Your Kindness Can Change Lives: Support the JFCS Spring Appeal
The future of the social safety net is uncertain, and changes on the horizon will deeply affect the well-being of the very people we serve in our community. Right now, over 1,700 of our neighbors are facing food insecurity and struggling to put enough food on their tables. With the cost of living rising, more families are finding it harder to make ends meet each day. Every single person who relies on our pantry is counting on us for essential food and resources to get by. Your support can make a real, immediate impact. Together, we can help ensure a stronger, more secure future for those who need it most. Thank you for your generosity and for standing with us in this critical time.
Take Action Today! Make Your Voice Heard on Issues Impacting Our Community
Recent federal policy changes have significantly impacted our community and we need you to stand up for our community’s most vulnerable neighbors. Key issues:
- The Unaccompanied Children Program funding has been halted, cutting legal representation for 26,000 children in the United States, many of whom are victims of abuse and neglect. No child should stand alone. Learn more about the local impact this will have on Pittsburgh by clicking here. Urge Congress to restore funding to the Unaccompanied Children Program to fund legal services that ensure each child’s safety and wellbeing.
- Legal status for half a million Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans is being revoked in less than 30 days, jeopardizing their safety and future. The loss of immigrant community members will impact the vitality of the Pittsburgh region. Advise your representatives to prioritize the continuation of this critical program.
- USDA cut over $1 million of funding to programs that allowed food banks to purchase produce and dairy from local farmers, straining local economies, like ours. Call your representatives and encourage them to prioritize the continuation of funding this essential program.
- The termination of our country’s refugee resettlement program, stop work order, and failure to reimburse resettlement agencies have had a devastating impact on refugee families, the organizations that support them in building a new life, and our community. Advocate for the restoration of this important program by reaching out to your representatives.
Not only do these changes affect our community, but they will affect the people we serve at JFCS.
Lend your voices! You can make a difference here at home.
You can advocate at the federal level for the continuation of this vital work. Reaching out to government representatives stresses the importance of maintaining funding for these essential programs. Every call counts!
How to advocate:
Contact your Congressperson by clicking here.
How to donate:
Your support will help us continue to support immigrants to find homes, enroll their children in school, learn English, find jobs, get legal assistance, and integrate into our local community. To donate, click here. You can also shop our Amazon Wish List that is full of essentials, like bedding, dishes, cleaning supplies, and more, that immigrants need to establish a new home here.
Events & Happenings
Past, Present, Future: The Profound Impact of Community Support
Join us for an evening of reflection on the past, engagement with the present, and hope for the future. The program will feature a presentation on times of challenge by Eric Lidji, Director of the Rauh Jewish History Program & Archives. We look forward to seeing you on May 14th.
Counseling Services at the Carnegie Science Center!
Happening now at the Carnegie Science Center is Mental Health: Mind Matters. In partnership with the science center, we are trying to break the stigma and educate you on ways to improve your mental health. On April 30 and May 4, JFCS Counseling Services will have hands-on, creative activities to showcase how art can help your mental health.
Groundbreaking at the Pantry!
he JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry staff have been busy preparing for big updates beginning in May. In order to widen the shopping aisles and make it easier and more welcoming for the pantry clients to shop, they will be expanding the footprint. The benefits of this project will include being able to host more educational events; having more people shop at one time thanks to the wider aisles; having a quicker client checkout process as a result of a planned floor scale for weighing clients’ groceries all at one time; and having more organized areas for receiving and storing our food deliveries.
Spring into Success at our Spring Job Fair
Ready to take the next step in your career or find a job better suited for you? Discover opportunities you didn’t know existed at the upcoming job fair! The Spring Job Fair is this Friday, April 4 at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall. Talk directly with employers from a wide range of industries. Plus, can take advantage of the opportunity to upgrade your headshot for free! Learn more and register at the link below.
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