On Monday, UJA-Federation of New York (UJA) announced an additional $11 million in assistance to help those most affected by Covid-19 including single parents, low-income college students, and families struggling to provide dignified Jewish burials. In addition, a combination of loans and grants will be distributed to 22 regional Jewish Community Centers (JCCs) that provide human services and Jewish engagement opportunities to New Yorkers.
“Ten days ago, we allocated over $23 million in our first wave of emergency funding for essential food programs and to help provide our network of human service agencies with cash flow to operate. Today’s second wave of funding will help sustain our vital Jewish community centers (JCCs) that provide physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits to thousands of New Yorkers, and who — without immediate assistance — are at risk of running out of resources in just a few months,” said Eric S. Goldstein, UJA CEO.
Jewish Community Centers: Nearly $10 million (in a combination of interest-free loans and grants) allocated among 22 Jewish community centers that are part of the UJA network. JCCs are struggling to maintain empty facilities, pay obligations, and keep essential staff with limited cash reserves.
CUNY Hillel Students: $250,000 in emergency cash support for low-income CUNY Hillel students. CUNY students are often the first in their families to attend college, and most hold jobs to pay for their education. Many are now without their part-time jobs, leaving them with no source of income for food, rent, and tuition – and they are at risk of dropping out of school completely.
Low-Income Single Parents: $300,000 to six JCCs that are longtime participants in the UJA Single Parent Initiative. The crisis is having an outsized effect on single parents who require emergency cash to cover their basic expenses for food, medical care, and rent.
Hebrew Free Burial Association: $250,000 to Hebrew Free Burial Association to ensure dignified Jewish burials. HFBA is dedicated to ensuring that every Jew regardless of financial means or religious affiliation can receive a dignified, traditional funeral and burial. Tragically, the agency expects a 20-30% increase in burials in the next few months.
Monday’s announcement of additional funding came after UJA had pledged more than $23 million in immediate aid last week.