Eleven area agencies in the greater St. Louis community devoted to helping those in need have received $22,500 in grant funding from the Rabbi Robert P. Jacobs Jewish Fund for Human Needs (JFHN).  The Jewish Fund, a joint program of the Jewish Community Relations Council and the St. Louis Rabbinical Association with support from The Jewish Federation and its Lubin-Green Foundation, is the vehicle of the organized Jewish community for allocating grants to St. Louis area grassroots agencies that have little or no Jewish philanthropic presence.

The agencies funded for the Spring 2016 cycle included:

• Angel Baked (provides employment and business training to youth residing in North City and North County)—$2,250

• Community Women Against Hardship (provides evidence-based assistance to women and families living in poverty through a range of educational programs)—$2,500

• Inside Dharma (provides a free resource directory to those recently released from prison)—$1,500

• Northside Community School Early Childhood Education Center (provides free pre-school program for children in North City so they can achieve kindergarten readiness)—$2,250

• Pianos for People (provides free pianos, piano lessons and summer camp program for those who otherwise could not afford them)—$2,250  

• Rebuilding Together St. Louis (provides free home repairs for low-income, elderly and disabled homeowners)—$2,000

• Room at the Inn (emergency day shelter for women and families)—$2,000

• Safe Homes for the Elderly and Disabled (provides help with small home repairs so elderly and disabled residents can stay in their homes)—$2,000

• St. John Community Improvement Corp. (provides afterschool and summer programming for at risk youth)—$2,500

• St. Louis Health Equipment Lending Program (provides free rental of medical equipment to benefit those who are uninsured or underinsured )—$2,250

• Saint Louis University Prison Program (provides higher education programs for prison staff and prisoners so they can attain a college degree)—$1,000     

For more information about JFHN, contact Gail Wechsler at [email protected] or 314-442-3894 or visit jfhn.org.