National Council Of Jewish Women Incorporated

NCJW NY IS A VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION ENGAGING IN DIRECT SOCIAL SERVICES AND ADVOCACY.

HUNGER PROGRAMEVEN PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, OVER ONE MILLION NEW YORKERS HAD DIFFICULTY AFFORDING FOOD. FOR NEARLY 40 YEARS, NCJW NY HAS PROVIDED NUTRITIOUS FOOD TO PEOPLE IN NEED, SERVED IN A WELCOMING, DIGNIFIED MANNER. OUR MONDAY FOOD PANTRY PROVIDES A THREE-DAY EMERGENCY SUPPLY OF BOTH FRESH PRODUCE AND SHELF-STABLE GROCERIES, AND OUR TWICE-WEEKLY COMMUNITY KITCHEN PROVIDES A FRESHLY COOKED, SIT-DOWN HOT MEAL. IN FY 2022, OUR HUNGER PROGRAM SERVED 36,000 INDIVIDUALS, AND MORE THAN 300,000 MEALS.DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE ADAPTED OUR PROGRAMMING TO REDUCE THE RISK OF INFECTION FOR STAFF, CLIENTS, AND VOLUNTEERS. INSTEAD OF INVITING CLIENTS INSIDE TO CHOOSE THEIR OWN FOOD ITEMS, OUR FOOD PANTRY DISTRIBUTED PRE-PACKED, UNIFORM GROCERY BAGS AT THE DOOR. INSTEAD OF A HOT, SIT-DOWN MEAL, OUR COMMUNITY KITCHEN DISTRIBUTED A CHILLED, READY-TO-EAT MEAL AT THE DOOR. OUR DEDICATED STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, AND DONORS HAVE ENSURED THAT DESPITE THE CRISIS, OUR PROGRAM DID NOT SHUT DOWN FOR EVEN ONE DAY, AND WE HAVE NOT TURNED ANYONE AWAY. OUR FOOD PANTRY HAS NOW WELCOMED CLIENTS BACK INSIDE FOR TABLE-TOP SHOPPING, WHILE THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN CONTINUES TO DISTRIBUTE CHILLED, BAGGED MEALS.

COUNCIL LIFETIME LEARNINGEACH YEAR, MORE THAN 500 SENIORS PARTICIPATE IN A BROAD RANGE OF PROGRAMMING OFFERED BY COUNCIL LIFETIME LEARNING, WHICH INCLUDES EVERYTHING FROM ART AND EXERCISE CLASSES TO ENGAGING LECTURES AND DISCUSSION GROUPS. OUR PROGRAMMING IS BASED ON THE PHILOSOPHY THAT ARTS AND CULTURE ARE A UNIQUELY EFFECTIVE WAY TO ENGAGE AND EMPOWER OLDER ADULTS, BUILDING ON THEIR INTERESTS AND STRENGTHS TO MAINTAIN CONNECTION AND VITALITY AS THE AGING PROCESS CONTINUES. WE HELP SENIORS TO DEFY THE STEREOTYPES ASSOCIATED WITH GROWING OLD AND TO CONTINUE LEARNING AND GROWING INTO THEIR 70S, 80S AND WELL BEYOND. WHEN THE INEVITABLE CHALLENGES OF AGING ARISE - GRIEVING A LOSS, SUFFERING A FALL, OR EXPERIENCING COGNITIVE DECLINE - OUR SOCIAL WORK TEAM IS THERE TO HELP SENIORS FACE THE CHALLENGE AND CONNECT TO HELP.DURING THE PANDEMIC, OUR PROGRAM TEAM ADAPTING THE MAJORITY OF OUR PROGRAMMING TO VIRTUAL FORMAT, HELPING SENIORS STAVE OFF FEAR, ISOLATION, AND DEPRESSION BY STAYING CONNECTED TO THEIR PEERS AND TO OUR STAFF. WE ARE CURRENTLY OFFERING BOTH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING. WE ARE CURRENTLY REBUILDING TO PRE-PANDEMIC PARTICIPATION LEVELS. IN FY'22, APPROXIMATELY 250 SENIORS PARTICIPATED IN OUR PROGRAMMING EACH WEEK.HELEN BLOOM LUNCH, INTERACTION, NURTURING, AND COMPANIONSHIP (LINC)LINC IS AN INNOVATIVE DAY PROGRAM THAT ENGAGES ADULTS SUFFERING FROM MEMORY LOSS AND DEMENTIA THROUGH ART, MUSIC, AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN AN INTIMATE, CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT. THE PROGRAM OPERATES THREE TIMES A WEEK, INVOLVING BOTH ELDERS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS. THE PROGRAM STIMULATES PARTICIPANTS AND ENCOURAGES POSITIVE SELF-EXPRESSION, IMPROVING THEIR MOOD AND FUNCTION. DURING THE PANDEMIC THE PROGRAM TRANSITIONED TO VIRTUAL FORMAT BUT HAS NOW RETURNED TO IN-PERSON. IT IS SMALL AND INTIMATE BY DESIGN, SERVING A ROSTER OF APPROXIMATELY 10 CLIENTS.

