Two Giving Circles at the West Hartford-based Jewish Community Foundation pool money together to help individuals and families in Greater Hartford, supporting social justice as well as to alleviate the impact of COVID-19.

Submitted

Five local nonprofits will receive grants this month to support social justice, help people impacted by COVID-19, and provide assistance to domestic violence survivors from two giving circles at the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford: JewGood Hartford for young professionals, and the Lillian Fund for women.

“There’s strength in numbers when people pool their money together to help causes that matter most to them,” says Jacob Schreiber, president and CEO of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford. “Our giving circle members are rallying together to address urgent issues and making a positive difference in Greater Hartford,” he continued. “That’s the power of collective philanthropy.”

JewGood Hartford, which was established in 2019, issued its inaugural grant of $10,000 to the Connecticut Coalition for the Homeless to help house 10 families. The financial gift will also assist people who are highly vulnerable to COVID-19 due to crowded, confined shelter settings.

Interval House and Prudence Crandall Center (PCC) each received a grant from the Lillian Fund. Interval House will use its $5,000 grant to help clients gain their financial independence so they can live self-sufficient lives free from domestic violence and fear. The $10,000 grant for PCC will help low-income victims of domestic violence secure safe, affordable, long-term homes for their families, and empower survivors and their children to build a network of community supports.

Both giving circles launched a special fundraising campaign to collectively support social justice, and awarded a $1,000 grant to Connecticut Bail Fund and a $1,000 grant to Hartford Communities That Care.  These two non-profits help improve lives and enhance local communities by advancing social equality and social justice.

A giving circle is a group of like-minded individuals who donate their time and money to a pooled fund and decide together which organizations and causes will receive their grants. Every voting circle member has an equal voice in these decisions. Members also attend events that allow them to explore their philanthropic interests, deepen their knowledge of endowment and create new friendships.

The Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford operates two giving circles, JewGood Hartford and the Lillian Fund, and encourages a gift of $100 to become a voting member of a giving circle.

JewGood Hartford offers a fun and supportive community for young professionals who want to make a positive impact on the world. JewGood does this through two kinds of activities: Hangouts, which are fun, informal gatherings; and Events, which blend hands-on volunteer projects with opportunities to learn about local organizations that are making a difference. JewGood Hartford launched in 2019 with generous funding from the Steve and Randi Piaker Family Fund at the Jewish Community Foundation, and has engaged more than 125 young professionals.

Launched in 1999, the Lillian Fund envisions a world in which all women and children have equal opportunity for personal and professional achievement. They support this vision by funding children’s arts and education programs, domestic violence services, mental health counseling and job training, to name a few. They view philanthropy through a lens of Jewish values and gender equality, while expanding their impact and deepening friendships.

For more information about these giving circles, please email Elana MacGilpin at [email protected], or visit them online at www.jewgoodhartford.org, @Jewgoodhartford and @Lillianfundjcf.

The Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford (JCF) was founded in 1972 with an initial gift of $50,000 and has now grown to more than $120 million in assets. JCF, a proud partner to the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford and a member of the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy, is the fourth largest charitable community foundation in Connecticut. JCF offers an array of options for every size of charitable investment, which includes family giving, donor advised funds, social impact opportunities, and Jewish funding options. For more information, visit www.jcfhartford.org.

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