Ways to Help

Consider all the ways to support your community. 

When thinking about a funding strategy, identify organizations that fit into several categories.

Are you interested in supporting urgent needs or longer-term challenges?

Organizations serving urgent needs address helping people right now like feeding the hungry and helping the homeless, etc. Longer-term strategies involve helping the organizations to adapt their business models to navigate a new reality. Both approaches are vitally important, and many people try to pick something on each side of this equation to balance their giving.

Is it better to give to a fund or a specific organization or both?

Organized funds are like investing in mutual funds: you pick an expert and let them analyze priorities that you might not be able to see or track. There are funds that address specific group needs and broader funds like an Emergency Response Fund. Many people pick a fund that speaks to them and reach out to organizations that they are already invested in.

Read about four principles to guide your giving and our Giving Insights on strategic funding approaches. If you still have questions, Federation Philanthropy Partners can help. Contact us to navigate a funding strategy to amplify your impact in response to this crisis.

The Federation's Response Fund and Supplemental Giving Opportunities

100% of gifts to the Federation’s COVID-19 Response Fund help meet the urgent needs of populations most affected by the emergency and mitigate the acute financial crisis caused by business disruptions to key sectors of our Jewish ecosystem.

Donors can also make a direct gift to the funds below or recommend a grant from your donor-advised fund by going to the donor portal and indicating: 

  • Federation (Tax ID# 94-1156533) COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund (#2295)
  • Jewish Day School Emergency Scholarship Fund (#18187)
  • Jewish Preschool Emergency Scholarship Fund (#18188)
  • Jewish Overnight Emergency Scholarship Fund  (#18189)

View details on how your dollars are making an impact.
 

Causes to Support
 

JEWISH INSTITUTIONS

LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS

GLOBAL RESPONSE

 

Volunteer 
 

PJ Library's Kindness Campaign is about doing good deeds for families and seniors in the Bay Area. Participants can donate canned goods or gift cards to the JFCS Food Bank or add extra needed items to your grocery cart and drop them off in person outside of your local JFCS office.

Jewish Family and Children's Services offers safe opportunities for Emergency Service Volunteers, including making phone calls to isolated homebound seniors through the Safe At Home program, and purchasing and delivering groceries to Holocaust survivors, other frail seniors, and homebound disabled adults.

Jewish Family and Community Services of the East Bay is looking for volunteers to offer phone support to vulnerable, isolated community members, most of whom are older.

IsraAID is seeking volunteers to help local food banks sort/pack, distribute, and deliver relief supplies across the Bay Area.

J. Jewish News of Northern California and the Jewish Community Relations Council has compiled lists of volunteer opportunities.

 

The Federation's offices are closed. Staff is currently working remotely processing all Campaign and Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) operational work such as receiving mail, sending out grantee checks, and acknowledgment letters, but at a slower rate. Please consider making your gift electronically through wire transfer and emailing us any forms, as checks and documents mailed or faxed to our office will have further delays. Contact us for urgent Campaign needs or for assistance with your DAFs.