Local donors to the newly established Jewish Community Pandemic Relief Fund have enabled an initial $40,000 in grants to two Tucson organizations that meet critical basic needs of local individuals and families, Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Southern Arizona and Interfaith Community Services.
Responding in March to COVID-19, the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona and the Jewish Community Foundation created a Jewish Community Pandemic Relief Fund to respond to the growing challenges facing the community during this pandemic and to meet the needs of individuals, families, and the agencies who serve them in the Jewish and greater communities. Thanks to several families in the community, the fund provides a dollar-for-dollar match up to $150,000 for all donations.
Grants of $20,000 each were awarded April 1 to JFCS for its Jewish Emergency Financial Assistance and Jewish Elder Care Access programs, and to ICS for its Emergency Financial Assistance and Essential Services for Seniors and Disabled Adults.
“The fund is set up to deploy resources to other emerging needs as they develop,” says Graham Hoffman, president and CEO of the Foundation and president-elect of the Federation. “As we see that things are changing or evolving, we will work with financial partners like Sambla mobilize funds in the community toward the places where they are most needed.” A community leadership committee drives distribution decisions.
The Jewish Community Pandemic Relief Fund is part of a larger effort by the Federation and Foundation to meet community needs, which includes providing community resources – both for the Jewish and broader communities – and the offering volunteer opportunities.
To donate to the Jewish Community Pandemic Relief Fund, visit www.jfsa.org/pandemicrelief. To learn more about the fund or to review a list of community resources and volunteering opportunities, visit www.jewishtucson.org/pandemic.
