The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation Announces $500,000 In Emergency Grants To Nonprofits In Israel

Response will aid 17 organizations facing critical needs after the Gaza conflict

BALTIMORE, Dec. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, one of the largest private foundations in the United States, announced today that it will donate $500,000 to support many of its active grantees that have provided crucial social services to those affected by the November missile attacks on cities in Israel. After consulting with nonprofits in Israel as well as partner organizations, the Weinberg Foundation will reimburse emergency-related costs including daily relocation of vulnerable populations as well as funding for post-trauma counseling and support services to older adults, people with disabilities, and youth-at-risk.

Through the international and national organized Jewish community, the Weinberg Foundation will provide three grants:

1. The Associated Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore -- Funding will be used as part of the $5 million emergency campaign launched by the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA).

2. The Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI)

3. The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC)

Several additional grants will be administered through active grantee organizations of the Weinberg Foundation, including:

4.     AKIM - Provides programs and services for the intellectually disabled throughout Israel.

5.     ALUT (Israeli National Autism Association) - Strives to ensure the well-being, rehabilitation, and economic security of people with autism by providing educational, residential, and vocational services.  

6.     City of Ashdod Department of Social Services - Provides support for older adults as well as children with disabilities. 

7.     The Institute for the Advancement of the Deaf in Israel - Initiates, develops, and implements programs for the empowerment of deaf and hard-of-hearing Israelis, including sign-language interpreters.

8.     The Shai Society -- Beit Ha Galgalim - Serves people with physical disabilities through social clubs and camps.

9.     Center for Independent Living - Works to enhance the lives of residents who are disabled, ensuring they feel included and empowered in society.

10.  Enosh (Israeli Mental Health Association) - Works to advance and improve mental health services in the Jewish community and to ensure quality of life for the mentally ill and their families.

11.  The Jaffa Institute - Provides a variety of holistic programs including food, tutoring assistance, counseling, and health care for underserved children. 

12.  MICHA - Works to enable children with hearing loss to acquire language, speech, and communication skills in order to best facilitate mainstreaming into the public school system.

13.  Natal (Israel's Trauma Center for Victims of Terror and War) - Provides emotional and psychological treatment and assistance to civilians and soldiers traumatized by terror attacks and war.

14.  Nishmat (The Jeanie Schottenstein Center for Advanced Torah Study for Women) - Prepares young Ethiopian-Israeli women for entrance into institutions of higher education and provides assistance upon completion, among other programs.

15.  SHEKEL - Works to help people with disabilities enjoy a better quality of life and integrate naturally into the community.

16.  Sh'ar HaNegev Regional Council - Provides a variety of education, economic, security, and health services, including a hydrotherapy center, to various communities. 

17.   Yedid - Strives to empower Israelis, including older adults, to become self-sufficient and engaged members of society.

Rachel Garbow Monroe, President of the Weinberg Foundation explained, "This multi-grant approach reflects two of Harry Weinberg's core commitments – relief of human suffering and support for the Jewish community worldwide." Monroe noted this emergency response has added significance for the Foundation, "With word of every rocket launch, more than 1,000 in total, our thoughts turned to the safety of our grantees in Israel and those they serve – among many who live under constant threat of attack."

In just the past three years, the Foundation has approved or paid 192 grants in Israel with a total of $67 million having been distributed in that period. The Weinberg Foundation has a history of supporting Israel in times of crisis as well, most recently with a $5 million grant to provide humanitarian and social services in the North of Israel during the 2006 conflict with Lebanon.

"Then, and now, we are especially concerned with helping those traumatized by the missile strikes," said Donn Weinberg, Weinberg Foundation Chairman of the Board. "The aerial attacks from Gaza physically injured or killed several Israelis and also caused extreme emotional distress for many. Psychological scars remain, especially for children and the elderly. The Weinberg Foundation is proud to continue its tradition of emergency response worldwide and especially in support of the Jewish community in Israel."

All Weinberg Foundation funding to Israel will reimburse relief efforts. No money will be used for military or political purposes of any kind.

About The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation

The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, one of the largest private charitable foundations in the United States, provides approximately $100 million in annual grants to nonprofits that provide direct services to economically disadvantaged people, primarily in the U.S. and Israel.  Grants are focused on meeting basic needs and enhancing an individual's ability to meet those needs with emphasis on older adults, the Jewish community, and our hometown communities of Maryland, northeastern Pennsylvania, and Hawaii. The trustees, some of whom also serve as executive officers of the Foundation, are Alvin Awaya, Judge Ellen M. Heller, Robert T. Kelly, Jr., Barry I. Schloss, and Chairman of the Board Donn Weinberg. Rachel Monroe serves as the Weinberg Foundation's President. For more information please go to www.hjweinbergfoundation.org

Media Contact: Craig Demchak, 443-738-1159
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SOURCE Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation