It is America’s largest Jewish charity and communal social-service network – with ten different divisions in New York City – working together with local community councils to protect and help the disadvantaged and needy in the Jewish community (and beyond).
And under David Greenfield, who has been CEO since the beginning of 2018, the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty (usually shortened to Met Council) has expanded into new areas of assistance to, as the organization says, feed the hungry and serve the poor.
For example, last year, a digital food pantry was implemented. “It’s like FreshDirect for food pantries,” Greenfield, a former New York City councilman, told The Jewish Press. In 2018, the program was on six different sites and he hopes to include an additional five sites within the first six months of 2019. A $2 million project, it is being funded by UJA-Federation and operated by the Met Council.
The two organizations are primary partners in a $35 million anti-poverty initiative. Greenfield said the program is underway and right on target from a fundraising and execution perspective.
Met Council has received praise for the way it operates 40 regular food pantries, supplying food to 180,000 people each year. Met Council partnered in 2018 with 120 groups to sponsor additional distribution across New York before holidays, like Pesach and Rosh Hashana.
Greenfield said that they distributed 30 percent more food before and during Pesach in 2018 compared to the year before – including pricier items like chicken, fish, and eggs. “When it comes to food, we help clients in need sign up for appropriate government programs like food stamps and provide emergency American Express food cards for people and families that need them.”
In another vital area of giving, the Met Council has the largest program to assist needy Holocaust survivors in New York City, serving 3,481 survivors last year alone. The program makes it the organization’s responsibility to offer social events and trips, such as throwing a Chanukah party for hundreds of survivors this past December.
“Although the percentage of survivors may be shrinking, the percentage of those who need help is actually growing and we want to be there for them,” Greenfield said.
Greenfield said that when visiting a Holocaust survivor who may be living in an affordable housing unit, the organization will also ensure that the person has food and that their unit is fully functioning. He reminisced about a call that came in on Thanksgiving Day.
“We got a call from a client, a person in one of our units, who needed a plumber. We didn’t stop until we found a plumber who would go and fix the issue during the holiday,” he says.
The Met Council also tackles domestic violence, citing a 20 percent increase in domestic violence over the last 12 months, as women begin to feel more comfortable in sharing their stories in this #metoo era. The family violence program also offers case management, safety planning, referrals, emergency financial assistance, and legal advocacy.
“We created a Chanukah boutique at an undisclosed location with 10 stations for clothing, toys, toiletries, and allowed women and children victimized by domestic violence – two items from each station free of charge,” Greenfield said. The organization also piloted a program to raise funds to send 100 victimized children to summer camp.
Another program, Project MetroPair, is designed to provide home repairs and installations, free of charge, to low-income seniors, giving seniors the security in knowing their homes will be tended to. And the Met Coucil is the largest non-profit developer, owner, and manager of affordable housing in the Jewish community, with 20 buildings and a total of 1,210 units in throughout New York City.
“Whether a person is paying $420 in rent with our affordable housing program for low income or formerly homeless seniors or is a victim of domestic violence or living comfortably in a luxury building next door, each person deserves the same service and care, and for that reason, all of our programs are integrated and our services crossover,” Greenfield said.
Beginning his second year as CEO, Greenfield is now focused on expanding programs and creating new opportunities, while reigniting enthusiasm for social advocacy from the inside out – beginning with his staff. He refers to this as, “bringing a corporate culture to a non-for-profit,”
“We run staff assessments and even offer bonuses to employees who are doing a great job” – a nearly unheard-of system in the non-profit world. “We’re trying to think differently and focus on helping people as fast as we can, not because it’s what we’re supposed to be doing.”
One of his goals for 2018 was to ensure that clients are serviced as quickly as possible, hiring someone to oversee metrics to track timing on incoming calls.
“I tell my staff that I want to see every complaint that comes in. I want people to know that they matter and whether it’s housing, food, or if something needs fixing, they will receive actual help within 24 hours of their first call. It’s all about accountability. We want to hold ourselves responsible to guarantee that every dollar is being spent properly, and we aim to be 100% transparent.”
Transparency, communication, and advocacy are all areas Greenfield said he plans to continue to improve in 2019. “Communication helps and often, it allows us to think out of the box when sharing new ideas,” he shares. “We’ve expanded our fundraising, piloted new programs, and hired five new board members.”
When he was 18-years-old, David Greenfield decided to spend a summer interning on Capitol Hill for Sen. Joe Lieberman, an experience he credits to his career path.
Later, he returned to work for the senator after graduating law school at Georgetown University. After years of practicing corporate law, he became the executive vice president of the Sephardic Community Federation, and served as the founding director for Teach NYS, his work helping to provide for $600 million in tax credits to parents of all school-age children.
Starting in 2010, he spent eight productive years as a city councilman, representing Boro Park, Kensington, Midwood and Sheepshead Bay. He was largely responsible for the passage of a bill that provided private security guards to more than 350 private schools, including over 100 yeshivas.
He then decided to move back to organizational work. “I wanted to give back and, at the same time, ensure that the community gets back from the government, as well,” he said. “I realized I could still be influential and make a difference apart from the city council.”
Looking forward, Greenfield told The Jewish Press that in the coming months, he plans to create a vocational training program that will help the unemployed and the employed find jobs with a higher hourly pay-rate.
“We have a lot on the forefront, including a major fundraiser in February,” honoring philanthropist and developer Jeffrey Feil. “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished this year and there’s definitely more to come. It’s going to be a great year.”
To learn more about the organization and their services, visit the Met Council at www.metcouncil.org.