Southern New England News

New Haven Jewish agencies distribute $281,600 in emergency grants during COVID-19 crisis

When Covid-19 hit Connecticut’s communities, many residents were faced financial troubles with medical bills, unemployment, and food insecurity. The Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven, along with the Jewish Foundation of Greater New Haven, responded by supporting the most vulnerable. Through their COVID-19 Response/Maimonides Fund, the Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation worked with the local Jewish organizations and synagogues to provide critical aid to many families and individuals in need.

As of Oct. 1, this fund has distributed $281,600 in emergency grants to many local Jewish organizations and synagogues.

According to Jewish community leaders working directly with people in need, the emergency grants could not have come at a better time.

Elizabeth Davenport, LMSW, at Jewish Family Services of Greater New Haven (JFS) said “Our clients are dealing with a number of anxieties, including limited access to food, fear of getting sick, and being worried about their loved ones.” 

Her colleague, Rachel Scolnic Dobin, LMSW, adds “People were laid off, or had their hours significantly reduced, and are dealing with a multitude of issues connected to unemployment. We have many new emergencies for those facing 100% loss of income who don’t know where to turn.” 

With the grant from COVID-19 Response/Maimonides Fund, say Davenport and Dobin, JFS provided 197 additional mental health sessions, many of which were to isolated seniors, as well as community members with disabilities. Through their out-reach program, they provided 763 hours of case management services to more than 250 individuals and their food pantry has served 500 families.

Senior citizens were hit especially hard in the pandemic. 

Jennifer Bayer, development/community relations director at The Towers, said that many of the 320 senior adults, average age 86, living in the New Haven residence for seniors, “are already disproportionately affected by COVID due to their age and the congregate housing setting.” 

“Many of our seniors, whose average annual income is $15,000, already have trouble paying for and preparing healthy meals – getting groceries is difficult for many of them on a good day, let alone in time of crisis.” 

Thanks to support from the COVID-19 Response/Maimonides Fund, The Towers was able to deliver three meals a day, seven days a week, regardless of ability to pay, to each of their 320 seniors. This eliminated the residents’ needs to shop and reduce their contact with the outside world during the pandemic.

The Towers also received emergency grants from the COVID-19 Response/Maimonides Fund to purchase PPE for staff, as well as iPads that can be loaned to residents for telehealth and virtual family meetings, says Bayer.

Additional emergency grants from the fund have been made to Southern Connecticut Hebrew Academy and Ezra Academy for PPE to allow them to open; to the Jewish Community Alliance for Refugee Resettlement (JCARR) to assist refugees who have lost their jobs; as well as to numerous synagogues, at rabbis’ requests to assist individuals and families in need of food, rent and utility monies, and other issues related to unemployment.

For now, the Greater New Haven’s Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation continue to see ongoing and increasing needs in our community for mental health services as well as requests for assistance with food and rent. The COVID-19 Response/Maimonides Fund Grants Committee, together with the Boards of the Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation, are assessing next steps to continue to meet those needs.

SHARE
RELATED POSTS
Dr. Stuart Miller, “the face of Hebrew and Judaic Studies at UConn,” retires after 40 years
Mark Block of Trumbull named UConn Hillel development director
Café Europa: New group for Holocaust survivors

Leave Your Reply