The unsettling, fast-moving and unpredictable world of life with COVID-19 is upon us. As we’re all discovering, a worldwide pandemic disrupts everyone on an unprecedented scale. COVID-19 represents a challenge to all of us in varying degrees. For some, it is frustrating and a grave inconvenience. For others, it is life changing, scary and a very real threat. For all of us, it represents the opportunity to ensure that our community does what we do best—come together and support one another.
Emergency Fund
The COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund has already received more than $3.89 million in donations. 100% of the funds raised will be distributed to meet our community’s unprecedented needs.
$4,306,000
AVAILABLE FUNDING FOR RELIEF EFFORTS
$3,893,000
Donations to COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund
$125,000
Contribution from Federation’s existing response fund.
$288,000
Global Emergency Funds – Federation transfer of funds previously set aside for global response
$3,394,500
IN GRANTS ALREADY PROVIDED
In addition to this, we are incredibly grateful for the fundholders of Atlanta Jewish Foundation who granted more than $12.5 million from March to June in the first critical months of the Coronavirus pandemic. These are directed gifts initiated by our fundholders to organizations they want to support during these challenging times. For more information about these grants, contact Rich Walter.
Grants to Fund Urgent Needs of Populations Most Acutely Impacted by the Crisis
EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Requests for emergency financial assistance have increased exponentially within our community. Federation has granted $469,000 for relief in this area to Jewish Family & Career Services, Jewish Interest Free Loan Association and the Atlanta Rabbinic Association for Rabbis’ Discretionary Funds.
Jewish Family & Career Services
Round 1 (April): $100,000
Round 2 (May): $120,000
Round 5 (October): $25,000
Jewish Interest-Free Loans of Atlanta
Round 1 (April): $174,000
Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund
Round 1 (April): $50,000
EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE
Requests for emergency food assistance has also increased within our community. Federation has granted $211,300 for relief in this area to Jewish Family & Career Services, AgeWell Atlanta and Beth Jacob for the Toco Hills community.
Jewish Family & Career Services
Round 1 (April): $50,000
Round 2 (May): $37,500
Round 5 (October): $40,000
Round 7 (January): $60,000
Beth Jacob Food Program
Round 4 (July): $3,800
AgeWell Atlanta
Round 1 (April): $20,000
SAFETY STAFFING AND EQUIPMENT
There is a tremendous need for PPE and other safety precautions for our frontline caretakers, and the cost of acquisition has skyrocketed. Federation has granted $388,000 for relief in this area to Jewish HomeLife.
Jewish HomeLife
Round 1 (April): $273,000
Round 2 (May): $75,000
Round 5 (October): $40,000
EXTENDED HEALTH INSURANCE
We are committed to taking care of the Jewish communal workers who have been laid off or furloughed as a result of this crisis by extending their health insurance coverage. Federation has granted $332,000 for relief in this area to the Marcus Jewish Community Center and Atlanta Jewish Academy. Committed healthcare funds are released only as expended.
Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta
Round 1 (April): $202,000
Round 2 (May): $108,000
Atlanta Jewish Academy
Round 1 (April): $22,000
MENTAL HEALTH AND CAREER SUPPORT
There has been an increase in requests for mental health assistance. Federation has granted $288,000 for relief in this area to build clinical capacity at Jewish Family & Career Services.
Hillels of Georgia
Round 7 (January): $25,000
Jewish Family & Career Services
Round 1 (April): $70,000
Round 4 (July): $108,000
Round 5 (October): $65,000
JPRO (coaching for Jewish communal workers who have been let go)
Round 5 (October): up to $20,000
REOPENING COSTS
As organizations have begun to re-open, there have been extensive costs for PPE, cleaning, technology and additional personnel to comply with safety requirements. Federation has granted $632,000 for relief in this area the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, the Atlanta Jewish Academy, The Davis Academy, The Epstein School, Temima, Torah Day School, The Weber School, 20 preschools and after-care programs and 4 day camps.
Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta
Round 2 (May): $100,000
Day Schools
Round 2 (May): $400,000
Preschools
Round 2 (May): $100,000
Day Camps
Round 3 (June): Up to $20,000
Jewish Kids Group
Round 4 (July): $12,000
Grants to Address Short-Term Needs to Stabilize and Support the Jewish Ecosystem
ORGANIZATIONAL STABILITY
The pandemic has created significant instability for many of our organizations, and support is needed to assist with cash flow as stability is restored. Federation has granted $445,000 for relief in this area to Camp Barney Medintz, Camp Ramah Darom, Camp Judaea, Camp Coleman, URJ/Six Points Camp and The Breman.
Regional Overnight Camps
$250,000
Religious Schools
$80,000
Breman Museum
$100,000
Hillel
$15,000
Community Day Camps
$75,000
“STEP-UP” GRANTS
These grants are for organizations or initiatives in the community that are responding to needs presented by the pandemic and stepping up to fill a void or a service that is not being provided by other organizations. Federation has granted $130,000 for relief in this area to the Jewish Community Relations Council and Repair the World’s Serve the Moment initiative engaging 18-29 year olds in summer, gap year and semester long service.
Jewish Community Relations Council
Round 2 (May): $25,000
Jewish Kids Group
Round 5 (October): $25,000
Other Care Providers
Round 5 (October): $20,000
Repair the World Service Corps
Round 3 (June): $60,000
STRENGTHENING THE SYSTEM
These grants are to support the larger Jewish ecosystem, sectors, and potentially individual organizations as they rebuild. Potential areas of support include centralized services, strategic restructuring, capacity building, technology and talent retention. Federation has granted $120,000 for relief in this area for centralized purchasing and Covid testing provided by Jewish HomeLife and for Resiliency Planning for small to mid-size Jewish organizations working with the Georgia Center for Nonprofits.
Centralized Purchasing Support for Safety Equipment
Round 2 (May): Up to $100,000
Resiliency Training
Round 3 (June): Up to $20,000
STAYING IN (ON JEWISH LIFE)
These grants are to support scholarships and participation incentives to ensure that the cost of participation is not a barrier to Jewish life experiences as individual finances recover post-pandemic. Federation has granted $210,000 so far for relief in this area.
Pre-School Scholarships
Round 5 (October): $100,000
Round 7 (January): 100,000
Jewish Kids Group
Round 7 (January): $10,000
Grants to Support Urgent Human Needs Globally
As Israel, Belarus, and all other countries around the world continue to fight Coronavirus, our partners abroad are working to ensure health and safety needs are met. While we must ensure our community is taken care of, our connection to Global Jewish Peoplehood cannot be ignored in this great time of need. Federation has granted $150,000 from global relief funds for emergency needs abroad, including meal delivery, food coupons, medical care, financial assistance, and activity kits
JDC
Target Population: Older adults in FSU
Funding Amount: $50,000
JAFI
Target Population: Older adults who live in Amigour facility (Israel)
Funding Amount: $25,000
Yemin Orde Youth Village
Target Population: Youth at risk (Israel)
Funding Amount: $25,000
Partnership Region (through JAFI)
Target Population: Populations at risk (older adults, children with special needs, Ethiopian community)
Funding Amount: $50,000
Additional Rounds of Funding
Additional rounds of funding will continue to focus on meeting urgent needs of vulnerable individuals and will turn to the important work of ensuring the stability of our Jewish organizations over the coming months.
COVID-19 Emergency Fund Task Group
Thank you to our COVID-19 Emergency Fund Task Group who is actively assessing needs and assisting with the grant-making process:
Jeremy Berry | Seth Cohen | Lois Frank | Dara Grant | Harry Heiman | David Herskovits | David Hirsch | Michael Kay | Sidney Kirschner | Michael Kogon | Randy Korach | Deborah Levinson | Robert Rothberg | Mark Satisky | Colby Schwartz | Lori Kagan Schwarz | Lewis Shubin | Mark Stern | Stanley Sunshine
Chair | Mark Silberman
Resources
Below you will find a growing list of resources provided by organizations around Jewish Atlanta which is updated real-time as we learn about more available resources, as well as information on how you can help through the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund.
Health & Wellness
JF&CS Kosher Food Pantry |Offering food and household supplies. Open M/W/F, 11 am – 2 pm by appointment only. Call 770-677-9389 or visit the website for more info. Donations accepted on Tuesdays & Thursdays – see list of items needed.
Note from JF&CS: For the health and safety of our staff, volunteers and clients, we are asking our clients to make an appointment during the hours above. All food will be pre-bagged and handed to you outside of our building.
