Jewish Teen Foundations’ 2015-16 Grant Celebrations around the Bay
Congratulations to the Jewish Teen Foundations on $166,000 in meaningful grantmaking this year!
Over the first week of May, the Federation’s South Peninsula, North Peninsula, and Marin/San Francisco Jewish Teen Foundations each held local Grants Celebrations, announcing their 20 new grants (to 17 different organizations; view a full list here), presenting checks, and sharing their learning from the year. Teens, families, professionals, nonprofit representatives, and community members turned out for three memorable evenings.
“I believe that tzedakah, giving to the vulnerable and helping people who are faltering or fallen is a core part of being Jewish,” shared Zoe Wynn, a member of the Marin/San Francisco Jewish Teen Foundation Leadership Council. “I have learned the importance of giving locally, in Israel, and to the rest of the world. And I have been able to do this via life-changing grants from the Marin/San Francisco Jewish Teen Foundation. These Jewish values and the power of Jewish community working together have been at the core of my life the past two years and will continue to be.”
Currently in its 13th year, Jewish Teen Foundations train, inspire, and enable high school students to create mission statements, research nonprofits, review grant proposals, interview executives, fundraise, and make strategic, values-based grantmaking decisions for the issues about which they care the most. This year, 20 grants were awarded from the three regions to outstanding nonprofit organizations, including: La Cocina’s local incubator program assisting low-income entrepreneurs in San Francisco, Tikva Children’s Home for their work with Jewish orphans and refugee rescue in Ukraine, and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society’s (HIAS) response to the health and safety needs of vulnerable asylum seekers in Israel.
Applications for the North Peninsula Jewish Teen Foundations are open until May 15! To apply visit JewishTeenFoundations.org.
