Jewish groups announce new Sandy relief
Two Jewish-affiliated groups announced new relief for
victims of Superstorm Sandy.
The interfaith Isaiah Fund is giving $1 million to
low-income urban communities damaged during last October's hurricane.
The money is expected to jump-start investment, according
to an announcement made during a gathering in New York of disaster recovery experts
and area community groups on March 6.
“After Hurricane Sandy, many of us were focused on
meeting immediate critical needs for food, water, clothing and other
essentials,” said Alan van Capelle, CEO of Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership
for Justice, which houses and manages the Isaiah Fund.
“Our hope is that the $1 million investment announced
today can have a deep impact in communities across New York and New Jersey that
are still reeling from the effects of Sandy,” he said in a statement.
The Isaiah Fund was established in 2008 to help those
affected by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. So far, it has invested $4 million in
New Orleans.
Fund members include Jewish, Baptist, Catholic, Mennonite
and other faith-based institutions, including UJA-Federation of New York and
the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty inNew York.
Separately, the Jewish Federations of North America on
announced that the Jim Joseph Foundation awarded it $1 million for subsidies
for "Jewish day and congregational schools, Jewish camps, youth volunteer
activities, and social service programming needs" in nine communities in
New Jersey and Connecticut affected by the storm.
Religious institutions have so far been excluded from
federal relief, although legislation now working its way through Congress would
extend such relief to them.
Federations so far have raised $7.4 million for victims
of Sandy.
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