Friend --
We’re all in this together.
Throughout the world right now, billions of people are staying at home to stop the spread of the coronavirus and protect the most vulnerable among us.
As we band together to protect the lives of our neighbors -- and really in this moment that word has taken on a global meaning -- it’s clear that the impacts of this pandemic are not limited to health. Millions of people are losing their jobs as restaurants shutter, tourism grinds to a halt, gig economy workers see falling demand for their services and domestic workers are dismissed.
In the United States, Israel and the Palestinian territory -- all hit hard by this pandemic -- organizations are mobilizing to provide support to address the economic and medical trauma befalling vulnerable communities.
Below we’ve listed some organizations and relief funds that could use your support in this moment -- if you’re in a position to help. And if you’re experiencing economic, mental or physical distress as a result of this crisis, we’ve included some resources that we hope will useful.
Crooked Media’s Coronavirus Relief Fund: With so many US charities in need of support right now, making a choice about who to support can be overwhelming. Our friends at Crooked Media have made the choice easier by creating a fund that will equally distribute donations to deserving charities providing food assistance, financial support to workers and healthcare. Organizations include Meals on Wheels, the CDC Foundation, the Restaurant Workers Community Foundation and more.
New Israel Fund Emergency Grants: Similarly, the New Israel Fund is making it easy to divide your contribution among a number of deserving organizations providing relief to Israelis and Palestinians.
NIF already funds several organizations directly engaged in relief, including Physicians for Human Rights - Israel, which operates community and mobile clinics for migrants, refugees and other vulnerable communities inside Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. We profiled their work -- alongside several Israeli organizations offering inspiring leadership during this time -- on our blog this week.
Over the coming weeks, NIF will be offering emergency grants to NGOs and community organizations assisting people with disabilities, victims of domestic violence and workers impacted by the pandemic.
Leket Israel: Israel’s national food bank has seen demand for its services rise exponentially during the pandemic and is now delivering meals to over 6,000 food -insecure families and elderly Israelis per day. With coronavirus cases still on the rise in Israel, the organization is contending with the challenge of scaling its operations while ensuring the safety of its teams and recipients.
Palestine’s Coronavirus Relief Fund: Even before the coronavirus outbreak, healthcare providers in the West Bank and Gaza were severely strained, partially due to the elimination of funding by the Trump administration. As cases mount in densely-packed Gaza, Palestinians are facing a public health catastrophe.
Rebuilding Alliance created this relief fund to address urgent needs in the West Bank and Gaza: protective equipment for healthcare workers, ICU equipment for NGO hospitals, food assistance to people in quarantine and more.
HIAS: For over a century, the Jewish organization HIAS has advocated for the rights and dignity of refugee populations. Their work continues even during the pandemic.
Adapting to current restrictions, HIAS has developed processes to remotely secure the services of pro bono attorneys to assist asylum seekers in crowded US detention facilities. They’re making sure recently resettled refugees in the US know how to access public benefits, while also providing emergency relief to refugees abroad.
And if you or someone you know is in need of assistance, here are some useful resources:
I’ll repeat: We’re all in this together. Whether you’re helping out by staying home, reaching out to someone who may be in distress, donating to one of these causes or providing essential services -- your contribution is valuable.
Thank you. Please stay safe and be well.
- Jeremy Ben-Ami
