Jewish Fund for Human Needs names grant recipients

The Rabbi Robert P. Jacobs Jewish Fund for Human Needs (JFHN) will distribute $21,750 in grants to 10 area agencies that those in need will receive. Agencies will receive grants of between $1,000 to $2,750. 

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:

• Annie’s Hope — Provides comprehensive support services for children, teens and their families who are grieving the death of someone significant.  Most clients served are of limited financial means and could not otherwise afford to pay for therapy services as part of the grieving process; $2,000 grant.

• 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; $2,500 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; $2,000 grant.

• English Tutoring Project — Provides on-site assistance to children from refugee and immigrant families to acquire English language skills so they can succeed in school and in life; $2,500 grant.

• Jane Doe Advocacy Center — Provides legal services to those impacted by sexual violence; $2,500 grant.

• Let’s Start — Aims to break the cycle of incarceration in families by working with formerly incarcerated women and their children to provide support for recovery and reintegration and mitigate the effects of parental imprisonment; $2,500 grant. 

• Lift for Life Gym — Provides St. Louis city children a safe, enriching environment in which to strengthen their bodies, enrich their minds, develop healthy social relationships and learn to make positive life choices; $2,750 grant

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

• St. Louis Health Equipment Lending Program — Provides home medical equipment to any individual in need for as long as needed at no charge; $2,000 grant.

• Summit Leadership Initiative — Collaborates with educational organizations to facilitate leadership, diversity and mentoring programs for students in need; $2,000 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.