UJA's Response to the Coronavirus Outbreak

Since the crisis started to unfold, UJA has been intently focused on working with government and our nonprofit partners to understand immediate needs and how we can help accommodate the major paradigm shift in service delivery. Our first stage of response must address people’s basic needs — food, employment, and the continuation of essential health and human services.

To that end, on March 19, UJA’s Board of Directors approved $23 million in emergency funding, and an additional grant to a multi-partner New York COVID-19 response fund. The funding will be used in the following ways:

1. Emergency Food: As the central hub of kosher food distribution, our partner Met Council has been inundated with requests from new clients, as well as from food pantry sites that have been forced to close. Met Council is being called on to serve homebound seniors who can no longer get meals at senior centers, as well as children who are not receiving city-funded hot meals. We’re allocating $1 million to Met Council to significantly expand its capacity to serve the community.

2. Passover Food for the Most Vulnerable: Right before this crisis hit, Met Council was gearing up to distribute Passover essentials to 181,000 people. Demands are rising, and the entire schedule has been moved up by two weeks in anticipation of a potential shutdown. We’re allocating an additional $750,000 to Met Council for emergency Passover food distribution.

3. Passover Meals-to-Go: Passover will be especially difficult for those who are newly isolated or quarantined, those who have relied on free or subsidized communal seders that will no longer be taking place, and those who are newly financially vulnerable. These populations do not qualify for government-funded food programs and would not likely take advantage of a food pantry. We’re allocating $250,000 to support free pre-made seders and subsidized pre-made seders.

4. COVID-19 Response & Impact Fund: We provided a grant and will serve on the steering committee of a multi-partner New York COVID-19 response fund led by the Ford Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies. Similar to one that proved very effective after 9/11, this consortium aims to support at-risk social service organizations as well as cultural institutions. As a member of the steering committee, we will be able to shape a grants program with enormous potential impact for our agencies and the sectors closest to our core mission.

5. Interest-Free Loans: We’re allocating $1 million to our partner the Hebrew Free Loan Society to support its loan program, which is playing an essential role in helping keep small businesses afloat through this crisis.

6. Loan Fund for Human Service Agencies: We’re allocating $20 million to create an interest-free loan fund at Hebrew Free Loan Society for agencies in our network that rely on government contracts to support human services. As agencies are forced to suspend, expand, or change services they provide, it is unclear how quickly government will be able to provide clarity about or payment on such contracts. This loan fund from UJA’s endowment will help provide those agencies with the cash flow to continue to run indispensable health and human services. All loans will be repaid when government payments are secured.

While these initial efforts are primarily directed to social service needs, we all know that the essential pillars of Jewish community — our network of Jewish community centers, camps, day schools, and synagogues — are facing dramatic challenges. We intend shortly to present a plan to help support these vital community institutions.

On March 30, in a second wave of funding, UJA’s Board of Directors voted to allocate nearly $11 million to help sustain Jewish community centers, assist low-income populations, and — in what is perhaps our most sacred responsibility — ensure that no Jewish casualty of the virus will be denied a dignified burial. In total, UJA has now made more than $34 million available to respond to this unprecedented crisis. 

This new funding will be distributed to meet the following critical needs:

1. Sustaining Jewish Community Centers: The 22 Jewish community centers across the New York area are communal homes, offering a combination of human services and opportunities for Jewish life and learning. Many JCC budgets rely on fee-based programming (e.g. daycare or gym memberships) that have been suspended indefinitely. JCCs are struggling to maintain empty facilities, pay obligations, and keep essential staff due to limited cash reserves. We’re allocating nearly $10 million, in a combination of interest-free loans and grants, to help sustain JCCs through this crisis.  

2. Urgent Funds for Low-Income CUNY Hillel Students: CUNY students are often the first in their families to attend college, and most hold jobs to pay for their education. Many are now without their part-time jobs, leaving them with no source of income for food, rent, and tuition. We’re allocating $250,000 in emergency cash support for low-income CUNY Hillel students.  

3. Urgent Funds for Low-Income Single Parents: The current situation is having an outsized impact on those single parents who are poor or near-poor. They need help to meet basic expenses for food, medical care, and rent. We’re allocating $300,000 to six JCCs, longtime participants in our Single Parent Initiative, to provide emergency support for low-income single parents. 

4. Ensuring Dignified Burial: Hebrew Free Burial Association, a UJA partner, is dedicated to ensuring that every Jew regardless of financial means or religious affiliation can receive a dignified, traditional funeral and burial. Tragically, the agency expects a 20-30% increase in burials in the next few months. We’re allocating $250,000 to ensure dignified burials — the ultimate final kindness.  

These are all very painful issues we need to grapple with. While it feels like a sprint, we’re facing a marathon of need, and we’re only in the first few miles. But this moment is exactly why UJA-Federation exists. We will continue to meet challenges across the community, help sustain our institutions, and do all we can to make sure that the most vulnerable get the help they desperately need.

Convening Our Network

We’re continuing to bring our nonprofit partners together (virtually) to share important information through webinars for professionals from day schools, synagogues, and health human services agencies. Webinar information and some recaps can be found here.

