Update on the Community Security Program
San Francisco, CA – Maintaining the safety of our organizations and community members at all times is a crucial part of our work at the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties.
As of July 1, 2017, the Federation will assume administration of the Community Security program previously managed by JCRC and funded through a grant from the Federation. The Federation will now manage all aspects of this important program, including security assessment and the work of overseeing and coordinating local security efforts. We want to wholeheartedly thank JCRC for overseeing this critical program so ably for these many years.
As part of the transition, while we conduct a needs assessment, we will continue our work with Allan Lavigne, who has served in the role of community security director since 2002, focusing on providing information, technical support, site security, and safety risk assessments for the Jewish community. There will be no lapse in coverage or vigilance on security matters. Community organizations should continue to direct inquiries to Allan as they have in the past.
We will also be undertaking a survey of community security needs and will develop a plan for the most effective way to support our partners and community members. We'll distribute the survey online in the next few weeks, and will greatly appreciate your input. We aim to complete this process by the end of the summer.
Meanwhile, we invite our Peninsula partners to a Community Security Convening at 10:00 am on July 12 at the Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto. At that meeting, we'll update community partners on lessons learned through recent incidents, provide resources, and advance collaboration across our agencies. This meeting is for executive directors, clergy, and other staff and lay leaders directly responsible for security. Contact Roxanne Cohen for more info or to RSVP.
If you are interested in participating in a Crisis Communications Training for your organization, JCRC, in partnership with the Federation and the Oshman Family JCC, will present a hands-on workshop at the Federation on July 26 at 9:00 am. Contact Jeremy Russell for more information or to register.
This past May at JPAC's Advocacy Day, our community called on the California State Legislature to appropriate state funds for the Homeland Security Grants program to supplement funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security available to nonprofit organizations. We are pleased to report that, just this week, the Legislature approved $1.9M for this purpose, with the application process to begin in the late fall. We look forward to keeping you abreast of the details, and remain available to help our partner organizations through the process.
If you have any further questions about the Federation's work on security matters, please contact Roxanne Cohen (415.512.6221) or Steve Leibman (415.512.6244).
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The Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties connects people of all ages, backgrounds, and perspectives to the power of the Jewish community to improve the world. We partner with donors, organizations, and foundations to address pressing issues facing our community, and develop innovative strategies that result in deep and lasting impact locally, in Israel, and around the world. Learn more at www.jewishfed.org.