JF&CS Telehealth Counseling Services & Virtual Support Groups | Offering telehealth options via phone or video conference for current and new clients. For more information or to make a telehealth appointment, email therapy@jfcsatl.org or call 770-677-9474. Offering support groups with JF&CS staff for caregivers, parents, students of all ages, teens and more. Calendar of support groups.
Jewish Fertility Foundation | Ask the Expert: ask one of JFF’s physicians, therapists, or lawyers about any of your infertility questions during COVID-19. Questions will be responded to within 2 business days and will posted anonymously on the JFF social media platforms.
Ruach Emotional and Spiritual Care | Ruach Emotional and Spiritual Care is offering Jewish emotional and spiritual care providers, spanning the spectrum of Jewish identity and practice, and they have providers who specialize in LGBTQ+ and accessible care. If you are in need of support, you can fill out this form and you will be matched with a professional for a 30 minute call at no cost.
The Blue Dove Foundation | A Resource for Gratitude in a Time of Social Distancing
Recovery Village | Teletherapy Program | A resource for anyone struggling with substance abuse or mental health disorders. The Recovery Village is offering access to one-on-one counseling, group therapy, and various online services virtually with a licensed professional, improving their chances of a successful recovery. Learn more here.
Covid-19 Guidance and Daily Updates | For daily updates, information about the virus, and guidance for prevention and care: Centers for Disease Control and
Local Information about Covid-19| For testing sites and local alerts, visit the Georgia Department of Public Health or call DPH’s Covid-19 hotline at 844-442-2681
Everyday Health | Online Resource | It’s perfectly human to be concerned about your health and safety during the first major pandemic in recent history. This resource is for the people coping with the mental and emotional realities of these challenging times. We make sure that all the medical professionals on the front-line share advice to help inspire and enable self-care during the pandemic. Learn more here.
Financial & Career Counseling
Jewish Interest Free Loan of Atlanta | Interest free loans to support individuals and families with financial challenges caused by the Coronavirus outbreak. Apply here.
JF&CS | Offering Emergency Financial Assistance and Career Counseling. Call 770-677-9389 or visit the website for more info.
Older Adults
City of Atlanta Meal Assistance for Seniors | Meal and grocery delivery for seniors. Learn more here.
Jewish HomeLife the One Group | Learn more here | Care, support and companionship for aging, home-bound older adults. Assistance with grocery shopping, companionship, and support for activities of daily living. From a few hours a week to 24/7 care.
AgeWell Atlanta | A one-stop shop for a broad spectrum of services, including reassurance calls and referrals for food assistance, transportation, and other older adult services. Services are provided by AgeWell Atlanta partners, including Jewish Home Life, JF&CS Aviv Older Adult Services, and MJCCA. Contact 1-866-AGE-WELL or email info@agewellatl.org.
Families & Children
MJCCA Virtual Programs| Offering a full schedule of virtual programming for all ages. Programs include fitness classes, camp activities, book festival talks, and more. For a complete schedule of virtual programs, see the website.
PJ Library | Resources for quarantined families, including virtual programs, craft ideas and guidance for parents here. PJ Library Atlanta is also offering virtual programming for kids of all ages and parents on their Facebook page.
Jewish Abilities Alliance| Resources and strategies for supporting children who learn differently during virtual learning on the JAA website.
Jewish Education Collaborative | The Jewish Education Project Early Childhood and Family Engagement Team has created a Pinterest for families and teachers at home. This board resources for educators and parents focusing on Coronavirus itself, as well as Jewish communal responses and Passover resources. See the Pinterest board.
Israel American Council @Home| Offering activities for kids, teens, young professionals, and adults to stay connected to Hebrew, Israeli and Jewish heritage, online activism and to one another. More information on the IAC website.
Resources for Teens| Activities, webinars, and resources for teen resiliency at New Reality Resources and Collective Compassion.
Volunteering for the Community
Checking on Neighbors|Share this printable card to share with your neighbors if you are able to help others in need.
Repair the World | This one-page resource on caring for the sick in times of crisis.
Creating Connected Communities | CCC is collecting items to distribute to kids and families who are stuck at home while self-quarantining. Accepting donations of books, legos, toys and gifts.