Legal Support

In our phase one needs assessment, we heard that our nonprofit partners needed legal guidance in understanding new COVID-19 legislation around paid sick leave, furloughs, tenant contracts, liability, and other employment issues. To address these concerns, UJA has secured the law firm of Paul Weiss to provide ongoing pro-bono support to our agencies to help them navigate complex federal, state, and municipal legislation on these matters.

Emergency Grant for Protective Supplies

On March 13, we gave an emergency grant to the Afya Foundation so they could deliver masks, gowns, and other protective clothing and supplies to two FQHCs (federally qualified health centers — community-based health clinics serving low-income population), as well as UJA partners with residential facilities: the Jewish Board of Family and Children Services, JCCA, Westchester Jewish Community Services, and the Washington Heights Y. On March 23, with thanks to a generous donor, we were able to distribute another 25,000 masks. 

Meals for Families in Quarantine

In the very early days of the crisis, we delivered nearly 1,000 kosher Shabbat meals to families in quarantine in Westchester. Read about the experience of a day school principal who helped connect families to UJA.

Reaching Out to College Students

Knowing that food insecurity is an issue for students on our own city campuses, we’re working through Hillel to make sure that all CUNY and SUNY students are aware of food pantries so they can access food while campuses are closed.

Jewish Life

Beyond the social services, our work connecting families to Jewish life continues. With schools closed and community programs canceled, parents find themselves with children in need of activities and programming. We’re there for them, too. We’ve convened PJ Library, the Foundation for Jewish Camp, and the Jewish Education Project to create a collection of high-quality Jewish activities and content that families can engage in together at home. Check them out here.

Additional Jewish content and resources can be found here.

With everything happening locally, we can’t forget that much of Israel is also shut down because of the pandemic. We recently advanced $4.2 million to nearly 60 overseas grantees so operations can continue to run as smoothly as possible. Find out how our partners in Israel are addressing coronavirus challenges.

Since the earliest days of the crisis, UJA’s government relations team has been advocating on behalf of network agencies providing essential services.  

Federal

We engaged in direct advocacy with Senator Schumer’s and Senator Gillibrand’s offices and other members of New York’s congressional delegation to make sure the federal stimulus (CARES Act) includes designated funding for the nonprofit sector. We also advocated for allowing nonprofits larger than 500 employees to qualify for Small Business Administration (SBA) loans, lifting the Medicaid limitation for SBA loans, and increasing incentives for charitable contributions. As part of our advocacy efforts, we developed an online petition that gathered more than 4,000 signatures.  
 
Since the stimulus passed, we’ve held a series of webinars for hundreds of nonprofit, synagogue, and day school professionals on the implications of the CARES Act and how to navigate the very complicated application process so they don’t lose out on available support.   

State

We’ve been in regular communication with the governor’s office to gain clarity on Covid-19 response and to advocate for support to human services nonprofits. This includes program guidance for network partners, advocating for supplies, fiscal support for agencies, and access to kosher food for low-income populations. 

City

Working independently and in coalition with umbrella organizations and interfaith partners, we’ve been in regular communication with City Hall to identify large-scale issues in the human services sector related to Covid-19.  

Day Schools

We’ve been engaged in advocacy with NYC Department of Education to support nonpublic school students with access to kosher food and remote technology devices. 

With UJA's support, our nonprofit partners are on the front lines helping people cope with the crisis. Here's a look into the stories of those being helped.

Minna, 97, is a Holocaust survivor who used to enjoy a daily hot meal for lunch and her Shabbat group at the Washington Heights Y. With the coronavirus outbreak causing the Washington Heights Y to temporarily close its doors, the staff checks in with Minna by phone and makes sure she continues to receive a hot kosher mail daily, thanks to volunteers. “Hard times can bring out the kindness in people,” Minna says. Read more.

Rae, 97, is an active participant in Chaverim and the L’Chaim Group, two weekly programs for Holocaust survivors at the Marion & Aaron Gural JCC in Cedarhurst. With her weekly programs closed because of the coronavirus, the Gural JCC staff is stepping in with phone calls to keep tabs on Rae’s emotional, physical, and social well-being. As Rae has said many times to staff, “We need to reach out to each other.” Read more.

Sarah, 75, lives alone and grapples with lupus. Now she’s showing symptoms of Covid-19. Westchester Jewish Community Services is making daily phone calls to Sarah and helping with referrals to local resources and medical facilities. For Passover, Sarah will receive one of the free, pre-made seder meals from UJA. UJA is providing 8,300 home-delivered seder meals to individuals and families in need in our area. “I’m so very grateful for all of this help,” Sarah says. Read more. 

Elana, an adult who has autism, lived independently in her own apartment and for over 10 years attended the Long Island Friends Experience (LIFE) program at the Marion & Aaron Gural JCC. Now Elana has had to move into her parents' home and struggles with her loss of independence. With the help of the JCC, Elana's staying connected to her LIFE peers through virtual programs and learning to adjust to the new reality in our world today.  Read more.

Hinda and David live in Staten Island with their six children and get by on a meager income. Buying kosher for Passover food is a challenge. The Staten Island JCC was able to assist the family thanks to Met Council and UJA’s emergency aid.  Now families like Hinda and David's are receiving the support they need to celebrate the holiday during this difficult time. Read more.