The Staenberg Family Foundation announces that 18 local Jewish organizations will be recipients of its Anything Grants, aimed at helping organizations raise funds for a variety of needs. The $60,000 awarded will allow the recipients to address issues that are critical to their operations, such as building repairs, equipment and program development. 

Applications were reviewed by an advisory committee of young leaders who made recommendations to the Foundation board. “We were impressed by the quality of programs and found it hard to choose the recipients,” says Michael Staenberg, who started the Foundation with his wife, Carol, to ensure that the Jewish community, as well as the greater St. Louis region, flourishes. “Through the process of organizations raising matching funds for their projects from other sources, we hope to set an example about the importance of giving.”

The Staenberg Family Foundation has been and continues to be committed to supporting the St. Louis Jewish community. “The Anything Grants help ensure that these organizations have the ability to make crucial improvements, and we hope it will inspire others to invest in projects that will help our community thrive” said Staenberg.

The recipients of this year’s Anything Grants include: 

• Aish HaTorah, Heating System Repair — to replace the heating unit that serves the administrative offices, lobby and the rabbis’ studies.

• Bias Abraham Congregation, Lighting Replacement — to replace the  light ceiling fixtures which are 45 years old in the Bais Abraham main sanctuary.

• Congregation B’nai Amoona, Bernard Lipnick NextGen Leadership Fellow — to encourage high school and college age students (15-21) to seek out short-term Jewish leadership programs that build on their individual passions and interests.

• Congregation Shaare Emeth, Accessible Restrooms — to install “Push-N-Go” automated door openers on the restrooms located in the main lobby of the Temple to ensure an accessible environment for everyone.

• Esther Miller Bais Yaakov High School, Science Lab — to construct a science lab that will allow student’s credits earned to be accepted and recognized in colleges and other institutions.

• Friends of Israel Scouts, Shevet Keshet — to purchase reusable poles to enable students to participate in a unique Israeli activity with the Israeli Scouting movement and other area student groups.

• Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish and Muslim Day of Service — to fund a project that brings together Jews and Muslims to volunteer at over 20 community service sites on Christmas Day.

• Jewish Family & Children’s Service, HVAC project — to install an HVAC system in the warehouse section of the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry to mitigate the temperature variances during the summer and winter.

• Kol Rinah, Listening Campaign — to transform the Religious School by engaging parents through a community organizing-model listening campaign with the assistance of a professional trainer to consult leadership in this methodology.

• Midwest Jewish Congress, Infrastructure and Online Identity — to build an online infrastructure of a website, social networking, branding, and organizational identity to extend the capacity and reach in the St. Louis Jewish community.

• Neve Shalom, Under One Tent — to hire an advocate to research and identify viable housing options for Jewish people with mental illness in the St. Louis community.

• Next Dor STL, Backyard Renovation — to create a usable space in Next Dor’s backyard that will enable users to plan events outside.

• St. Louis Jewish Light, Google Grants —  to engage a marketing firm to help with Google Grants, which provides nonprofits the opportunity to receive a no-cost set of Google AdWord tools to market themselves to a larger digital audience.

• St. Louis Kollel, Jewish Business Ethics and Networking — to bring together Jewish professionals in their comfort zone, offering opportunities to network in business, socialize and connect to their Judaism in the Jewish community.

• Torah Prep School, Comfort Control Upgrades — to upgrade air flow and zoning for the HVAC system and improve climate control.

• United Hebrew Congregation, Imagination Playground — to help fulfill the Saul Spielberg Early Childhood Center’s goal of creative, self-directed play by allowing children to create their own life size structures that enhance their imagination.

• Yeshivat Kadimah High School, Online Management System — to purchase and implement a school management system that will streamline school operations and communication for students, teachers, parents, and administrators.

• Young Israel of St. Louis, Replacement of Refrigerant unit — to replace the 20 year old social hall air conditioning unit in order to reduce energy usage and lower operating costs.