Our COVID-19 Response

Our community stepped up during an unprecedented crisis. 

The COVID-19 pandemic unfolded with a devastating impact on at-risk populations and our Jewish ecosystem. The most pressing concerns included staggering revenue losses due to shelter-in-place business disruption, the increased demand to meet basic needs for economically and isolated at-risk populations, a need to pivot mission-centric programs to create connection during social isolation, and ability to maintain basic operations while planning for a future marked by financial instability.  

Grantmaking expanded the capacity of front-line organizations to respond immediately with essential safety-net services for priority populations including seniors, economically disadvantaged, recently unemployed, and at-risk due to social isolation or COVID-19 illness. We worked alongside our partners every day to address the urgent needs of populations most impacted by the COVID-19 crisis: 

  • We supported affected Bay Area Jewish populations through human service grants funded by the COVID-19 Response Fund, Jewish Women’s Fund, Jewish Teen Foundation, and endowed restricted funds. 
  • We addressed the needs of synagogue and Chabad communities through funding for direct emergency aid and community aid projects. 
  • We enabled human connection where it was sorely lacking during quarantine with programs like PJ Library and by expanding small group models for children from birth to age 12 who would benefit from a supportive Jewish network during and beyond the pandemic. 
  • We funded 38 programs for families and young adults to foster connection.
  • We expanded access to mental health assistance and connected individuals and families to helpful resources, particularly working to address ongoing COVID-related issues of anxiety, depression, and isolation among Jewish young adults and college students in the Bay Area.  
  • We planted roots for a strong and growing shared society with our Israeli partner organizations. We also addressed urgent human service needs in Israel and global communities through grants funded by endowed restricted funds and the Jewish Teen Foundation. 
  • We transformed scholarship funds into operating support in 2020, allowing us to actively support overnight camps. Then, in 2021, when camps wanted to reopen, we helped them achieve their goal by advocating for public health guidelines. 
  • We provided crucial grant assistance to Jewish preschools during their reopening efforts. We supported various expenses including cleaning and protective supplies, facility adaptations equipment, and additional staffing for janitorial and teaching roles. Our assistance played a vital role in ensuring a safe and successful reopening for these preschools. 

We also launched new and innovative models for philanthropy. This enabled us to find better ways to make change, where the value of a dollar is amplified and circulates through the community to help many. 

  • We alleviated financial hardship caused by COVID-19 through a Hebrew Free Loan Pooled Recovery Grant, providing relief for families and small businesses. 
  • We provided critical loan capital to ten community lenders in the Bay Area, across the United States, and in Israel to support COVID-19 relief and recovery in marginalized communities. 

Ways to Help 

Give to the Federation’s Annual Campaign to help meet the ongoing 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. Mental health initiative grants are still accessible with funding from our Annual Campaign. These grants play a critical role in supporting initiatives that prioritize mental well-being and aim to address the various challenges associated with mental health.  

Make a gift by recommending a grant from your donor-advised fund by going to the donor portal and indicating 'Federation's 2024 Annual Campaign.' DAF-holders can direct their gifts to organizations that work to address the crisis of youth mental health, which was exacerbated during the pandemic.