, while JFCS' ends June 30). In December, each program received a special $7,500 allocation from the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix to help meet the growing needs of those facing financial hardship.
On average, Helping Hands and the Tzedakah Fund each provide $500 to a person or family struggling to meet basic needs. The additional $20,000 from the foundation will allow each of the programs to provide up to $1,000 to each family requesting assistance. "This grant makes it easier for us to fulfill what our program is all about," Rood said.
"We are very humbled to be given the responsibility for helping the community in this way," said Tina Sheinbein, JFL executive director. "We're grateful to the foundation and to the donors who have made this process possible. We're very anxious to get the funds out to as many members of the community who are of need as we can."
"I'm sad that we're at a stage where such great needs exist, but I'm thrilled that we can help," said Steve Geringer, the JCF board president. "I'm hoping this will inspire more people, individually or as a group, to do their part as well, giving whatever they can. This is a time when every little bit helps. Many in the Jewish community have never faced anything like this before. Those in need aren't asking for a lot of help, they just need a little bit of help. Whatever people can give could really be a lifesaver for other people."
"It would have been unconscionable for our foundation to fail to recognize the tremendous financial stress and suffering that our fellow Jews are enduring from the economic tsunami that has washed away so many jobs and family assets," Stu Turgel, the foundation's president, said in the foundation's announcement of the grants. "Our hearts have certainly gone out to those among us in dire need. Now as our funds go out to them, too, we pray that the families helped by these grants will soon recover from the devastation of this deep recession."
Grant recipients
Helping Hands Program of Jewish Family & Children's Service: $20,000
Jewish Free Loan'sTzedakah Fund: $20,000
Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center: $5,000
Barness Family Jewish Community Center: $5,000
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