The Rabbi Robert P. Jacobs Jewish Fund for Human Needs (JFHN) will distribute $20,000 in grants to 10 area agencies that those in need will receive. Agencies will receive grants of between $1,000 to $3,000.

JFHN, a joint program of the Jewish Community Relations Council and the St. Louis Rabbinical Association, with support from the Jewish Federation of St. Louis and its Lubin-Green Foundation, is the vehicle of the organized Jewish community for allocating grants to St. Louis area grassroots social services agencies that have little or no Jewish presence.

The agencies receiving funds are:

• Caring for Kids — Provides for the basic unmet needs of children involved with St. Louis County Family Court, State of Missouri Children’s Division or at risk for involvement with either agency; $2,000 grant.

• Center for Survivors of Torture & War Trauma — Facilitates the healing process for refugees and immigrants who survived torture and war so that they can move toward healing and self-empowerment; $2,500 grant.

• Interfaith Legal Services for Immigrants — Provides affordable immigration legal services to low-income immigrants and their families; $2,000 grant.

• Little Bit Foundation — Provides clothing, shoes, books, school supplies and hygiene items to low-income school children; $1,000 grant.

• St. John Community Improvement Corporation — Provides programs, including a summer internship program, for at-risk youth; $2,500 grant.

• St. Louis Health Equipment Lending Program — Provides home medical equipment to any individual in need for as long as needed at no charge; $3,000 grant.

• St. Martha’s Hall — Serves as an emergency, confidential shelter for abused women and their children; $1,000 grant.

• Summit Leadership Initiative — Collaborates with educational organizations to facilitate leadership, diversity and mentoring programs for students in need;  $1,500 grant.

• Union Communion Ministries — Provides direct relief services to low-income children and families in the Union-Delmar neighborhood; $2,000 grant.

• Webster-Rock Hill Ministries — Provides direct services to low-income residents in the Webster-Rock Hill neighborhood, including a summer camp program; $2,500 grant.

 “The agencies receiving funding this cycle do such important work in the community,” said JFHN Chair Julie Eastlund.  “They represent a broad spectrum of agencies, including some that help children, others that help people with medical needs and others that help immigrants and refugees. We are honored to be able to assist these organizations in fulfilling their missions to repair the world.”

Since it began in 1985, the JFHN has awarded grants to over 150 St. Louis organizations working to address basic human needs. For more information, contact Gail Wechsler at 314-442-3894 or [email protected] or visit www.jfhn.org.