By Heidi Gantwerk
SAN DIEGO — During turbulent times, Jewish Federation of San Diego County is laser focused on caring for Jews in need. More than 10,000 Jews in San Diego live at or near the poverty line, including includes seniors, Holocaust Survivors, single parents, and people with disabilities and mental illness.
The Federation is uniquely positioned as the community’s “connective tissue” to coordinate a communal network to support Jews experiencing poverty. We facilitate several critically important efforts designed to create a more unified, coordinated approach to Jews living at or near poverty. Working closely with our partners, we are able to marshal the local resources to the areas of greatest need — and that can have the greatest impact.
Together, we can create a more vibrant, caring, connected, and enduring Jewish community. The Federation facilitates community collaborations that lead to a coordinated approach to support Jews facing poverty; provides targeted support that allows vulnerable seniors and Holocaust survivors to remain in their homes safely and with dignity; works with key partners to deploy an 18-month community study that learns about every corner of our community, including those living in poverty; and actively explores grant funding opportunities to incentivize new approaches in addressing poverty.
We have a special responsibility to care for the nearly 500 local Holocaust survivors, Jewish victims of Nazi persecution, and Jewish refugees of WWII. One-third of this population is living at, or below, poverty. Many of these individuals are outliving their resources. Others struggle with persistent challenges and traumas that they have carried with them their entire lives.
“I want to thank the wonderful volunteers at Jewish Federation for delivering meals to local Holocaust Survivors during the pandemic. Their warm faces were as meaningful as the meals they delivered,” says local Holocaust survivor Mike Wallenfels.
Taking care of Holocaust survivors is not just the responsibility of any one organization; it is the collective responsibility of our entire community.
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Heidi Gantwerk in President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County