CHILDREN'S PROGRAMSOUR READING TUTORS ENGAGE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN IN A LIFELONG LOVE OF BOOKS AND READING, THEREBY HELPING TO CLOSE THE GAP IN SCHOOL PERFORMANCE. OUR VOLUNTEERS WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AFTER- SCHOOL SITES THROUGHOUT MANHATTAN, PROVIDING WEEKLY ONE-ON-ONE READING SESSIONS WITH AGE-APPROPRIATE MATERIALS FOR NEARLY 80 CHILDREN IN GRADES KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 5TH. STUDENTS KEEP THEIR BOOKS AFTER THEY HAVE READ THEM, BUILDING UP A HOME LIBRARY. DURING THE PANDEMIC, OUR VOLUNTEERS WORKED VIRTUALLY WITH CHILDREN AT THREE SITES, USING EITHER VIDEOCONFERENCE OR A "PEN PAL" MODEL TO ENGAGE CHILDREN IN READING AND REFLECTION. IN FALL OF 2022, WE WILL RETURN TO IN-PERSON TUTORING ON-SITE AT THREE PARTNER AGENCIES AND SERVE APPROXIMATELY 60 CHILDREN.BACK 2 SCHOOL STOREOUR ANNUAL BACK 2 SCHOOL STORE DEBUTED IN 2015, AND IT PROVIDES APPROXIMATELY 200 CHILDREN WITH EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL WITH PRIDE, CONFIDENCE, AND ENTHUSIASM. EVERY SUMMER, NCJW NY'S COUNCIL HOUSE IS TRANSFORMED INTO A VERY SPECIAL POP-UP DEPARTMENT STORE, TO PROVIDE EACH CHILD WITH A BRAND-NEW OUTFIT (SHIRT, PANTS, PARKA, SNEAKERS, UNDERWEAR AND SOCKS) AS WELL AS A BACKPACK FILLED WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES, ENTIRELY FREE OF CHARGE. BEST OF ALL, THE CHILDREN CHOOSE EACH ITEM THEMSELVES, BASED ON THEIR OWN TASTES AND STYLES. DURING THE PANDEMIC, NCJW NY DISTRIBUTED PRE-STUFFED BACKPACKS WITH EVERYTHING STUDENTS NEEDED TO START THEIR NEW YEAR. IN AUGUST 2022, WE RETURNED TO AN IN-PERSON STORE, WELCOMING JUST OVER 200 CHILDREN FOR THE FULL SHOPPING EXPERIENCE.

PREGNANCY LOSS SUPPORT PROGRAMPLSP UTILIZES PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED VOLUNTEERS TO PROVIDE TELEPHONE COUNSELING AND TO FACILITATE IN- PERSON SUPPORT GROUPS FOR PARENTS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED MISCARRIAGE, STILLBIRTH, OR NEWBORN DEATH. ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS HAVE EXPERIENCED A LOSS THEMSELVES, SO THEY CAN SPEAK FROM EXPERIENCE TO GRIEVING PARENTS, AND AT THE SAME TIME CONTINUE THEIR OWN HEALING PROCESS THROUGH SERVICE TO OTHERS. IN FY'22, TELEPHONE COUNSELING CONTINUED, AND SUPPORT GROUPS WERE HELD VIRTUALLY, SERVING APPROXIMATELY 110 FAMILIES.ADVOCACYNCJW NY PURSUES VIGOROUS ADVOCACY ON STRATEGIC MISSION-RELATED ISSUES, FOCUSING ON ECONOMIC AND REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE FOR WOMEN. CURRENTLY, NCJW NY LEADS THE PRO-TRUTH COALITION CAMPAIGN, WHICH SEEKS TO EXPOSE AND FIGHT THE TACTICS OF FAKE WOMEN'S CLINICS, ALSO KNOWN AS "CRISIS PREGNANCY CENTERS." PRO-TRUTH AIMS TO ENSURE THAT ALL WOMEN HAVE ACCESS TO COMPREHENSIVE AND ACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR HEALTH, THEIR BODIES, AND THEIR CHOICES.