Mask Donation Project | Own a sewing machine? Please consider making reusable masks for the community. Please watch this YouTube video for step by step instructions and contact Henry Siegelson for information about collection/drop off.
Volunteer for food packing and delivery | Package and deliver meals through Open Hand Atlanta, help deliver meals with Concrete Jungle, or volunteer with Atlanta Public Schools
Donating food and household items to Kosher Food Pantry | Donations accepted on Tuesdays & Thursdays – see website for more information and list of items needed
Jewish HomeLife staff | Care Packages | Drop off an appropriate “care package” or “care package goods”, prepared by a healthy person, for their care givers and staff. These individuals are leaving their own families every day to care for our community’s families, putting themselves at risk to ensure our residents feel engaged, cared for and loved. Appropriate items include, but are not limited to, wrapped candy, power bars, granola bars, individual sized chips, crackers or cookies, individual sized nuts, pop-tarts, travel size hand sanitizer, lotion, mouthwash, toothpaste and toothbrushes, Emergen-C packets, individually wrapped tea bags or other “comfort” items. Drop off on Fridays at front of The William Breman Jewish Home.
Jewish HomeLife staff | Card and Notes | Send or drop-off kind and encouraging notes to the amazing caregivers, housekeepers and dietary staff who continue to care for our community’s loved ones with unwavering courage and dedication.
Summer Kosher Food Program | Submit form by Tuesday, June 30 | This program distributes free meals to any child through age 18, regardless of household income. The program will launch on Monday, July 6, and run through the first week of August, providing breakfast and lunch for each day, to be picked up twice weekly, Monday morning and Wednesday morning. It will be hosted at Congregation Beth Jacob and is open to all, without any regard for synagogue, school, or religious affiliation. Participants will drive-through to receive their food. Fill out the form here.
More volunteer opportunities from Repair The World | Volunteer opportunities: Stay engaged while social distancing: live list of volunteer opportunities and donation needs.
Staying Connected to the Jewish Community
Services | Most synagogues are offering virtual programming. Check with your local synagogue for more information.
Shinshinim Atlanta | Keep in touch on their Facebook page, Instagram, and Tik Tok.
The Podcast from The Temple | Rabbis Peter Berg and Loren Filson Lapidus host this weekly podcast from The Temple, a Reform Jewish synagogue in midtown Atlanta. Delve into Jewish topics and get to know The Temple’s historic congregation and the Atlanta Jewish community through meaningful and fun conversations and interviews.
MyJewishLearning.org | A few Jewish learning resources to get you through these difficult days here.
Hillel at Home | Resources and virtual programs for college students looking to stay connected.
Partnership Region – Yokneam and Megiddo | Connect to our partnership region in Israel through their Facebook page, offering virtual programs and online activities for adults.
Jewish Time Podcast | A monthly podcast brought to you by the Atlanta Jewish Times
Atlanta Jewish Music Festival Spotify Lists|In times like these, it’s easy to forget about the little things that help make us feel better, like listening to music. We invite you to pause for second and listen here.
Resources for Agencies and Businesses
Georgia Center for Nonprofits | Nonprofit Guide to COVID Planning here.
The U.S. Small Business Administration | The U.S. Small Business Administration is providing disaster loans to impacted businesses and for the first time to nonprofits and churches. The loans will go directly through them at 2.75% interest. Funds are short term but can be amortized up to 30 years on a case by case basis. Apply here.
MobileCause | Has your fundraising event been cancelled? Click here for tips on how to shift your event to being virtual!
Reopening Resources
Secure Community Network | Reopening Guidelines
Orthodox Union | Guidance to Shuls and Communities on Reopening
Reconstructing Judaism | Reopening Our Institutions
Rabbinical Assembly | Jewish Values Regarding Physical Reopening of Our Institutions
Jewish Together | Jewish Communal Scenario Planning Resources
Federation's Response
Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta COVID-19 Response
Since the crisis started to unfold, Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta has been intently focused on working with our community partners to understand immediate needs and how we could respond most meaningfully. This may be a challenge unlike any we’ve faced before, but helping our community through these difficult times is what Federation is here for.
As the Philanthropic Champion for our community, Federation opened the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund.
Caring for Urgent Needs and Protecting Vulnerable Populations
Our primary concern is the health and well-being of our community members. If you need help or resources please click here.
Our first stage of response through the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund addresses people’s basic needs — food, employment, insurance, the continuation of essential health and human services, and emergency financial assistance.
Through multiple rounds of grantmaking, Federation has provided $1,901,500 in relief funding to our community in this area. Additionally, Federation granted $150,000 from global emergency reserves for emergency needs in Israel and Belarus. See details here.
Ensuring the Stability and Sustainability of our Community
While our initial grants have been directed primarily to individuals and social service needs, we all know that the essential pillars of Jewish community — our Jewish community center, camps, day schools, synagogues and many other community serving organizations — are facing dramatic challenges. We have already granted $450,000 relating to the financial stability and support of our Jewish organizations, and we will continue to evaluate this need closely. Learn more and see details here.
Creating Virtual Jewish Life
Federation programs such as PJ Library, JumpSpark, Shinshinim Atlanta and Jewish Abilities Alliance have been hard at work transforming programs into virtual offerings, and Federation has also been serving as a curator for virtual offerings throughout the community.
Learn more about available resources and virtual gatherings here.
Convening Community Conversations
Federation serves as a convener and an amplifier of the Jewish Atlanta ecosystem. As such, we have been communicating with organizations throughout Greater Atlanta on a regular basis, assessing needs, offering resources around SBA loans and other topics of interest, and fostering opportunities for collaboration.
As our community now begins to contemplate a return to communal activity, we want to ensure that our actions are dictated by our values, and are in concert with the best scientific and medical advice available. We are committed to bringing the Jewish community together for these important conversations about how we can consider each other’s organizations and needs while caring for our individual and collective well-being.
We’ll be hosting sector conversations that look at specific considerations of types of organizations and will also host an initial cross-sector conversation so we can explore together what reopening responsibly looks like for our community.
As a starting point, we are sharing this COVID-19 Guidance and Considerations for Resumption of Operations prepared by the Resumption of Operations and Organizational Reopening Working Group through Secure Community Network (SCN), the Jewish Homeland Security initiative. Our Community Security Director, Neil Rabinovitz, and Deputy Community Security Director, Zach Williams, continue to work closely with SCN and we will continue to share further guidance as it is received.
Reopening Guidelines
Overview: SCN Jewish Atlanta Reopening Guidelines
The Atlanta Jewish Community has responded to the challenges and the pain of this pandemic with a swift call to act upon the primary value of pikuach nefesh (saving lives). We centered the wellbeing of our community as we emphasized safety, particularly the safety of those most vulnerable. With our desire to serve the members of our community, we proceeded with caution with campaigns to employ social distancing and our organizations pivoted to provide our services virtually and we responded to the many needs of our members caused by the pandemic.
The value of kol yisrael aravim zeh la zeh (the entire Jewish community is responsible for one another) was powerfully evident in how we came together to mourn our losses, extend resources for mental and physical well-being, and raise funds for those economically impacted. Under these unprecedented difficult circumstances, we showed courage, strength, compassion, and wisdom.
The work of keeping each other safe is still needed. There are many factors to balance and each sector of our community has specific needs and concerns; yet, we urge that the stakeholders from all sectors of the Atlanta Jewish community engage in conversation around our decisions for reopening and how those decisions impact one another. As a community, we are deeply interconnected and we are responsible for one another.
We are sharing this Covid-19 Guidance and Considerations for Resumption of Operations prepared by the Resumption of Operations and Organizational Reopening Working Group through SCN, which includes our Deputy Community Security Director, Zach Williams, and with input from our Community Security Director, Neil Rabinovitz. They continue to work closely with Secure Community Network, the Jewish Homeland Security initiative, and will share any further guidance with you as it is received. We strongly encourage you to review the documents above with your organization and layleaders as you consider the phases of re-opening.
We’ll be hosting sector conversations that look at specific considerations of types of organizations and will also host an initial cross sector conversation so we can explore together what reopening responsibly looks like for our community. If you are interested in co-hosting a sector conversation, please reach out to Amy Glass at aglass@jewishatlanta.org.
As we begin to contemplate a return to communal activity, let’s ensure that our actions are dictated by our values and are in concert with the best scientific and medical advice available. We are committed to bringing the Jewish community together for these important conversations about how we can consider each other’s organizations and needs while caring for our individual and collective wellbeing.